“Don’t think you’re not good enough!”: International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025

Professors, data engineers, and researchers. All of them are the women behind WORMACS2.0, working to develop a pipeline for helminth vaccine development. They explore the immunology of infections, analyse antibody immune response, create databases, produce possible vaccine candidates, and more.

They are living proof that to tackle health challenges effectively, we must harness all talent and ensure that all those interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can pursue these careers, whatever their gender may be. In reality, however, women often still face significant challenges in accessing education and work positions in these fields, with the share of women globally only representing 35% of STEM graduates and holding only a quarter of science, engineering and ICT jobs.

To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we spoke with some of the women who are part of the WORMVACS2.0 consortium, asking them to share their experiences and advice for others.

First, we enquired about the barriers they have faced in pursuing their careers, and the answers were overwhelmingly uniform.

On the one hand, they shared that they either have not faced barriers in their careers or were able to overcome them fairly easily because of an actively supportive environment in which they worked. Inspiring women working in their fields and supportive mentors were mentioned more than once, pointing to the utmost importance of fostering welcoming educational and working environments where prejudice cannot flourish.

On the other hand, when they were faced with obstacles, those were mainly linked to parenthood and the caring responsibilities that come with it and still disproportionately fall on women. The effects of motherhood on the career progression of women in STEM have been recognised by many and are sometimes called the “motherhood penalty”, describing systemic barriers that contribute to the gender gap. One of the interviewees described it as feeling “that you have a disadvantage compared to male colleagues or people that have no family.”

When asked to share advice for girls interested in STEM, the interviewees’ answers centred on the need to keep your chin up, persevere despite the obstacles you encounter, and not let “anyone tell you what you can or cannot do.” Second, they highlighted the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive mentors, who offer you a hand when needed and help you progress to the top.

Hearing about the importance of role models and mentors in the wives of women and girls, we can use the International Day of Women and Girls in Science to reflect on our role in creating welcoming and supportive educational and working environments.  And every other day, we can put these lessons into action and do our part to ensure that no interactions – from hiring on – put people at a disadvantage based on their gender or other personal characteristics. The women and girls in our lives deserve it, and the STEM fields will be better for it.