Why Equality In Science Cannot Wait
Sometimes we must think globally, and act locally, to spark meaningful change.
My goal is to promote equality and inclusion so that science benefits from the diversity of people working together. Therefore, I'm focusing my efforts on the people I know best: scientists, in order to reach UN Women's #Planet5050 goal by 2030.
It was a slap in the face to receive the 2022 Global Gender Gap Report. Although we can't measure gender equality solely by economic measures, this report highlights that it will take us another 132 years to close the worldwide economic gender gap. Let that number sink in for a second.
One hundred and thirty-two years.
OVER ONE HUNDRED YEARS!
This number means that not my children or their children, but perhaps my great-great-great grandchildren may be born into a world where economic gender equality is the norm.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t have the paciencia for that. The world cannot wait that long, and neither can I.
And I’m not waiting.
I refuse to.
Within science and academic careers, equality and diversity have long been debated topics. Today, I’m immersed in that debate both in and out of the ‘white walls’ of academia, through protests, panels, petitions, and conversations on social media. Historically, women are underrepresented in science at every level of their careers, and more women than men leave science altogether. This Atlantic piece gives a glimpse into the sobering numbers, which haven’t really changed much in the 10 years since this article was published:
“Although women obtain more than half of the baccalaureate degrees in the sciences, they receive only 46 percent of the doctorates. Others will drop out of the science pipeline after receiving their Ph.D.s, or when they come up for tenure. Less than one third of Ph.D.-level scientists employed in tenure-track positions at four-year colleges and universities are women; less than one quarter of full professors are women.”
Not only is the academic career system we know today one that developed when most higher-ups were men with stay-at-home wives (wish you all the best if you are a woman who is looking for both a fast-track career and family today), but it also left out most people on the planet: the non-white communities. It is 2024, and still minority groups are not always offered the same opportunities for career advancement as others. Heck, it’s still hard enough to see ourselves represented on television screens, keynote speakers, and panels! Our initial consideration when establishing panels, recruiting, and asking for representatives should be, "Is this group diverse and truly representative of society?" rather than having it as an afterthought.
Science organisations, universities, the government sector, not-for-profit jobs, and more need to take a stand and work towards improving diversity and inclusion in order to address the fact that there still exists inequality in our industry. Several organizations claim to be committed to promoting and celebrating diversity and equality... but are they? It's no longer enough for organizations to say they are raising awareness of equality and diversity as part of everything they do. It has been a long-standing campaign, call to action, and battle cry since... well, ever since my mother was a little girl.
I understand that achieving equality in the area of science is a marathon, not a sprint. This is a cultural shift - decades of inequality are being challenged! It won't happen overnight; it will take many small initiatives over time. It will take time to implement changes across organizations. A real change in science requires work from the educational stage through the entry level up and throughout one's career. Right to the dang end! But companies, institutes, and organizations can do a great deal to improve diversity and inclusion... and they can do so by seeking out the abundant resources that exist out there already, or by hiring someone to implement changes specifically related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
It is the responsibility of every leader to educate themselves about equality and diversity. In your role as a leader, what are you doing to ensure we are one step closer to equal opportunities in science today?