Women In Science Research Articles

Capacity development training workshop on crop simulation modelling and effects of climate risks on agricultural production systems in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia (SEA) has experienced frequent floods and droughts, posing severe challenges for farmers, agricultural scientists and extension officers. Consequently, crop modelling has become imperative in developing agricultural production systems and making informed decisions at the field level. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) can be effectively utilised at both farm and regional levels to assess the influence of climate change on production across different spatial scales. Moreover, it supports planning adaptation strategies tailored to the needs of farmers. The one-week hands-on training workshop aims to enhance technical and scientific proficiency in crop simulation modelling and evaluate the effects of climate risks on agricultural production systems in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. A total of 62 participants from the selected countries, including Singapore and Ethiopia, were joined in the training. Among them were 48 male and 24 female individuals, comprising researchers, students, scientists, academicians and extension officers. The participants predominantly acquired knowledge of crop simulation modelling techniques by utilising existing case examples and lecture materials from the DSSAT foundation. Furthermore, the training workshops establish research networks and collaborations among the participant countries, facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge related to innovative farm management practices and fostering interactions between local agricultural communities and scientists.

Transformation of human capital of scientists-women in the Era of COVID-19 and digitalization

The paper reflects an analysis examining the human capital transformation among female scientists in STEM and NON-STEM sectors in the era of COVID-19 and digitalisation focusing on young scientists in Ukraine. The human capital of these young female scientists is categorised into three groups within Ukrainian science: Doctor of Sciences, PhD and scientists without a scientific degree. The research methodology includes the method of analysis and synthesis for the theoretical and statistical analysis of the sociological survey for the results. The main issues regarding the realisation of the potential of young female scientists in the era of COVID-19 and digitalisation are defined. Innovativeness is proven to be the key indicator in the context of digitalisation. The main limitation of the research is the COVID-19 restrictions present at the time of conducting the sociological survey.

Quantifying attrition in science: a cohort-based, longitudinal study of scientists in 38 OECD countries

AbstractIn this paper, we explore how members of the scientific community leave academic science and how attrition (defined as ceasing to publish) differs across genders, academic disciplines, and over time. Our approach is cohort-based and longitudinal: We track individual male and female scientists over time and quantify the phenomenon traditionally referred to as “leaving science.” Using publication metadata from Scopus—a global bibliometric database of publications and citations—we follow the details of the publishing careers of scientists from 38 OECD countries who started publishing in 2000 (N = 142,776) and 2010 (N = 232,843). Our study is restricted to 16 STEMM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine), and we track the individual scholarly output of the two cohorts until 2022. We use survival analysis to compare attrition of men and women scientists. With more women in science and more women within cohorts, attrition is becoming ever less gendered. In addition to the combined aggregated changes at the level of all STEMM disciplines, widely nuanced changes were found to occur at the discipline level and over time. Attrition in science means different things for men versus women depending on the discipline; moreover, it means different things for scientists from different cohorts entering the scientific workforce. Finally, global bibliometric datasets were tested in the current study, opening new opportunities to explore gender and disciplinary differences in attrition.

Breaking the bias: perspectives of a WiSTEM2D programme inspiring female undergraduates for a technical future

PurposeThis is an account of student experiences with the 2020/2021 Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing and Design (WiSTEM2D) intervention programme at the University of Limerick (UL).Design/methodology/approachThe WiSTEM2D programme supports female undergraduate students undertaking science, technology, engineering, mathematics, manufacturing and design (STEM2D) courses, helping them develop and grow in their degrees, research and beyond.FindingsDuring the programme, data were gathered from students in the form of qualitative information, which was used to analyse perceptions of the programme. This analysis revealed that students found the WiSTEM2D programme beneficial to them and that it improved their confidence levels, career knowledge and overall networking abilities.Originality/valueWiSTEM2D is one of several initiatives globally that are attempting to empower and encourage women to be active in STEM.

Editorial: Women in science: geohazards and georisks 2022

Editorial: Women in science: geohazards and georisks 2022

Breaking the Gender Imbalance: Female Presence in the Computational Chemistry Group at Viva Biotech.

