Celebrating diversity in the lab
As the share of women researchers rises, so does the view that innovation requires different and unique perspectives.
Jean Jennings Bartik (left) and Frances Bilas Spence, two of the original programmers, stand in front of the ENIAC computer at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946.
Courtesy of University Archives and Records Center, University of Pennsylvania/Grand Central Publishing
On June 23, women who are trained to invent, build, and fix today’s technology will celebrate International Women in Engineering Day. Started in Britain a decade ago, the celebration – and that is the main point – has since gone global. And for good reason. The number of women researchers in all technical fields worldwide is approaching parity with men.
A new study by a Dutch scientific academic publishing company, Elsevier, found that women were 41% of researchers in 2022 compared with 28% in 2001. In a few fields such as chemistry, as well as in a few countries such as Portugal, women have already reached parity. And the most experienced female researchers have their scholarly work cited in publications more often than male researchers do.
The annual celebration for women in engineering began in 2014 as a way to shift the narrative about the difficulties women face in research institutions traditionally dominated by men. “By nurturing and promoting positive role models, we can create a future where the barriers we faced no longer exist,” Dawn Childs, recent president of Britain’s Women’s Engineering Society, told The Manufacturer.
“By shifting the conversation away from the negatives of being a woman in engineering, we can redirect our focus towards the immense potential we possess to make the world a better place through our problem-solving abilities,” she said.
This upward trajectory for women in research has required more than fighting gender bias. Women have become adept at networking to learn the ropes and climb the career ladder. They are figuring out ways to navigate the first several years in research, work-life balance, and scholarships. After one workshop in Singapore for women in science and technology, one participant said she discovered “more about myself and how to communicate with the partners around me.”
As the gender gap narrows for women in research, many in their fields recognize that innovation relies on a broad concept of diversity beyond gender balance. A work environment that includes many unique perspectives and experiences helps foster innovation, as shown by a 2017 study by Boston Consulting Group. A yearly event to celebrate the advances of one particular group – women engineers – opens doors for others.