Despite the progress, gender equality in STEM leadership remains out of reach.
No country in the world has yet achieved gender equality. According to the World Economic Forum's latest Global Gender Gap Index (2024), the global gender gap score stands at 68.5%, with Iceland leading the charge by closing 93.5% of its gender gap and Spain ranking 10th with a score of 79.7%. These figures highlight that, despite progress, it will take an estimated 134 years to reach full gender parity – significantly beyond the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target.
A closer examination of the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) reveals a stark underrepresentation of women. According to LinkedIn data cited in the report, women constitute only 28.2% of the STEM workforce compared to 47.3% in non-STEM sectors. This horizontal segregation indicates that women are less likely to enter STEM fields. Furthermore, the “leaky pipeline” phenomenon – where women fall out of the career pipeline before reaching top leadership positions – is more pronounced in STEM than in non-STEM roles. While women make up over half of the workforce base in non-STEM roles, they only account for a third in STEM. This discrepancy worsens at higher levels, with women representing a fourth of non-STEM leaders but only over one-tenth in STEM leadership positions.
These imbalances cause and result from the lack of role models in specific disciplines, research areas, and leadership positions. Occupational segregation feeds into academic segregation, creating a vicious cycle that reinforces gender disparities. Recent studies, such as those by Profeta (2020), suggest that academic segregation results not only from female students' preferences but from systemic biases that push girls toward the humanities. Influences from teachers, families, and the types of tests used in schools, coupled with a lack of role models, steer girls away from STEM. Stereotypically, the image of a 'scientist' remains male.
Women pursuing careers in STEM face numerous barriers and inequalities. Gender biases are deeply embedded in organizational cultures, influencing practices and values. A masculinized workplace culture characterized by prevalent gender stereotypes and double standards further hinders women's progress. Unconscious biases lead to unfair judgments, limiting women's access to leadership positions, resources, and equitable task distribution. Women often end up performing the majority of "academic housekeeping" – administrative and supportive tasks – which detracts from their career advancement. Moreover, these environments can be hostile, competitive, and blind to gender-based violence and sexual harassment.
Career progression in STEM is often based on an idealized model of absolute dedication, ignoring the reality that many women face career breaks and reduced working time due to family responsibilities – a phenomenon known as the "maternal wall." This idealized image of the 'carefree' scientist starkly contrasts with the feminization of work-life balance issues, which have devastating effects on many women's careers.
The combination of visible and invisible barriers prevents women from fully participating, influencing, and leading in STEM fields. Discouraging conditions and systemic obstacles have led many women to "self-marginalize" or feel that they do not belong in scientific careers and leadership positions, a sentiment often reinforced by imposter syndrome.
Despite the persistent challenges, the presence of women leaders in STEM is crucial for challenging stereotypes and providing role models. However, having positive role models alone is insufficient to inspire a new generation of girls and young women in STEM. A structural transformation of the scientific system and research organizations is essential to reverse the obstacles faced by many women. Success in this area depends not only on individual determination but also on the availability of organizational resources and opportunities.
To address these issues, comprehensive efforts are needed to modify organizational cultures and practices, creating an egalitarian and diverse work environment. The Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM) is committed to this transformation. Its Gender Equality Plan serves as a framework for action and a roadmap for generating cultural change within the organization. ICM recognizes that gender equality in leadership and decision-making involves not only ensuring equal representation of women and men in institutional positions but also creating enabling conditions for women's full professional development and leadership.
Achieving gender equality in STEM leadership requires a concerted effort to dismantle systemic barriers, challenge ingrained biases, and foster an inclusive culture that supports women's careers from entry-level positions to the C-suite. Only through sustained and comprehensive action can we hope to break the stubborn "glass ceiling" and achieve true gender parity in STEM fields.