The Past, The Present - and the Future

February 11th is the annual date we celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science across the world. Tate & Lyle is proud to promote the work of our female scientists each year. However, in this blog, I explore why we should be celebrating them every day and not just once a year.  

History counts 

It was back in 2015 that the United Nations established this day to promote gender equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields and encourage more women and girls into scientific fields.  The aim is to break down the stereotypes and barriers that can hold women back – from schools to colleges and into the workplace.   

This date was chosen because it is the birthday of iconic female scientist Marie Curie. Legacy counts as well-known women in science can inspire young women. The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) has the Amy Johnson Inspiration Award, for example.  She was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. 

And so does today 

But we should also look to the women in science doing ground-breaking work in the present.  For instance, Professor Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at the Jenner Institute.  She led the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca team which developed the Covid-19 vaccine.  Another example is Dr Anne-Marie Imarfidon, a mathematics and technology entrepreneur who founded Stemettes, a social enterprise to encourage young women to pursue science careers. 

Why does it matter? 

Women in science must be front of mind because we need diverse talent to create pioneering solutions.  This diversity brings more innovation and a fresher, richer perspective.  Women must be at the forefront of finding answers to society’s greatest challenges such as climate change and feeding a growing population. They represent over half of our customers, consumers, the planet. 

At Tate & Lyle we have women worldwide who work in STEM roles, harnessing their talent to contribute to company growth. But this is about much more than Tate & Lyle: empowering women in science also leads to wider economic growth and more prosperous local communities around the world.  

The reality 

The world is at a tipping point where we must develop new, green technology to stand a chance of tackling climate change. Yet, despite the value of women to this science revolution, they still lag behind male peers in terms of their overall contribution and visibility. For example, according to UN figures, women make up only 28 % of all engineering graduates, they are awarded smaller research grants than men and they only comprise 22 % of those in leading fields like AI.  

Ways forward  

So how do we inspire our present and future women in science?  This year at Tate & Lyle we conducted our own qualitative research, asking women who work in STEM-based roles and their allies why access to and participation in science and related fields is important for society. We asked the women themselves what can make a difference. Their comments include: 

 “Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is no longer just a good education tool, it is an economic imperative around the world. Women have an opportunity to enter this field and create a lasting impact.” 

and 

“I think my journey within science looked like science itself, meaning nothing is ever certain, everything is continuously evolving, and intellectual curiosity is the source to move forward and get to the next milestone!  

And also like in a chemical reaction, everything accelerates when you have a catalyst : I think I have been lucky getting to know some different people who helped me positively influence my career. If I were young again today, I would be grateful if someone told me (like a catalyst) 'Dare to think, Dare to try, Dare to fail, Dare to learn, Dare to communicate, Dare to stand up for yourself as a proud woman in science!'” 

I think the responses speak for themselves.  I would like to thank each and every one of these women for shouting load and proud to celebrate women and girls in science. The response was amazing and we are honoured to celebrate with you.