The Role of Policy in Shaping Opportunities for Women in Science: A Historical and Contemporary Perspective
Try asking your colleague why they think the present decade of the 21st century needs better policies to shape opportunities for women in science? We did and the answer was clear – society thinks males are inherently adept at being leaders, despite evidence proving otherwise (Novotney, 2024). Throughout history there have been many instances of women who have greatly contributed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. While pioneers like Marie Curie, Barbara McClintock and Rosalind Franklin are finally gaining well-deserved recognition for their discoveries after years of being dismissed, there are so many ingenious others who may not be as familiar; women who fought and carved the path for the present generation. If there’s one key factor that has been instrumental in enabling women to make groundbreaking inventions and discoveries, it is the development of effective science policies. While significant progress has been made, historical barriers and systemic biases continue to shape the experiences in the field. Through this article, we will shed light on how changes in science policies over the years have helped evolve a new generation of women scientists.
Historical barriers to women in science
For centuries, women had to brave through extremely biased society to gain access to higher education (Rossiter, 1980). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many universities barred women from enrolling in science programs, and professional societies such as the Royal Society of London often denied them membership (Cartwright, 2023). Even when admitted into universities, women were often relegated to the low paying positions of research associates and not allowed to make meaningful contributions to the field. For example, Kamala Sohonie, an Indian biochemist, had to challenge the system and even Nobel laureate C.V. Raman, who was the director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) at the time, gained admission as a research scholar at the institute in the early 1930s. She would then go on to earn a PhD at University of Cambridge in 1939. Similarly, pioneering women scientists like botanist Janaki Ammal and Angelina Hesse, who unassumingly introduced agar-agar as a key medium in microbiology, faced significant struggles to enter and be recognized in male-dominated fields. Such instances highlight the urgent need for policy-driven changes to ensure women have equal access to scientific opportunities.
Early changes in science policy and their impact
By the early 20th century, while women were finally permitted to study at universities in different parts of the world, there were challenges that hampered their continued enrollment. Thankfully, landmark legal policies such as Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and Women’s Educational Equity Act (WEEA) in 1974 in the United States started addressing gender discrimination in education and employment, which led to a significant increase in women pursuing science degrees (Madigan, 2009). Inspired by the effects of such policy changes on a global level, developing nations like India and countries in northern Africa followed suit and developed their own set of educational reforms. For example, in India, the Department of Science & Technology developed the Women Scientist Scheme (https://online-wosa.gov.in) and Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (https://gati.dst.gov.in) which helped promote higher education for women in science.
Contemporary Policies Promoting Gender Equity
In recent decades, numerous policies have emerged to support women’s participation and advancement in science. These policies, driven by governments, international organizations and universities have helped increase women’s participation in STEM by providing financial and institutional support, as well as address barriers such as bias, discrimination, and lack of resources (Kong at al., 2020).
1. Increasing access to STEM education at all levels
To boost the representation of women in science at top leadership roles, efforts need to start at the grassroots level- schools. While enrollment rates at primary school have reached parity in two-thirds of the nations around the globe, the same cannot be said about completion rates- where girls consistently lag boys (Verdugo-Castro et al., 2022). To this end, several programs backed by international organizations like the World Bank aim to improve the numbers by tackling key barriers such as financial constraints and lack of safe and inclusive schools (World Bank Group, 2023). Additionally, at the higher education levels, programs such as UNESCO-L’Oréal For Women in Science (https://www.forwomeninscience.com/) and Fulbright scholarships enable women from low-income countries to pursue advanced degrees at leading global institutions.
2. Funding and career support for women scientists
Funding remains a key factor in enabling women scientists to advance in their careers. Several organizations like The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), American Association of University Women (AAUW) etc. provide funding for early-career female scientists. Additionally, several countries have designed programs to increase representation of women scientists in academia by allotting grant money for early career women scientists. Gender pay disparity is another factor that acts as a detriment to women staying in the workforce. To this end, the Equal Pay Act was implemented in 1963 in the US and thereafter in other countries like India, Bangladesh and Kenya etc., which prohibited wage discrimination based on gender for equal amounts of work done.
3. Increasing female representation in leadership
A 2024 report on Gender and Diversity in Research reveals that while women have achieved near-equal representation in research (~41%), their presence in advanced leadership roles drops sharply to just ~27% (Gender and Diversity in Research, 2024). This underrepresentation creates a significant bottleneck, limiting female role models and mentors for the next generation. To address this, initiatives such as Million Women Mentors, Women in Tech, Women Who Create, and government programs like The Fortune-U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership play a crucial role in connecting aspiring women scientists with established female leaders in the field. To ensure that women not only survive but thrive in the workplace, policies addressing structural barriers such as the lack of family-friendly policies and gender bias in hiring and promotion are being actively implemented across various sectors. Measures like flexible work hours, paid maternity and paternity leave, and accessible childcare resources help working mothers remain in the workforce. Additionally, internal learning and development programs within institutions equip women with the skills needed to strengthen their leadership capabilities and advance in their careers.
Roadmap for nurturing future women scientists: what can we do?
It is evident that every generation has had to break through its own set of barriers, and it is imperative that we honor their efforts by building on their progress and continuing to push forward. When listening to success stories of women scientists from varying backgrounds, a common thread emerges – women had to fight hard to create opportunities for themselves and thereafter cultivated a village of fellow women scientists through dedicated mentorship and advocacy. As a society, we should ensure that people with talent, curiosity, and inclination are nurtured irrespective of gender. Hence, science policies when combined with policy-driven societal changes, will help cultivate a society where women are supported and celebrated, thereby challenging and reshaping inherent societal perceptions.
References:
- Amy Novotney. Women leaders make work better. Here’s the science behind how to promote them. American Psychological Association. (2024)
- Rossiter, Margaret W. ‘Women’s Work’ in Science:1880-1910. Isis. 71 381–98. (1980)
- Mark Cartwright. Women Scientists in the Scientific Revolution. World History Encyclopedia. (2023)
- Madigan, J. C. The education of women and girls in the United States: A historical perspective. Advances in Gender and Education 1, 11–13 (2009).
- World Bank Group. Girl’s education. (2023).
- Kong, S. M., Carroll, K. M., Lundberg, D. J., Omura, P., & Lepe, B. A. Reducing gender bias in STEM. MIT Science Policy Review, 1, 55-63. (2020)
- Sonia Verdugo-Castro, Alicia García-Holgado, M Cruz Sánchez-Gómez. The gender gap in higher STEM studies: A systematic literature review. Heliyon 8. (2022)
- Progress towards gender equality in research and innovation – 2024 review. Gender and Diversity in Research. (2024)
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About the Authors
Aditi Bhat
Aditi is postdoctoral researcher in Haney lab at University of Pittsburgh and a 2025 Plantae Fellows. She currently investigate the diverse role of receptor-like-kinases in regulating plant autoimmunity. Outside of lab, she like exploring new areas through food and hikes taking copious pictures along the way! You can find her on X: @jumpy_botanist.
Ruby Tiwari
Ruby Tiwari is a research scientist at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA. Her research aims to establish soybean transformation methods and test different variations of transposon-induced genome editing in this crop. Previously, she has worked with antimicrobial peptides to develop them into sustainable biofungicides. As a first-generation, international woman scientist, Ruby is committed to increasing the representation and visibility of women in plant sciences. She is an early career representative at the Women In Plant Biology Committee of ASPB. You can find her on X:@RubySci.
