Wife of a prominent scientist of her time, world famous scientist Marie Curie was asked by a journalist how it felt to be married to a genius, she said “I don’t know, you can ask my husband.”
The names and endeavours of women in science is huge, and one would think that an empirical and rational field as that of science would be already beyond the binary male-female differences, attributing merit to results and achievements rather than gender. Apparently not so much has changed since Epathia’s times, when the Egyptian scientist and philosopher in the time of the late Roman Empire was executed by Christian zealots for her belief in science and research. In some parts of the world it is still viewed as sinful for a woman to study, nevermind becoming a scientist or researcher. Although fortunately most women can pursue academia today in the majority of countries around the world, some statistics are to the least unsettling.
Only 30% of scientific researches globally are women, and even those publish less, have lower salaries for their research and have a much slower career compared to their male counterparts. There are general and rooted false stereotypes that attribute scientific research as something more befitting males than a woman’s mind, as the former is better wired for rationality and logical thinking, necessary for science than that of a man.
Nonetheless, women lead innovation in the scientific field, just look at the COVID19 vaccination development, a field that was led by female doctors and researchers, from the first DNA mapping of the virus, up to the development of the vaccine that has given the world a new hope.
True, we need more research and outcomes for the betterment of human and non-human life and to progress in healthy and sustainable ways, and that is no excuse for the process to be only goal oriented and not allow an inclusive, equal-opportunity and respectful process to all who are capable of contributing? How many Epathia’s are still out there? How many great scientists are actually being interviewed because of their husbands’ endeavours?
Whatever you plan to post today on your social media, we ask you to include the hashtag #WomenInScience to raise awareness on this important day, until full equality and equal rights are implemented.
Rescogita is a startup that focuses on education through training, coaching, capacity building and consulting, grounded on the principles of ecopsychology, meaning in identifying practical solutions to affect the wellbeing of the individual, the community and the biosphere in a single approach.