Did you know that there are only 20 women who own Nobels in science?
It was such a huge celebration moment for every woman in the community after hearing that this year's chemistry award goes to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna for "the development of a method for genome editing". This study will enable humankind to edit our DNA in the future.
But after hearing the news, I have to admit that I looked up online to find other women who won a prize in Nobel's in science. It was a frustrating moment for me because finding out only 20 women have won. It was a heartbreaking moment. Why don't we see any women awarded with more and more such that we don't have to celebrate for our gender anymore?
After a lot more digging I found our more heartbreaking news. Yes, it is a fact that women in STEM are underrepresented but having actual statistics and specific naming of this underrepresentation?
Have you ever heard of the "Mathilda Effect"? It's defined as "a bias against acknowledging the achievements of those women scientists whose work is attributed to their male colleagues." Statistics show that women's researches are less likely to be cited by others and especially by a man colleague. For those who know me, just imagine me reading these facts and statistics over and over again. I have to admit I was so busy minding my own business for so long now I forgot my community and checking these things again sparked a fire in my veins. Yes literally in my veins!
When is this going to end? Every year more and more women are working hard and achieving to finish their Ph.D. This means more and more women are contributing to science with brilliant ideas. We have to shine those women like diamonds so society cannot look the other way.
I don't want to raise my daughter to grow thick skin in the future. Seriously what can we do? Let's name a female scientist we know with brilliant ideas and promote them so everyone sees how many amazing women there are to celebrate and to be inspired by. Let's do it now&here!
