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Bridging the Gender Gap in STEM
Context:
Women in science often face a daunting array of challenges, many of which begin early in their education.
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- Limited access to quality schooling and deeply ingrained societal norms can discourage girls from pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
- For those who overcome these initial barriers, cultural expectations frequently impose additional pressures, particularly the expectation to prioritise family over professional aspirations.
- These constraints significantly impact career progression, limiting opportunities for hiring, promotions, and funding.
- Furthermore, workplace discrimination and harassment add another layer of adversity, forcing many women out of the field altogether.
Global and Indian Context
- Higher Attrition Rates: The challenges women face in STEM fields are not unique to any single country.
- A global study of STEM professionals across 38 countries has shown that women experience higher attrition rates due to non-inclusive workplaces, difficulties in maintaining work-life balance, and restricted access to high-impact research opportunities.
- Impending Career Growth: These factors impede career growth, limit access to leadership roles, and reduce representation in professional networks.
- Transition: The transition from postdoctoral research to faculty positions proves particularly challenging for women, who often grapple with familial responsibilities, low self-confidence, and a scarcity of female role models.
- Research from the National Institutes of Health highlights these struggles, underscoring the need for systemic reform.
Importance of Retaining Women in STEM
- Creativity and Innovation: Diverse teams foster creativity and innovation, resulting in groundbreaking discoveries that benefit from multiple perspectives.
- Role Models: Increased representation of women in STEM also provides aspiring young girls with role models, encouraging more of them to pursue careers in science.
- Enriching Society: Achieving gender equity enables women to contribute fully to scientific progress, enriching society with a more inclusive workforce.
- Matilda Effect: The “Matilda Effect,” named after 19th-century feminist Matilda Joslyn Gage, describes the historical tendency to overlook women’s contributions to science in favor of their male colleagues.
- Similarly, Jacob Clark Blickenstaff’s “leaky pipeline” metaphor illustrates how biased educational approaches, a lack of role models, and hostile workplaces contribute to women leaving STEM careers.
- Although this model has been critiqued for oversimplifying the issue, the more recent “Chutes and Ladders” framework highlights systemic power imbalances, emphasising the barriers women face in mentorship, access to hidden opportunities, and career progression.
Gender Disparities in Indian Academia
- In India, where conservative societal attitudes remain deeply rooted, these challenges are even more pronounced.
- A nationwide survey conducted across 98 institutions in 2020-21 revealed that women constituted only 17% of faculty across STEM fields, with representation varying from 23% in biology to a mere 8% in engineering.
- This gender gap widens within prestigious institutions and among senior faculty, where women remain vastly underrepresented.
- The study also found that women scientists are frequently excluded from conferences and other career-enhancing opportunities.
Addressing the Challenges: A Multi-Pronged Approach
Addressing these systemic challenges requires a comprehensive and inclusive approach that involves policymakers, institutions, and the broader scientific community. To improve the retention of women in STEM, three key recommendations must be prioritised:
- Institutional Support: Implementing flexible work options, providing affordable childcare, and introducing policies that support work-family integration are critical to creating a more inclusive work environment.
- Visibility and Recognition: Public acknowledgment of both achievements and setbacks faced by women in STEM is essential.
- Celebrating successful women in science can challenge stereotypes and inspire future generations.
- Simultaneously, initiatives like BiasWatchIndia, which exposes gender disparities in academia, can drive incremental progress by holding institutions accountable.
- Targeted Career Support: A nuanced approach tailored to different career stages is necessary.
- This includes removing age restrictions on research grants, establishing mentorship networks, supporting career re-entry after breaks, and amplifying women’s voices in leadership and decision-making roles.
Government Initiatives and the Road Ahead
- GATI: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) pilot program in 2020 to create a more inclusive research environment.
- WISE-KIRAN: Additionally, initiatives such as Women in Science and Engineering-Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing (WISE-KIRAN) and the Women Scientists Scheme (WOS) aim to enhance participation and support women in research.
- BioCARe: The Department of Biotechnology’s Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) program further aids women scientists returning to research after career breaks.
- ICMR: The Indian Council of Medical Research has also introduced programs that focus on women’s health and training for female scientists.