The growing field of computational chemistry and artificial intelligence is drawing unprecedented attention in drug discovery. However, the underrepresentation of female scientists persists in the field. While the gender disparity is acknowledged in academic settings, the issue is less addressed and intensifies in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry both at the entry-level and leadership positions. At Viva Biotech, we challenge this norm: over 60% of the full-time employees in our computational chemistry group are women, a testament of our commitment to the pursuit of gender equality. We share our vision of the evolving role of computational chemistry in drug discovery and where women stand and rise in the field. In this article, we discuss how we engage female empowerment with tactical approaches and from personal experiences. The intention is to offer actionable guidance for female computational chemists at early career stages to bring visibility to their impacts, and ascent to senior positions.

The Status Contingent Impact of CEO Political Ideology on Discrimination Against Female Scientists

The Status Contingent Impact of CEO Political Ideology on Discrimination Against Female Scientists

Book review: Namrata Gupta. Women in Science and Technology: Confronting Inequalities

Book review: Namrata Gupta. Women in Science and Technology: Confronting Inequalities

Challenging gender stereotypes: Young women's views on female role models in secondary school science textbooks

International Women's Day highlights both women's achievements and ongoing efforts toward global gender equality. Gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) affect a country's innovation and ability to tackle global challenges. Therefore, recent national education policies have looked for ways to promote gender equality, particularly in the STEM subjects. One problem is that teaching materials often lack female representation and recognition of female achievements and contributions to STEM subjects, affecting how female students perceive science. The study examines how female students aged 15 to 18 are impacted by gender disparity in their physics teaching materials and what importance they place on female role models. It encompasses 20 group interviews with female students (n = 80) in Switzerland, which were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results show that, aside from Marie Curie, female scientists are largely unknown to female students, contributing to the perception of physics as a male domain. Female role models are crucial for fostering interest, motivation, and self-esteem in STEM subjects. However, internalized gender stereotypes and fears of negative reactions from male peers counter the demand for greater visibility of female scientists. Despite these challenges, most female students advocate for more female role models in STEM to inspire future generations of female students to pursue a STEM career and foster positive social change.

Inspiring and Preparing Our Future Leaders: Evaluating the Impact of the Early Career Women's Leadership Program.

The number of women in high-level leadership in academic medicine remains disproportionately low. Early career programs may help increase women's representation in leadership. We evaluated the Early Career Women's Leadership Program (ECWLP). We hypothesized that participants would rate themselves as having increased confidence in their leadership potential, improved leadership skills, and greater alignment between their goals for well-being and leading after the program. We also explored the participants' aspirations and confidence around pursuing high-level leadership before and after the program. We surveyed women physicians and scientists before and after they participated in the 2023 ECWLP, consisting of 11 seminars over six months. We analyzed pre- and post-program data using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. We analyzed answers to open-ended questions with a content analysis approach. 47/51 (92%) participants responded, and 74% answered pre- and post-program questionnaires. Several metrics increased after the program, including women's confidence in their ability to lead (p<0.001), negotiate (p<0.001), articulate their career vision (p<0.001), reframe obstacles (p<0.001), challenge their assumptions (p<0.001), and align their personal and professional values (p=0.002). Perceptions of conflict between aspiring to lead and having family responsibilities (p=0.003) and achieving physical well-being (p=0.002) decreased. Perceived barriers to advancement included not being part of influential networks, a lack of transparency in leadership, and a competitive and individualistic culture. In the qualitative analysis, women described balancing internal factors such as self-doubt with external factors like competing professional demands when considering leadership. Many believed that becoming a leader would be detrimental to their well-being. Beneficial ECWLP components included support for self-reflection, tactical planning to pursue leadership, and creating a safe environment. The ECWLP improved women's confidence and strategic plans to pursue leadership in a way that supported their work-life integration. Early career leadership programs may encourage and prepare women for high-level leadership.

Her Legacy Lives On: Celebrating the Women Behind Head and Neck Eponyms.

This article profiles 6 notable female scientists who have had eponyms named after them, highlighting their significant contributions to various medical fields and whose scientific endeavors have influenced our practice and understanding of otolaryngology. We discuss Łucja Frey Gottesman and her description of Frey's syndrome; Margaret Dix and the Dix-Hallpike test; Lotte Strauss and her work defining Churg-Strauss disease; Dorothy Reed Mendenhall's discovery of Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's lymphoma; Edith Louise Potter defining Potter sequence in utero; Denise Louis-Bar originally characterizing the condition now known as ataxia-telangiectasia or Louis-Bar syndrome. Despite the challenges these women faced as pioneering female physicians as well as personal and political turmoil, their contributions greatly advanced the fields of otolaryngology, neurology, neuropathology, perinatology, and pediatric pathology. We aim to honor their stories and medical legacies.

