International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2024
“What is your proudest achievement and what can we do to empower you?” are questions women in science want to hear. So often, women get questions that have nothing to do with their talent, their ambitions, their passion and their vision for their work and the world that they are more than capable of improving. It’s time we asked these questions and it’s time we asked them often. And truly listen to take note and act whether to advocate for our rights as women or to empower women as allies.
Dr. Elif Acar, Dr. Margaret Docker, Dr. Deborah Court, Dr. Samar Safi-Harb, Dr. Parimala Thulasiraman
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is Feb. 11, 2024 and we talked with five women in science at the University of Manitoba about their experiences. They reminded us that it takes a community to empower girls from a young age to pursue science, that having a family should be compatible with being a researcher, and that representation matters to let women and girls know what is possible for them with a career in science. They shared their proudest moments including their students’ achievements, the supportive and inclusive environment they have created in their labs, persevering and landing their dream job, and publishing book chapters to make impactful contributions to their field of study.