Women in STEM: we need more of them! Thu. IL

In reference to the International Day of Girls and Women in Science, we look at the presence of women in science.

Science and technology are increasingly attracting women at the university stage, however, as studies show, a significant part of them do not take up a job in a learned profession later. Where does this disparity come from and what impact does the presence of women in science have on its development? There are several reasons, including, among others, the difficulty of piercing the so-called. glass ceiling (i.e. invisible, systemic barriers to women's advancement to higher positions) and experience of discrimination in the workplace.

Although in Poland, in the academic world, at first glance the situation of gender parity seems to be preserved, in the light of deeper analyzes we still face a clear gender gap. According to a study by the Rad-on portal, there are noticeably fewer women at the higher levels of scientific careers, which is becoming a worrying trend. This can be seen, for example, in the structure of scientific degrees; the number of female doctors significantly exceeds the number of female professors, who make up only 27.9%.

One could try to explain these disparities with the simple statement that women simply do not want to get higher degrees. Nothing more wrong - they want, but they encounter the aforementioned glass ceiling, which is confirmed by the Glass Ceiling Index (GCI) staying above 1. Also in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) we observe an imbalance - especially in technical fields, which still remain the domain of men. We see a much greater gender balance in the humanities and social sciences.

Do women work in science after graduation? About quitting work in the profession.

Looking at it from a broader perspective, more and more women are opting for STEM studies. In Poland, women account for 44.21% of students in these fields, and in some of them their participation is even higher - an example is biomedical engineering, where it exceeds 60%. Although these figures may seem optimistic, they still do not translate into closing the gender gap in specific technical professions. The reason is the abandonment of many women from further professional careers after graduation.

This “falling out” of women from the labor market has its own justification, which was mentioned by Prof. Agnieszka Wilczewskafrom the Faculty of Chemistry University of Bialystok, in conversation for Polish Academy of Sciences. She pointed out that in order to make a real difference, we need “flexible career paths”, that is, those that allow you to combine academic work with private life. Prof. Wilczewska also stressed that it is crucial to increase the number of women in management positions - both in science and in the technology industry - as well as their presence on scientific boards and supervisory boards of companies.

How many women are there in science? Development in defiance of stereotypes.

According to the latest global data compiled by Stemvrouwen, The largest number of women in science education is in scienze fisici (i.e. physical sciences, such as physics, chemistry or earth sciences). The distribution of women and men in these majors is as follows: 44% and 56%, respectively. Fewer women study engineering and technology - while men make up 79% of students there, the share of women is only 21%. Large disparities can also be seen in the computer science (Computer Science and Computer Science) - here men account for 77% of students, and women only 23%. In the field of mathematics, women studying this field account for 37%, while men account for 63%.

How is the situation in Poland? Although projects aimed at eliminating inequalities in the field of science are developing more and more boldly in Poland, we still face a shortage of women both in the scientific staff and in the fields of science. There are such courses in Poland, such as automation and industrial robotics, where there are less than 5 female students! As the data shows Women in technical colleges 2023 tOnly 35% of all students in public technical colleges are women.

Based on the report, it is clear that the potential of women in science and technology in Poland is still not fully exploited. Although the participation of women in public technical universities increased from 13% to 15% between 2013 and 2022, this change is progressing very slowly and does not translate equally across all areas of education. Particularly noticeable are the disparities in the directions of new technology, especially information technology, where, regardless of the type of university, the share of women rarely exceeds a fifth of students. Even at the most “feminized” polytechnics, such as Stanisław Staszic University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Women make up only about 20% of those studying in these fields. On the other hand, there are universities where their presence is really marginal, reaching only 5— 7%...

Does the report bring at least some optimism? Yes, but with a reservation. In the long term, the number of women studying computer science and ICT majors is clearly increasing, by as much as 47% in the analyzed period, while the number of men is falling. Moreover, there are already technical directions on which it was possible to achieve a relative gender balance and even the predominance of women. The best example is biomedical engineering, where in the academic year 2021/2022 women accounted for as many as 64% of students, as we mentioned above. These data show that women in Polish science and technology are present, interested and ready to develop in these areas and the problem is not lack of competences or aspirations, but insufficient conditions for their full use.

Women in Tech and other projects to strengthen equality

In response to the persistent gender inequalities in science and technology, Poland is developing a number of initiatives supporting women at different stages of education and career. Their goal is not only to increase women's participation in STEM, but also to break stereotypes and build long-term support. One of the key organizations is Women in Tech, which supports women in technology industries through mentoring, networking and development programs. It also plays an important role Perspectives Educational Foundation, running campaigns Girls at the Polytechnic! and Girls to Learn!, encouraging young women to choose technical studies and a scientific path.

These initiatives show that women are present in science and technology. However, they need favourable conditions, visible patterns and systemic support so that their potential can be fully exploited.

Sources:

Women in STEM: we need more of them! Thu. IL

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