• Question: Do you think there are not enough female scientists and how would you encourage more females to get involved with science?

    Asked by Bernice to Hazel, Ellen on 17 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Ellen Gill

      Ellen Gill answered on 17 Jun 2016:

      Definitely not. In the UK we have a real problem with both a shortage of engineers/scientists and coincidentally, we have one of the lowest percentages of female engineers in Europe. Something like 9% whereas in other countries its more like 30%. So there’s no biological reason for it, it’s a social problem that we have. The solution to both problems is to get more girls into technical subjects.
      Personally I try to go to schools for careers days to be an example to girls that are thinking about science. Girls that definitely want to do science won’t be put off by anything and are great. However I think there are a lot more girls that would be perfectly good at it, but they aren’t sure and lots of little things slowly knock their confidence, tell them science is for boys etc. and move them away from science. Those are the ones I want to reach before it’s too late.

    • Photo: Hazel Garvie-Cook

      Hazel Garvie-Cook answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      Totally agree with Ellen here – a lot of girls are brought up with the idea that they can’t be a scientists, which isn’t true at all. Women are steadily lost as they move up in science. We need to encourage as many girls as possible to take up science. As Ellen says, I think a lot of that would be giving girls the confidence that they need to realise they can be a scientist if they want to be. Then we need to make sure they’re in a good environment for career progression, so they stay within scientific careers. There are a few programs at the moment which aim to encourage women to stay in science, like Athena Swan awards, which lots of universities are aiming to get.

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