The International Day of Women and Girls in Science takes place every year on February 11. This day, which is celebrated around the world, is all about giving a voice to the women of the scientific community. More than that, it is a day to celebrate and encourage the women of the world who want to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

The Center for Diversity and Inclusion invites everyone to stop by the Student Commons Lobby on February 13 from 11-1 p.m. where we will be providing information about women in the field of science as well as educational and financial resources for women and girls who are interested in the sciences. In addition, we will also be conducting some simple and easy experiments that individuals and families can learn to perform at home! 
 

 What is International Day of Women and Girls in Science?

To put it simply, women have always been underrepresented and overlooked in the STEM fields. Not only that, many of the old barriers for women to attain a job in these fields, such as discrimination and cultural biases, are still actively hindering their chances to pursue these careers from a young age. According to research from the United Nations, only 33.3% of all researchers are women. Girls are less likely to be encouraged to pursue a career in the sciences, and the women that do break into these fields have a more difficult time making their voices and contributions heard compared to their counterparts. “Realizing also that women, representing half of the world’s population, continue to be excluded from participating fully in the economy.” (United Nations, General Assembly resolution 70/212) The goal of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is to uplift these overlooked voices and work toward breaking down the multitude of barriers standing between women and STEM education all across the globe.

This UN international day’s resolution was drafted and introduced by HRH Princess Dr. Nisreen Bint Prince El-Sharif Mohammed Bin King Faisal (I) Bin El-Sharif Hussein El-Hashemite, a world-renowned scientist born in the Iraqi royal family. Adopted by the General Assembly on December 22, 2015, this resolution marked February 11 as the International Day of Women and Children in Science.

For more information, please visit womeninscienceday.org.
 

Ways to Observe

• Join the conversation: Spread the word about women and girls in science by posting online with #WomenInScience and #February11.
• Encourage friends and family to take a look at their education options, it’s never too early or too late to get involved.
• Recognize the cultural biases still affecting women and girls in today’s society.
• Show your support: Research ways that you can contribute to women’s STEM programs or make a positive impact in your own communities or workplace.
• Look at your options: If any STEM programs or careers interest you, take the first step and research your options for breaking into that field.

Recognize the Statistics

• “Women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3% of all researchers, only 12% of members of national science academies are women.” (United Nations, “Women in Science Leadership”).

• “In cutting edge fields such as artificial intelligence, only one in five professionals (22%) is a woman.” (United Nations, “Women in Science Leadership”).

What resources can help me or my child pursue a STEM education?

Aims Community College Resources:

• Aims Scholarships
• Aims Programs/Degrees
  • Engineering Science 
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Computer Science
  • And more!
• TRIO
• Concurrent Enrollment
• Financial Aid

Colorado Resources:

• Women’s Foundation of Colorado - Community Resources
• S. Christa McAuliffe STEM Academy
• Many universities and colleges have programs to support women in STEM. For example, CSU’s Women in Natural Sciences program and CU’s Women in Science and Engineering program

Make sure to stop by the event on February 13 to pick up the provided resource literature as well!

For any additional questions, please email cdi@aims.edu 

Citations:

General Assembly resolution 70/212, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, A/RES/70/212 (22 December 2015), available from https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N15/451/12/pdf/N1545112.pdf

“The Founder.” Women in Science Day, www.womeninscienceday.org/the-founder.html

“International Day of Women and Girls in Science.” United Nations, www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day.