A discussion at the European Parliament on women in science has highlighted how “uncomfortable” that role can be.
The event, ‘Her Voice Her Science’, was organised by MEP Peter Agius on Thursday to mark International Women’s Day. Among the speakers was Stephanie Buttigieg, a PhD student in astronomy at Cambridge, who spoke about the challenges of being a visible woman in science.
“We need more role models but it is uncomfortable being a public figure who is a visible woman in STEM,” Buttigieg said.
She described how women are “under a microscope” adding: “Your mistakes will be analysed and will be used against you to discredit your expertise and all your achievements.”
Representation at the end of the day is not just the visibility of the female scientist but about changing the entire narrative
During the discussion, Buttigieg urged the media and policymakers to do more to support women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
“We have a responsibility to women in science who are willing to step up and want to be visible role models.” She encouraged people to treat women with respect and to give them a platform. “Representation at the end of the day is not just the visibility of the female scientist but about changing the entire narrative.”
Buttigieg has experienced this scrutiny first-hand. Earlier this year, she appeared on TVAM and was asked how many planets exist in the Solar System. She abstained from answering, instead saying that other people are better suited to answer such a question and that her research was very distant from this.
The clip went viral locally and Buttigieg received an influx of online hate despite studying at one of the world’s most prestigious universities researching supermassive black hole mergers.
However, Buttigieg was not deterred and took to social media to create a learning lesson while also poking fun at her viral moment. She educated her followers on planets, clarifying that there are eight planets in our solar system.
The event also featured several other female scientists, including Christine Gatt, a biomedical scientist at Mater Dei Hospital; Sana Grillo, a sports psychologist and athlete; and Maria Petra Agius, an IVF specialist. Also present were Anne Marie Grech, an educator and chair of the fertility NGO LIGHT, as well as MEP Miriam Lexmann and Sanal Senem from the European Commission.
Speaking to Times of Malta, Agius stressed the importance of inclusion in policymaking.
“Raising awareness and putting the need for inclusion on the policy table is a fundamental step to start addressing the STEM gap,” he said.
He added that, for Malta to create quality jobs, it must venture into new economic sectors, highlighting Europe’s investment opportunities in AI, quantum technology and innovation.
“To succeed in building new economic sectors for Malta, we need, however, to tap fully into the human potential by including everyone,” the Nationalist MEP said.
The discussion aimed to highlight the challenges women face in STEM and encourage greater support for those leading the way, despite the obstacles.