International Day of Women and Girls in Science was established in 2015 by the UN to promote the full and equal participation of women in research and innovation processes. However, the numbers show a persistent gap: according to UNESCO's 2025 report, only one in three people engaged in research in STEM disciplines is a woman, a proportion that increases slightly among those undertaking academic studies in the same field. In more advanced sectors, such as artificial intelligence, the female presence drops to 22%, while women represent less than 30% of engineering graduates.

These figures indicate that the scientific system is not fully exploiting the available potential. Strengthening the presence of women in science is not only a matter of cohesion and social justice, but also a determining factor for the quality of research: more diverse teams generate more solid knowledge, more responsible innovation, and solutions that are more attentive to their impact on society. At the same time, the scarcity of female role models continues to influence the educational choices of many girls, limiting their access to technical and scientific careers at an early age.

In Switzerland, too, inequalities persist throughout the entire process, from education to access to funding and positions of responsibility. To keep the spotlight on these critical issues, UNESCO and UN-Woman promote this day every year. For the 2026 edition, SUPSI is offering a video interview with Professor Valentina Rotondi, dedicated to the research project “Women and science – Trust my competence (not my gender)”.

At the same time, SUPSI supports initiatives such as the Promtec Project which, in collaboration with the Trevano School of Arts and Crafts, introduces students to technical and scientific careers from a gender perspective. Investing today in the participation of women and girls in science means building more rigorous research, more informed innovation, and a future in which progress is truly shared.

Find out more: Equal opportunities at SUPSI.