Gender Distribution of Scientific Prizes Is Associated with Naming of Awards after Men, Women or Neutral

Woman scientists have for long been under-represented as recipients of academic prizes. The reasons for this lack of recognition are manifold, including potential gender bias amongst award panels and nomination practices. This dataset of the gender distribution of 8747 recipients of 345 scientific medals and prizes awarded by 11 General Scientific Societies as well as subject-specific societies in the Earth and Environmental Sciences and in Cardiology between 1731 and 2021 explores the magnitude, temporal trends and potential drivers of observed gender imbalances. Our analysis revealed women were particularly underrepresented in awards named after men with awards not named after a person or named after a woman being more frequently awarded to woman scientists. Time-series analysis confirmed persisting trends that are only starting to change since the early 2000s, indicating that a lot remains to be accomplished to achieve true equity. We encourage the scientific community to extend our data and analysis, as they represent important evidence of the recognition of academic achievements towards other under-represented groups and including also nomination information.

The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science

The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science

Emotionally Uninhabitable? Dramatizing Environmental Destruction and Contamination

This article explores patterns of emotional expression in drama about the human capacity to damage the natural environment and cause extinctions. I propose that drama offsets depictions of a physically uninhabitable environment with contrasting emotions so it does not become emotionally uninhabitable, and I discuss this proposition in relation to twentieth-century canonical drama and two plays about atmospheric and land damage. Dymphna Cusack’s Pacific Paradise from 1955 and Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children from 2016 frame catastrophic events through the responses of women scientists and oscillating patterns of fearful and cheerful emotions and moods. Drama about land contamination from nuclear radiation and its devasting impact on First Nations peoples is a relevant forerunner to drama about global warming – an ironic development, since some twenty-first-century climate change strategies have accepted nuclear power as an option. Scenarios of an uninhabitable environment might be a longstanding part of political performance, but in these plays, a fear-inducing mood that begins to seem overpowering is often interrupted with humour and by characters taking resistant action.

Yes We Can: Promoting Gender Equality from University to Primary Education Teaching through the Design of Knowledge Models

Gender equality and women’s empowerment are important issues that still need to be addressed, despite some progress in recent years. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to tackle various global challenges, including the 4th (Quality Education) and 5th (Gender Equality) goals that were used to frame an activity in a science education subject in a primary education teaching degree. Previous research has found a decrease in girls’ interest in STEM and STEM-related jobs in primary and secondary education. To encourage girls in primary education towards STEM-related professions, an activity was organized in a science subject at a university in Navarre, Spain. The goal of this activity was to identify inspiring women scientists who could serve as role models for university and primary school students. A knowledge model, which is a concise and graphical representation of knowledge through concept maps, was created using the methodology of knowledge model design (Cañas et al. Revista De Informática Educativa 13:145–158, 2000) to showcase all the women scientists selected by the students. This final model is publicly accessible and can be shared with any educational center interested in promoting gender diversity in STEM fields. The results showed that the students learned meaningfully as they inquired about women scientists in professions that are typically considered more suitable for men. As these students are trainee primary school teachers, they can become part of an educational network that empowers girls by developing STEM-related activities that promote gender equality.

History of female Polish pioneers and expeditioners in polar regions

In the paper, we present a gradual transition from domination of men to equal treatment for men and women during the several decades of Polish expeditions to scientific stations in the Arctic and the Antarctic. This research has been based on the data available in the archives and at the database created within the project Female polar explorers (Polarniczki in Polish), which contains information about the number of female participants of expeditions to Polish research stations. Women participated in the seasonal expeditions almost from the very beginning when Polish research stations were established in 1970s and 1980s, but a significant increase of female participants is visible especially at year-round stations in the second decade of the 21st century. In 1984, the first Polish female scientist overwintered in the Antarctic and in 1996 in the Arctic. In 1986, the first woman became a leader of a summer scientific expedition to Spitsbergen, and in 1991 a first woman became the leader of a year-long expedition to Arctowski Station. In the presented database, there are 825 records, that correspond to 417 surnames of female participants in Polish polar expeditions, 145 participated in more than one expedition. Women who were working at Polish polar research stations represented a variety of occupations, but most of them were scientists or combined science and station service. The collected data clearly show that the days when the presence of women at polar stations was unwelcome are a thing of the past.

