International Women's Day: N.S. women stand up to bridge gender gaps in STEM
There are many women both on campus and in the labs at Halifax's Mount Saint Vincent University.
“I think we’re working together to get rid of those unfortunate gender gaps,” said biology student Ale Torres.
The industries with the biggest gender gaps are in STEM — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Statistics Canada data shows three-quarters of people in those jobs are men.
Amid the test tubes and microscopes at the university, researchers find support from each other.
“I like learning about the development of organisms. So what goes on pre-birth, and how we all get into this world,” said PhD student Paige Drake.
The question of why the gender gap exists looms over the heads of scientists like Dr. Tamara Franz-Odenaal with the Research Council of Canada.
“If you start looking at the stats, you start seeing that the percentage gets less and less with each level (up),” said Franz-Odenaal.
She believes childhood stereotypes and recruitment biases play a role, as do micro-aggressions in the workplace -- something she’s trying to combat.
“We talk about inclusion in our meetings. We talk about how to support each other. I run surveys to understand the experiences of my trainees.”
Surveys by Actua Canada, a Canadian charity that delivers science, engineering, and technology education programs to young people, reveal problems start early.
“Girls are still reporting to be half as confident in science and technology fields,” said Jennifer Flanagan with Actua Canada.
“Perhaps more alarming and something we can take action on is that girls are having about half the number of opportunities to participate in hands-on science.”
At Mount Saint Vincent, women are not only using their positions to research, but to role model.
“What we’re doing helps us to bridge that gap between men and women,” said research assistant Tracy Alice Apienti.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.