#IDWGS Essay - Advocating the phenomenon of triumph of new era women in the fields of Science by Sakshi Lodhi

Advocating the phenomenon of triumph of new era women in the fields of Science 

1. Introduction

Over the time as education and technology has advanced the inclusion of women and girls in space has enhanced. The importance of their inclusion in the science field is promoting sustainability as well as breaking the historical barriers by representing themselves in varied fields of science, from environmental sciences to technology and engineering. This write-up delves into the various aspects of women in the field of science and the impact of their leadership in advancing sustainable practices and innovation.

There are varied range initiatives and policies aimed at breaking gender barriers in science education and leadership. But the advanced role of mentorship programs and support networks for women and girls in STEM fields has break the systematic and historical barriers 

There has also been a noticeable increase in women's enrollment in STEM fields. Initiatives like the WISE KIRAN Scheme are creating opportunities for women scientists and technologists, offering programs that support women in pursuing research and careers in science and engineering.

In India, women like Annapurni Subramanian and Tanisha Bhatia are taking the reins of prestigious science projects like the Aditya L1 mission and Chandrayaan. This could have only been possible just due to the enrolments in the STEM field.

2. Representation of Leadership Roles

There are various successful examples of women and girls leading in various scientific domains. Also, incredible women who have been recognised worldwide for their extraordinary achievements in science. Some you will have heard of, some you won't, but all have inspiring stories that deserve to be heard, shared and celebrated!

Jennifer Doudna

American biochemist Jennifer Doudna was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2020 along with French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier for their development of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats). CRISPR is a technology which can be used to edit genes. It works by the action of a protein called Cas9 which can slice mutated DNA. The CRISPR Cas9 system has the ability to recognise a particular DNA sequence. Cas9 locates the DNA sequence of interest by attaching to an RNA sequence that matches the DNA sequence desired to be edited. After the mutated DNA is cut, the correct version of the gene can be substituted in for the cell to work.

Cynthia Kenyon

Cynthia Kenyon is an American molecular biologist who discovered that there is a single genetic mutation that can control ageing in worms, known as C. elegans. Kenyon's research revealed that damage in a gene called daf-2 doubled the worm’s lifespan. She is now working to do the same in humans, and her efforts have won her many awards including the Ilse & Helmut Wachter Award for Exceptional Scientific Achievement, and the King Faisal International Prize in Medicine in 2000.

Nina Tandon

American biomedical engineer Nina Tandon is the CEO and co-founder of EpiBone, the world’s first company growing living human bones for skeletal reconstruction. Tandon aims to create a process where an entire human organ can be grown. Eventually, Tandon’s work could lead to personalized medicine, to incorporate growing bones from a human's own cells and producing custom drugs and medicines created specifically for an individual. She has won multiple awards for her work, including the L'Oreal Women of Worth Award in Science & Innovation in 2015.

Kristen Marhaver

Marine biologist Kristen Marhaver’s work has helped threatened coral species to survive, and much of her research looks at finding out how corals reproduce. She was the first person to grow endangered Caribbean pillar coral. Currently she is working on new methods to grow corals in the hope that coral reefs can one day be rebuilt. She was named National Geographic Explorer for 2019.

Kiara Nirghin

Kiara Nirghin is a South African inventor, who at the age of just 16, won the Google Science Fair award with her entry on a new material made from orange and avocado peels that can hold up to 300 times its weight in water. The polymer created can be planted alongside crops acting as small reservoirs of water. Nirhin's invention was able to improve the situation in her country as it faced the worst drought in 30 years. 

3. Addressing the Challenges

Across many fields and career stages of academia, women report a lower sense of belonging compared with their male colleagues, which is problematic because if a young scientist feels that they don't belong, why would they work hard to stick around? Many women also report that they are granted less respect and authority and have to work harder to be successful compared with men. The problem of women feeling as though they don't belong isn't easy to fix. But if we can continue to make strides toward increased visibility of women in STEM—for instance, among Nobel Prize recipients—that may help.  In 2018, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released a comprehensive report about sexual harassment in STEM, which stated that many female students—20% to 50%, depending on the study—experience sexual harassment directed at them by faculty or staff. Women sometimes also face other forms of harassment and incivility, including treatment that is humiliating or threatening. 

4. The road ahead

Now, more than ever, is a critical time to support women. The pandemic has challenged everyone, regardless of their gender, but there are some indications that women have been especially taxed by the pandemic. Many female scientists are struggling to keep up with increased child and family care demands. 

We don't want the academic community to move backward and see women lost from the system because of COVID-19 and other issues. So, we must double down on our efforts to support women and make academia a more welcoming, inclusive place to work. By bringing issues and concerns out of the shadows, we hope that trainees and faculty members alike will take active measures to push back against the trouble spots that continue to challenge women's equality.

About the Author

Sakshi Lodhi, a dedicated law student currently pursuing BALLB (HONS) at Faculty of Law, University of Lucknow. As a Law Student, I am committed to understand the nuances of Law and Justice, and I actively engage in varied academic discourse to broaden my legal knowledge coupled with social changes. Influenced by a desire to contribute to the society with the help of Law and Justice.