Two Voices, One Vision: Building a More Inclusive Future in Science.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science - Blogpost

Today marks eight years since the establishment of International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Each year this day highlights the importance of the need to support and encourage girls and women in the sector of science whilst also helping break down those barriers that may prevent them from taking part in the scientific industry. Here at NEC, we strive to create a better world through cutting-edge technologies and solutions. Being a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies, we consider that it is our mission to 'Orchestrate?a Brighter World'?in the scientific field.

In celebration of this important day, we invited two NEC colleagues Bhawna and Khurram from NEC’s Global Open RAN Centre of Excellence, which?gave us an insight into their perspectives and experiences as?industry experts. We invited both individuals as it is crucial to voice the opinions of both men and women, as giving room for different voices and perspectives encourages there to be a more equitable and diverse community. We believe that it is a shared responsibility on the advancement of women and girls in science, it is not only just a concern for women.

Here at NEC, we strive for gender equality in our workplace by promoting equal opportunities through the implementation of our policies and initiatives that support the advancement of women in the company. We then posed the question,?“Can you tell us the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for women in this field and how can we achieve this goal?”

Bhawna?emphasises the importance of having a supportive and diverse work environment she strongly believes that?“more female representation of ethnic minorities in leadership roles”?are needed. She went on to say that?“raising awareness for the need to have more women representation in the organisation, followed by setting up Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Diversity Networks”?are ways in which we can start to achieve these goals which in turn give?“employees a voice and a platform for embracing unique and varied interests.”

Khurram?added?“Creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for women in any field is crucial for promoting gender equality and attracting and retaining female talent.”?He went on to say that a work culture that values diversity, work-life balance and opportunities for career growth encourage and?“help women succeed in their careers”.??According to Forbes?research has shown that companies with gender-diverse teams are more likely to be “innovative and have better financial performance” , which in turn reinforces and supports both Bhawna’s and Khurram’s stance.

Predicting the future and how it’ll be for women and girls in science specifically is difficult to say the least, however, with the growing trend of equity, diversity and inclusion in policies and initiatives many companies have taken on board, we see a very positive future for women and girls in science. With that we posed the question,?“How do you see the future of women and girls in science evolving?”

Khurram?agreed that the future for women and girls is looking bright and promising he went on to say,?“This is made possible with increased awareness among women on the importance of STEM subjects, breaking stereotypes in new fields, more women in leadership roles, and with increased support from organizations and government.”

There have been many studies and research that documents that there’s a significant underrepresentation of women and girls in the field of science.?One study showed that “less than 30% of the worlds researchers are women” according to?UNESCO. ?There’s a myriad of reasons as to why this statistic is so low, so we went on to ask the question,?“How do you think this industry can better support and encourage women and girls to pursue careers in this field?”

Khurram?went on to list four ways in which the Telecom Industry can support women and girls which were?“access to training and development”,?“highlighting success stories to inspire others”, “promoting diversity and inclusion”?and?“providing mentorship and guidance”.?Bhawna, on the other hand went for a more accessible approach whereby women are given ways to access to these programmes?“Tech companies should provide female students with opportunities to attend seminars/conferences”?and to?“sit technical certification programmes for free or at a discounted price.”?Making programmes more accessible to women and girls, in turn increases inclusiveness and user experience for example, it gives women and girls more knowledge in these fields.

It is a well-known fact that men dominate the scientific industry. Women and girls face many barriers which causes an imbalance between men and women within the industry. It is crucial for men to take an active role as allies towards women and girls in this industry. We asked,?“How do you see the role of male allies in advancing the careers of women and girls in science?”

Bhawna?believes that male allies should create?“an environment in which women feel as included and heard as their male counterparts”?and also having frequent?“discussions with women and girls around their career development and progression opportunities”?where she went on to say that it creates a supportive environment where women and girls can ask questions which creates a?“hierarchy free culture.”

Khurram?sharing a similar outlook to Bhawna said that providing mentorship and becoming a?“vocal supporter of gender diversity”, whilst also challenging?“unconscious bias and strive to eliminate gender discrimination”?were a crucial contribution for male allies to advance the careers of women and girls in this industry.?

With that in mind, we asked the last question,?“Can you tell us about a woman in this industry who you admire or who has influenced your work and why?”

It’s crucial to give recognition to women in science that have inspired many people whether they know it or not.?Khurram?went on to give admiration to?“Claire Caminade”?who is?“Head of 5G innovation product & partnerships at Digital Catapult.”?He previously had the chance to work with Claire?“briefly as part of the DCMS 5G test bed and trial program and inspired with her dedication and commitment to her role.”?It’s wonderful to see the admiration men have for women in their work fields. This supportive environment is beneficial not just for women, but for everyone, as it encourages diversity of thought and is a positive step towards gender equality.

As we celebrate this momentous day, let us remember the words from the famous?Rosalind Franklin?“Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated”, this shows and reminds us that it is vital that we break down any barriers that may prevent women and girls from achieving their full potential in this industry. Together here at NEC we believe we can?“Seize the Future Together”?one step at a time.