According to the 2016 Global Gender Gap Report from the World Economic Forum, 16 per cent of women globally, compared to 37 per cent of men, graduate with a degree in a STEM field of study (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).  This exclusion of women and girls has important implications not only for scientific research, innovation and development, but also for women’s economic participation and inclusion.  A 2017 report estimates that 85 per cent of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented, many jobs that exist today will be lost to automation and most jobs of the future will require some facility in STEM-related subjects. If women are to be included in the employment and economic future of tomorrow, they must be included in STEM fields today.

To promote the empowerment of women and girls in STEM and raise awareness about the need for gender inclusion in science and technology, in 2015 the United Nations General Assembly declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The first interview in our series is with Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist and Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University. Hayhoe’s research helps stakeholders from a variety of fields better understand the impacts of climate change on human and environmental systems and provides a scientific foundation for addressing these consequences. Additionally, she is the Founder and CEO of ATMOS Research, which uses scientific data to help its clients better understand the impacts of climate change.

Listen to the full interview here.