A special message for Women in Science Day

Every day, the movement against infectious diseases in Europe is made stronger by the contributions of many talented, hardworking women in Ecraid’s network. Yet a significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in Europe and around the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields. Globally, only 33 per cent of researchers are women, and they are awarded less research funding than men, and are less likely to be promoted. In the private sector too, women are less present in company leadership and in technical roles in tech industries.

At Ecraid, we strive to be a positive force for diversity and inclusion throughout our network and the wider infectious diseases field in Europe. That is why, on this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we have a message for the young women out there who dream of making the world a better, safer place for all of us. It comes from a diverse group of brilliant women based in countries all over Europe, whose passion for science is on full display in this inspiring video.

A huge ‘thank you’ to Prof. Arjana Tambić-Andrašević, Dr Elodie Pfender, Prof. Evelina Tacconelli, Julie Vignaud-Benamirouche, Dr Lauren Maxwell, Dr Nithya Babu Rajendran, Prof. Sibyl Anthierens, and Dr Tuba Vilken for recording these beautiful messages. We are equally proud of and grateful for their work on Ecraid's projects and studies.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

The United Nations-backed International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed on February 11th every year. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the underrepresentation of women and girls in all science fields and to promote their full inclusion. It seeks to address the gender inequalities that exist in the scientific community and to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM. The goal is to achieve gender equality in these fields and to empower women and girls to become active participants in the creation and application of scientific knowledge.