Female Scientists Are Leaving Academia. Why It’s Important And What To Do About It.

There is a disturbing trend in academia. Female scientists are leaving academic institutions at the peak of their career.

The equal representation of women in research is important for the overall quality and performance of our academic institutions. Diversity of thought stimulates discussion and facilitates the creation of new ideas and perspectives. The loss of an entire gender’s input represents a loss of half the best and brightest minds in science, and puts the quality of scientific research in jeopardy.

 This ‘leaky pipeline’ for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is due to “continuous cycles of barriers and obstacles to advancing their careers” that undervalue their contributions through gender inequities and discrimination.

Katalin Kariko, PhD, the 2023 Nobel Prize laureate in medicine is a prime example of how talented women are being pushed out of academia. Kariko’s research enabled the creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID. After years of rejection from funders, journals, and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, Kariko moved into the private sector.

Dr Amy Barr Mlinar worked for 17 years as a NASA-funded researcher and then as an Ivy League professor before stepping away from academia due to her disillusionment by the lack of support she received.

In our recent conversation, we discussed some of the major reasons women at the peak of their careers are leaving their academic institutions.

Read the full article on Forbes.com.