Female Phizzi focus
Published: 20 February 2020
Are you feeling inspired after last week’s UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science which took place on 11 February? People across the globe called on everyone to smash stereotypes, defy gender biases and defeat discrimination that hold women and girls back in STEM fields.
Scientists were celebrated as people joined the conversation to showcase the women and girls who are leading innovation: #WomenInScience #IamAPhysicist
March 8 is International Women’s Day: a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Why not use this day to continue the celebration of science and help inspire our future physicists?
An Ogden Phizzi focus is now online to help you navigate the resources available and is full of ideas, suggestions and useful links.
“Talking about women in physics can be difficult in primary schools because so much of the work that all the amazing women physicists have done is historically recent and involves some quite abstract concepts,” says Amanda Poole, Ogden lead for resource development. “I have produced this edition of Phizzi Focus to inspire primary teachers to explore women in physics with their classes because it is so important that all children see that physics is for everyone. International Women’s day is the perfect opportunity to make time for conversations about gender bias and help all young scientists believe that physics is for them”.
Today, just 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women, and only 35 per cent of all students enrolled in STEM related fields of study are women.
Recent studies have found that women in STEM fields publish less, are paid less for their research, and do not progress as far as men in their careers. Girls are often made to believe they are not smart enough for STEM, or that boys and men have natural affinity for the field.
Despite these setbacks, women and girls continue to lead innovation and ground-breaking research. They have created life-saving medicine and broken the sound barrier, explored the universe and laid the foundation to understand the structure of DNA. They are inspiring role models for our future generations.
Our future will be marked by scientific and technological progress, which can only be achieved when women and girls are creators, owners, and leaders of science, technology and innovation. Bridging the gender gap in STEM is vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and for creating infrastructure, services and solutions that work for all people.
Source: UN Women and Girls in Science Day