Science and diversity - women in STEM

In June the Society for Endocrinology attended a Parliamentary Links Day at the House of Commons, focussing on the theme of diversity in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).

The meeting started with Dame Nancy Hogg defining the breadth of the issues that diversity encompasses: gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, disability and sexual orientation. Of these, the lack of equality in sex in STEM careers is the most studied.

In order to identify appropriate solutions for the gender inequalities, the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee is conducting an inquiry into women in academic STEM careers, particularly focusing on the following four areas:

- Why do numbers of women decline further up the career ladder?

- What happens when women leave academia?

- What should universities and the higher education sector do?

- What role should the Government have?

The Society for Endocrinology is through the Society of Biology responding to these questions. Individual responses can be submitted to the Select Committee online at their website.