This year, IRDiRC joins the International Women Day (#IWD2020) together with EU Commission and many other organizations and groups worldwide. Why? Because still “throughout the European Union (EU), not enough women are attracted to careers in information, science and technology. While women are better represented at university level – more than 25 % of graduates are female – as careers progress, the proportion of women in the information science technology (IST) and digital workforce drops to just 13 %” as stated in a recent the EU article “Wanted: more women in science and technology“.
Moreover, despite the EU has been actively supporting equal opportunity across many areas in science and technology, gender inequality in research – particularly in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) – is still widespread (source Regendering science for a more inclusive research environment article).
Cultural change is a precondition for societal transformation. Effecting such a change in the institutions that train our future scientists and drive research will require sustained and careful effort.
Professor Tullia Gallina Toschi, Coordinator of the EU-funded PLOTINA project focused on gender equality plans (GEPs).
IRDiRC is leading this cultural change in Europe and internationally, by having Dr. Lucia Monaco as Chair and recognizing equal gender opportunities to all its members. #GenderEquality is possible, let’s celebrate women’s achievement by enabling them to succeed.