Women scientists have played and continue to play an essential role in unlocking the mysteries of our world, from atomic physics to human microbiology and outer space. Yet, their contributions have frequently been ignored or attributed to their male colleagues.
On the occasion of the International Day of Girls and Women in Science (February 11), international organizations and academic and research institutes have highlighted the achievements of women in science. They aim to celebrate women scientists and encourage girls and women to pursue science.
“The major challenges the world faces today, from COVID-19 to climate change, need our brightest scientific minds to solve them. However, only one in three scientists is a woman. This glaring disparity does not just hamstring our ability to find solutions to our common challenges, it keeps us from building the societies we need. And the disparity is systemic.” - Ms Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women & Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO in a joint message
Currently, only 35% of STEM students in higher education are women. Female scientists represent 33.3% of all researchers and only 12% of members of national science academies. Similar to other sectors where women are underrepresented, they typically receive smaller research grants compared to their male peers, and they are also less likely to be promoted or to win awards.
In today’s special dossier, get to know some of the most remarkable women scientists from around the world:
Who are the women scientists who inspire you? Add their name in the comments section. Say Hi 👋 and introduce yourself if you are a scientist or an aspiring scientist.
“I was frustrated by the limited fitness options available for my grandmother during the height of the pandemic. How was my grandmother expected to take care of her physical and mental wellbeing if effective and engaging exercise was not accessible to her?” - Katie Reed
“While you’re pregnant everyone asks you how you are or how they can help. The minute you give birth, however, attention shifts from the mother to the child, which can make it difficult for women to receive the care and support they need during the Fourth Trimester. There is hardly any personalized, evidence-based information available and fear of ‘being a bad mother’ keeps many from asking for help.” - Astrid Gyllenkrok Kristensen
“Having raised over $50m in financing for my female cofounded business, and spoken to hundreds of other early-stage founders — plus having pored over the data — I firmly believe that rather than trying to “fix” female founders, the VC industry needs to do the much harder work of fixing itself.”
“It is said that the greatest act of resistance is to live well, and I think there is truth in that. It is radical to love a body that the world says is wrong. This body, in all its joy and tears and moving edges, is loved completely – not despite its disability, but because of it.”
“I found myself, during our strange, second Covid Christmas, sandwiched between my 22-year-old daughter and my 89-year-old mother. This year, more than ever, the umbilical connection between us tugged at me as I, Janus-in-waiting, observed, monitored and enjoyed the miraculous luxury of three generations together.”
“...change the old idea that men are the breadwinners and women are the primary caregivers. It’s time for women to step into the possibility of creating their wealth and feel comfortable in doing so. We need to normalize women being wealthy.”
“Women are worried about the world their kids will inherit.”
The Russian women’s figure skating team has bigger problems than doping- Kamila Valieva made history at the Winter Olympics for jumps that women athletes have never performed before in competitions. But controversy sparked over news that Valieva had tested positive tests for a banned drug in December. Russian women figure skaters’ success and spectacular jumps are also under scrutiny, as the young, often prepubescent girls are at risk of severe injury and shortened career longevity.
“While there is much to criticise in the double standards and hypocrisies of some policies that invoke feminism, women’s wellbeing as an indicator of a society’s economic and political health remains crucial and revelatory.”
“Women are not safe. Local workers across the board are confronted with blatant and normalized racism, often from their expatriate managers. And a pervasively macho culture in the remote camp sites means that bullying is a normal part of the job.”
“It is fantastic news that Rihanna is pregnant. We should celebrate it. And we should use symbolism to guide our actions, but not as a measure of achievement. It’s time we make the experience of all Black pregnancies an opportunity for celebration.” - Tierra Stewart, Chief Program Officer at IGNITE, the largest and most diverse organization for young women’s political leadership in the US
Thank you for reading FemWealth! Wish you an inspired day and week ahead!
Anamaria
Founder & Writer of FemWealth
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Thanks for this post and the links. Recently, I have been inspired by the works of Sabina Leonelli (https://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/sociology/staff/leonelli/). She is a philosopher of science. And Robin Wall Kimmerer (https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/): American Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental and Forest Biology.