Jun 2The truth about gender disparities in research fundingAn analysis of over 20,000 grant applications reveals that gender gaps in research funding are caused by bias against women rather than the quality of their applications. Across many studies and disciplines, findings consistently reveal that women researchers tend to receive less funding compared to men. Even when women contribute…Discrimination3 min readDiscrimination3 min read
May 19Unlocking potential: How professors can improve student experiences and increase interest in their courses, particularly among womenA professor’s beliefs about fixed versus growth mindsets can affect students’ interests and feelings about their courses. Does the mindset of a professor matter to students? If so, how does this relationship vary across the genders? A growth mindset refers to the belief that intelligence is malleable and can be…Women In STEM3 min readWomen In STEM3 min read
May 5The Power of Mentorship: Women in Engineering Thrive with Women Peer Mentors.Peer mentoring by women boosts retention rates for women in engineering. Few women enter science and engineering fields, and while much effort has gone into increasing numbers, little research has been conducted on the effectiveness of peer-mentoring as a method of increasing retention rates for women in engineering. A 2017…Women In Science2 min readWomen In Science2 min read
Apr 21Experiences and Barriers Faced by Women on Non-Linear Paths in ScienceWomen over 25 in science careers still face many barriers in professional training and education. This reflection paper explores the challenges that mature (i.e., 25+ years of age) women face in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in Canada. The authors argue that the traditional linear…Women In STEM2 min readWomen In STEM2 min read
Mar 24Building a STEM identity among young women students in middle and high schoolSTEM identity development can help to align ‘Who I am’ with ‘Who I want to be’ among middle and high school women students. The experiences of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) during their college years and beyond have been explored in recent years in order to identify…Women In STEM2 min readWomen In STEM2 min read
Mar 10How science faculty can impact the participation of women in scienceImplicit biases of both men and women professors in science that negatively impact the hiring of women students must be addressed to improve the gender gap in science. Women remain underrepresented in science despite decades of efforts to change the numbers. In a landmark study, researchers demonstrated that biases held…Workplace2 min readWorkplace2 min read
Feb 18A fair chance? How peer review impacts research grant applicationsA study of over 10,000 grant applications in Canada revealed that bias influences the peer review process. Recent efforts to increase the participation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) have led to perceptions that women may be given an unfair advantage in research competitions and evaluation of…Women In STEM2 min readWomen In STEM2 min read
Mar 29, 2022A picture is worth a thousand words: How to use images to confront sexism in STEMInteractive photo-research exhibits about women’s experiences in STEM can effectively engage a broad audience. Sometimes words are not enough. In a world dominated by image-based social media platforms like Instagram, innovative approaches to science communication and discussions of gender issues in STEM are required. In a recent paper, researchers described…Equity2 min readEquity2 min read
Mar 4, 2022Changing the face of scienceFixing the scientist stereotype rather than fixing the women can make STEM careers more attractive to all genders. Why are there still so few women in some STEM-related fields and what factors impact women in scientific careers? Although many studies have explored gender stereotypes, no study before 2016 examined the…Stereotypes2 min readStereotypes2 min read
Jan 27, 2022Building a path to leadership for women scientistsExperiences of health care scientists in the workplace identified strategies to increase the representation of women in senior positions. Health care is an area where women scientists are often in the majority and are making a major impact. Despite this, they remain highly underrepresented in senior positions in their field. …Discrimination2 min readDiscrimination2 min read
