Women and Girls in Science: Why Ignoring DEI is a Missed Opportunity

Diversity in Science is, still, far from equitable. Women make up just 29% of jobs in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering, and Math), and the proportion at management level is just 13%.

Plus, over half (56%) of women that do pursue careers in STEM, end up leaving the industry within 10-20 years.

Even more concerning is that the top reason for this is unsupportive, or even hostile, working environments.

So, as today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, it’s also a great reminder of the power that diversity can bring not only to science but to all fields.

With Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives under attack worldwide and rollbacks fom major corporations underway, are we on track to leave white men unharmed for another decade?

Even more importantly, what can we do to change this?

The “leaky Pipeline”

For years, the “leaky pipeline" has been used as a to explain the lack of Diversity and the attrition of women from STEM.

The problem with this metaphor, however, is that it places most of the blame on the women’s personal decisions. For example, choosing her educational path, or starting a family.

And, while these life factors undoubtedly do play a role, the real issue goes far beyond individual choices.

How can we encourage women to pursue careers in STEM, when biases and systematic barriers have blocked their path from the very beginning?

And it’s not exactly improving…

It’s 2025, and leaders are dismantling DEI initiatives that have protected women and people of colour in the workplace.

At the same time, state and local governments trying to keep diversity alive are facing investigations and even criminal charges

What is going on?

Interestingly, in the last 10 years, DEI initiatives have significantly improved unemployment rates across all DEI categories:

In other words, DEI initiatives have helped white men over the past decade, not disadvantaged them.

If the anti-DEI movement isn't based on data, then what is behind it?

Why Diversity is a No Brainer

Jobs in STEM industries are quickly become some of the fastest growing and highest paid careers of the future.

For example, the global information technology industry alone is worth trillions of dollars, and is expected to continue to grow by up to 8% per annum in years to come.

But, in rapidly expanding areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), only 1 in 5 professionals (22%) is female.

If we are aiming to tackle issues that affect 100% of the population, would it not be most sensible for a diverse cross section of that population to generate ideas, and drive the solutions?

Research has even suggested that if STEM companies were to double their share of women to around 45%, GDP could see a boost of €260 billion to €600 billion.

So, as the data shows, the lack of diversity STEM isn’t just a moral issue, it’s a missed opportunity for innovation.

So, What Can We Do?

STEM (and others fields) risk regressing to an era where the barriers against minorities entering and thriving in the workplace become irreversible.

If we continue down this path, science is not only putting themselves at risk, but everyone else too.

To move forwards, now, we must:

1) Hold the right people accountable

We need to make sure that we’re talk about the lack of diversity in Science in a way that holds the right people – institutions, leaders, and systems – accountable.

Rather than saying, “ less that 20% CEOs are women,” we could say, “Despite decades of diversity pledges, companies remain 20 X more likely to promote a man to CEO than a woman.”

By reframing the language we use, we can highlight the systematic failures and hold those in power accountable.

2) Be authentic with DEI

No one should be hired to tick a box.

People need to see you’re making real steps towards a more inclusive workplace, and that your diversity efforts are driven by purpose, not pressure.

Hiring diverse talent should be about recognising the potential and talent, not just fulfilling expectations.

3) Celebrate role models

To inspire women with confidence and attract diverse talent, we must celebrate the achievements of female role models.

The face of STEM has long been perceived as young, middle-class, white men, reinforced by industry itself and advertising.

This has led to many brilliant women in science being ignored, undermined, or misattributed.

For example, Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician, who played an instrumental role in NASA’s space exploration efforts.

4) Rethink your hiring process

Gender bias in job de

By using neutral language instead of masculine terms, companies can better attract women and girls into STEM roles.

For example, we helped COLT refresh their job ads to appeal to more women in tech, resulting in a rise in female hires in India from 35% to 50%.

Also, given only 35% of STEM undergraduates are woman, when writing job ads, ask yourself: do you really need applicants with gender-biased degrees?

5) Invest in your talent

This leads us onto opportunities for skills development.

By offering training, mentorships, internships, and apprenticeships you can not only attract and retain aspiring talent, but pave the way for more people to move into leadership roles.

These initiatives also provide alternative pathways into STEM careers, which is important in time where gender disparities in STEM education are persistent.

Final thoughts

International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a time to shout louder.

The data is clear, diversity drives innovation. And that’s exactly what science needs. Yet, DEI initiatives are under attack, and marginalised groups still face significant barriers.

For ccience to truly shape the future, it must reflect the diversity of the world it serves.