In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Today, as the hashtag #WomenInScience trends on Twitter, organisations around the world are using it to honour the women who contributed to science in the past, and highlight those who are leading innovation today.
According to UN Women, less than 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women, and only around 30 per cent of all female students select STEM-related fields in higher education. "Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from science related fields," they write, urging everyone to support #WomenInScience.
Here are some inspiring stories of women who have made, and are making, important contributions in science:
The official handle of The Nobel Prize shared a post to honour Marie Curie, the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize, the first person to be awarded it twice and the only person to receive it in two scientific fields. Marie Curie conducted pioneering research on radioactivity.
We're celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) February 11, 2019
Let's look back on the life of Marie Skłodowska Curie - the first woman awarded a #NobelPrize; first person awarded the prize twice; and only person to receive it in two scientific fields. #WomenInScience pic.twitter.com/28FqOCGgqB
"Marie Curie is a great example of why we must invest in women and girls in science," wrote the International Atomic Energy Agency in their tweet.
Happy #WomenInScience Day!
— International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) February 11, 2019
Marie Curie is a great example of why we must invest in women and girls in science. pic.twitter.com/MCUD5Sbvcz
Nobel Laureate Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was also honoured by The Nobel Prize. She was "one of the most outstanding X-ray crystallographers of her time," they said in their tweet.
“I was captured for life by chemistry and by crystals.” Nobel Laureate Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was one of the most outstanding X-ray crystallographers of her time.
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) February 10, 2019
She determined the structure of penicillin and vitamin B12, and the 3D structure of insulin.#WomenInScience pic.twitter.com/1n42LbToyk
UNDP India shared the story of Akanksha Kumari from New Delhi, who "defied convention" to become an electrical engineer.
Gender is not a barrier to pursue your dreams! Akanksha was constantly pressured into believing that fashion was her only career choice, she fought back to pursue her dream of becoming an engineer.
— UNDP India (@UNDP_India) February 11, 2019
Listen to her story on #WomenInScience Day!#WomenInSTEM #WomeninScience4SDGs pic.twitter.com/IRXl038Kmd
The Antarctic Report used the #WomenInScience Day to share a throwback picture of the six women who arrived at the South Pole 50 year ago. "Today, thousands of women work in Antarctic science," they say.
The beginning of a rich legacy: it's International Day of Women in Science, 50 years ago this year, the first women arrived at the South Pole; 6 in total, 5 scientists, 1 science writer. Today, thousands of women work in Antarctic science #WomenInScience #STEM, pic @USNavy pic.twitter.com/fFtk0RtiEN
— The Antarctic Report (@AntarcticReport) February 11, 2019
Here are some of the other posts celebrating women in science:
Shout out to all the amazing #WomenInScience on this #InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience
— Stemettes + (@Stemettes) February 11, 2019
“Believe in yourself ... you have to try,” says Astrophysicist Dr Fatoumata Kébé @Obs_Paris
Follow Dr Fatoumata on Instagram https://t.co/424eYfeLSI#MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/ie90GhzH21
Join us on 11 Feb, Int'l Day of Women & Girls in Science, to celebrate all the inspirational #WomenInScience! One of them is Katherine Johnson, who helped send to the with her calculations! pic.twitter.com/oJyyswIVFC
— UN Women (@UN_Women) February 7, 2019
Polish biomedical engineer and medical physicist Wioletta Kozlowska fell in love with science at a young age. “First, I wanted to become an astronaut, then I had a fling at biology, chemistry and medicine.”
— CERN (@CERN) February 10, 2019
More about #WomenInScience at CERN: https://t.co/DzeL4BoVDb #CERNKT pic.twitter.com/BHE5jKxRun
How inspiring are their stories, right?
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