A collective action approach to improving attitudes and self-efficacy towards gender equality among male STEM academics

Despite the implementation of equality interventions within higher education, progress towards gender parity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remains slow. Male educators often exhibit poorer engagement with diversity initiatives, potentially contributing to persisting gender disparities in STEM given men’s longstanding dominance in these programs. Two experiments investigate how equality interventions should be designed to maximize support from male educators. Experiment 1 (N = 72; Mage = 39.72, SDage = 12.33) used virtual reality to manipulate 2 factors among male academics: (1) exposure to gender inequality and (2) virtually taking the perspective of a female scientist. Using self-report and behavioral measures, viewing an empirical presentation outlining the prevalence of gender issues in STEM yielded the greatest support for equality initiatives following successful perspective-taking. Experiment 2 (N = 120; Mage = 32.48, SDage = 10.36) varied two additional factors among male academics: (1) evidence-based methods to reduce gender biases in STEM (i.e., promoting self-efficacy) and (2) blaming male academics for gender inequalities. Promoting self-efficacy and blaming men for disparities led to greater confidence in male academics’ ability to address gender inequalities in their field. Notably, higher self-efficacy accounted for greater support for equality initiatives and internal motives to engage with diversity programs. Findings provide an empirical framework and high-tech training tools for promoting engagement with diversity initiatives among male educators, informing development of interventions within higher education to improve student and faculty experiences in STEM.

Hurdles and Challenges Perceived by Women Scientists in India

Women constitute a high percentage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in India but this is not well reflected at the professional level. It is believed that women face numerous challenges, affecting not only their choice of STEM as a career but also their professional and personal lives. Thus, it is essential to understand the underlying causes. The study aims to explore the hurdles faced by women in CSIR laboratories. A primary survey, using questionnaires, was conducted to gain a realistic and holistic view of their experiences of working and the differences they come across in the work environment compared to the other gender. Data was collected from 582 women scientists, technical staff, and students. The survey explored the role of personal, institutional, and social factors responsible for promotions/ hindrances in the scientific career. Analyses were conducted using both quantitative and qualitative data. Insights and suggestions were also sought from the respondents to enhance further understanding and remedial measures. Suitable policies could be framed based on the recommendations for gender equality in STEM.

How does caregiver-child conversation during a scientific storybook reading impact children's mindset beliefs and persistence?

This study explores how caregiver-child scientific conversation during storybook reading focusing on the challenges or achievements of famous female scientists impacts preschoolers' mindset, beliefs about success, and persistence. Caregiver-child dyads (N = 202, 100 female, 35% non-White, aged 4-5, ƒ = .15) were assigned to one of three storybook conditions, highlighting the female scientist's achievements, effort, or, in a baseline condition, neither. Children were asked about their mindset, presented with a persistence task, and asked about their understanding of effort and success. Findings demonstrate that storybooks highlighting effort are associated with growth mindset, attribution of success to hard work, and increased persistence. Caregiver language echoed language from the assigned storybook, showing the importance of reading storybooks emphasizing hard work.

Extensive reforms to improve funding efficiency: an interview with President Xiankang Dou of National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Dr. Xiankang Dou () was appointed the President of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in April 2023. As a distinguished researcher specializing in studying the middle and upper atmosphere of earth, Dr. Dou had served as the President of Wuhan University during 2016 to 2022 and was elected an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 2017. At his new post in NSFC, Dr. Dou's first priorities include curtailing personal favors in the review process (often known as 'say hello' with an intent to lobby), reforming the scoring and renewing mechanisms for the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (DYS), opening the channel for DYS applications to researchers from Hong Kong and Macau, extending the age limit of female scientists for applying for DYS, and initiating funding programs for outstanding doctoral and undergraduate students. Recently, National Science Review (NSR) had an interview with Dr. Dou. He believes only through reform and experimentation can NSFC make steady progress in its efforts to support research of basic science and applied basic science in China and to cultivate promising scholars.