International Day of Women and Girls in Science – The Importance of Encouraging more women and girls to consider a career in STEM.

The UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11th is an annual day celebrated across the global scientific community. The day aims to raise awareness about gender disparities in the field of science and to encourage more girls to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Why is it important?

Despite significant progress in increasing the representation of women in STEM fields, gender inequalities persist. According to UNESCO, only 35% of the world’s researchers are women, and in many countries, girls are discouraged from pursuing careers in science due to cultural and social barriers.

It is important to inspire young women to be interested and consider careers in science as: a gender-balanced STEM workforce is crucial to the innovation and progress of society. More women pursuing STEM careers bring new perspectives and solutions to the table and increase diversity of thinking in the scientific community, well as a more equitable world.

Additionally, encouraging women and girls to consider careers in STEM can also help address the global shortage of scientists and professionals in these fields. By investing in girls’ and young women’s education and providing them with opportunities to explore their interests in STEM, we can help to address skills gaps in key science, technology and innovation industries..

Women Scientists at Broughton

Women at Broughton are critical to the company’s growth and success. We have women working across all our industry focus areas and scientific service offers. Many female scientists hold management positions from Department Heads to Lab Managers, Team Leaders, and Senior or Managing Consultant roles, with women comprising over 40% of our Lab Scientist and Consultancy employees. We are passionate about providing our women scientists with the support, training, and opportunities they need to succeed and further their careers.

“I find my job extremely rewarding; it’s the perfect challenge! My favorite thing about working at Broughton is the level of support I get from my colleagues. Working in such a positive environment makes me feel excited to come to work every day and motivated to achieve my goals.”

-           Aleema Iqbal, Associate Product scientist.

Aleema is one of Broughton’s Associate Product Scientists, working on developing and validating a glycidol method. The development of precise methods is vital to what we do at Broughton; the work of Aleema and her colleagues helps Broughton remain at the cutting edge of the nicotine sector.

“I enjoy managing my own team and helping them improve; I see them as one of my greatest achievements. Every day I am contributing to developing the next generation of good scientists.”

-           Katie Harrison, Operations Services Manager

Katie has worked at Broughton for more than twelve years. She became a team leader after a few years and has since progressed into a role where she is principally responsible for deploying all new technology, equipment, and software. Katie plans and manages implementation through her team while simultaneously supporting their career progression and personal development. Katie takes pride in supporting many of her team members in progressing from QC Analyst positions into more senior positions at Broughton.

“My role is varied and includes supporting the lab with investigations, testing, and approval. Ultimately, my job is to make sure that drugs are safe for patients, an important responsibility.”

-           Vicky Broomhead, Quality Assurance Officer

Quality Assurance is vital to Broughton: Quality Assurance Officers such as Vicky and her colleagues test drugs to ensure that our client’s pharmaceutical products produced are safe, effective, and of high quality. Quality Assurance Officers help to detect and prevent defects in the manufacturing process, helping to minimize the risk of recalls or adverse events and promoting consumer confidence in pharmaceutical products.

The UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an opportunity to celebrate women's achievements in STEM and inspire the next generation of female scientists. By promoting gender equality in STEM, we can ensure that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.