Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and is an important opportunity to promote gender equality in science.

The lack of women in science is a worldwide problem that is being addressed, and the start of tackling this issue is often directed to young girls attending school. Whether it is half way across the world or in our local community, there is always a need to encourage young women to take up science should they have the interest. A key part to that is igniting the interest and, most importantly, assuring them that those opportunities are out there and that they can do it.

Another important aspect of today is recognising the women who are already out there practicing science. Whether it be a famous scientist from history such as Rosalind Franklin, or your own science teacher/lecturer, there are so many fantastic examples of women doing important things in science and acting as role models to current and future generations. Being seen as a female working in STEM is already enough to help encourage others to do the same, and I can say from personal experience that seeing examples of women in those roles around me has been a great motivation.

As we strive towards improving our future and saving our planet, it is more important than ever that we are bringing in as many different people and backgrounds as possible into STEM. Today is about seeing how far we’ve come in terms of being inclusive in science, but also how much further we have to go to really get the best out of all the opportunities.

About Katrina

“My name is Katrina Cranfield and I am the Women in Science Ambassador. I’m half British half Portuguese, and spent the last 7 years living in Hong Kong. I’ve now come to Loughborough to start my undergraduate degree in Chemistry, and as the Women in Science Ambassador I hope to evolve the way Loughborough welcomes women into STEM through my own student perspectives.”