Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1448619
GLOBALLY, women make up 33% of scientific researchers. According to the 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, in Mal- ta only 10.3% of female graduates choose to pursue a career in STEM, compared to 32.5% of men graduates. The United Nations General Assembly established the 11 February as the Inter- national Day of Women and Girls in Sci- ence to acknowledge the contribution girls and women make to science and to highlight the importance of gender equality. To commemorate this day, the Na- tional Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) interviewed two female scientists, Prof. Cristiana Sebu, Associ- ate Professor in Biomathematics, from the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Science of the University of Malta, and Dr Alexandra Bonnici, who heads the Department of Systems and Control Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Mal- ta. Both women shared their stories on their academic career in STEM. "Being endowed with an analytical mind and a vivid curiosity nurtured by growing up in a family of scientists, stud- ying exact science subjects," was a nat- ural choice for Prof. Sebu. Her parents fully supported her decision to study Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathe- matics at undergraduate and postgradu- ate levels. On the other hand, Dr Bonnici explained that what attracted her most to Maths and Physics was the prob- lem-solving aspect of the subjects and the way that the two could be used to- gether to describe physical phenomena. When asked to mention some of the hurdles they encountered in their career compared to their male colleagues, Prof. Sebu said that "following an academic career in Mathematics is never easy ir- respective of gender". She admitted that on the way she had to make many sacri- fices most of them in her personal life. Dr Bonnici explained that her develop- ment from an undergraduate student, to a post-graduate researcher, from an as- sistant lecturer to a senior lecturer, and as a Head of Department was based on merit and neither hindered nor aided by her gender. Nevertheless, she recalled instances when she felt out of place since she was always outnumbered by male colleagues. "I felt this, in particular, during a sum- mer internship when I and another stu- dent were the first two females the com- pany had ever employed in a technical capacity. As a student, I used to feel this awkwardness more than I do today - I think confidence in being able to hold my own as well as better balance in num- bers helps to make things easier." More needs to be done to encourage more girls to study science and become the next generation of female scien- tists. Parents/guardians are the primary source of influence when it comes to ca- reer choices, followed by educators. Ad- ditionally, Prof. Sebu stressed that the "the mentality of the society as a whole has to change", and more public and private resources must be invested in re- search development and innovation, and promotion campaigns. Dr Bonnici reiterated that when talking to girls about pursuing careers in sci- ence, the focus should not be on how to overcome hurdles, as this "may give the impression that pursuing a career in sci- ence is particularly hard for women." Al- though women are under-represented in some science areas, the number of wom- en entering STEM careers is increasing. "So, while it is good to talk about hur- dles, it is also important to not let these frighten or dampen the enthusiasm of students." Furthermore, role models have consid- erable potential for influencing girls to choose STEM careers. Prof Sebu empha- sized that "female role models should be promoted alongside male role models and be presented in a very realistic man- ner without being raised on high pedes- tals impossible to reach for others." Otherwise, "there is the danger that these female role models could be per- ceived as exceptions leading unusual lives emphasizing even more the existent gender gap." Both scientists highlighted that true role models are people we can relate to directly through common experienc- es and life stories such as family mem- bers or educators. "By normalising the fact that women have an active role in science, girls can start having female as well as male scientists to aspire to," Dr Bonnici argued. Their advice to girls who aspire to become scientists or researchers is to follow their dreams and aspirations no matter how hard the journey might seem. Dr Bonnici added that any student "needing career advice can approach the respective Faculties or the Student Advi- sory Services at the University of Malta and guidance will be offered." To sum up, as Audrey Azoulay, Direc- tor-General of UNESCO, and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women said in their joint message on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021, "to be truly trans- formative, gender equality policies and programmes need to eliminate gender stereotypes through education, change social norms, promote positive role models of women scientists and build awareness at the highest levels of deci- sion-making." Moreover, they also emphasized that it is important to "ensure that women and girls are not only participating in STEM fields, but are empowered to lead and in- novate, and that they are supported by workplace policies and organizational cultures that ensure their safety, consid- er their needs as parents, and incentivise them to advance and thrive in these ca- reers." AFFORDING to live decently must never be a luxury. I am always per- turbed at how in today's Europe, where we boast of being one of the strongest global economies, with the highest investment in technol- ogy, research and development; our streets are full of people who cannot afford the basics of shelter and food. In our streets in Malta, we might not usually see the carton boxes used by the homeless to sleep on (although with a closer look, you might get a glimpse of some), yet it is evident that a number of people are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Being employed and earning a salary might not necessarily mean that a person is living well, or at least decently. It is obvious that our cur- rent minimum wage structure is not fit for its intended purpose. Save for the yearly COLA adjustment, prior to 2017 we had no real increase in our national minimum wage. Our wages need to catch up with the 'frozen' decades. During the past 9 years, the La- bour administration managed to financially elevate families on our islands. This is the main reason one finds the strongest support by citi- zens towards the party in govern- ment. Think of the pensioner who after years of receiving the same pension amount for years, suddenly had their pension increased every single year while also receiving a full cost-of-living-adjustment, un- like the partial one that used to be granted when the conservatives were in power. In addition to the in- crease, an additional annual cheque at home has made up for other in- creases in their expenses. By being proactive, the government ensured, as much as it could, that no one is left behind. The world is currently experienc- ing the highest of inflations. The cost of COVID has been much greater than anyone could have pre- dicted. The price of fuel, electricity and gas have skyrocketed due to the pandemic, exacerbated by the cur- rent tensions between Russia and the rest of the world. Timely government intervention meant that Malta managed to push through this pandemic with the lowest possible negative impact on the economy. The unemployment 12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 FEBRUARY 2022 Renee Laiviera is NCPE Commissioner OPINION Renée Laiviera Women in science: taking girls into STEM Affording in today's Cyrus