Breaking Barriers: One Woman’s Journey to Encourage Female Scientists in the Face of Inequality

As a child, Gabriela Avila-Bront’s interest in the natural world was sparked by her scientist father. At age 5, he took her to a museum for her birthday where she learned about Marie Curie. Discovering that they shared a birthday, Avila-Bront knew that she was destined to pursue a career in chemistry. Despite facing questions about her choice of career path, she was determined to encourage female scientists to embrace their strengths and weaknesses and feel comfortable in their own skin.

While more women are now working in STEM fields and earning degrees in those areas compared to a decade ago, the majority of STEM professionals are still men. There is also a greater disparity when it comes to specific scientific disciplines like biology, chemistry, and physics. However, Avila-Bront remains hopeful about the future, citing a greater sense of camaraderie between men and women in the field and increased acceptance of science as an inclusive career path.

Avila-Bront reflects on her experience in the classroom with optimism. While she still sees a lack of female scientists in positions of power or at highly funded doctoral research universities, she believes that the increase in female representation in the classroom is a sign of progress. She hopes that with time and continued effort, the field of science will become more diverse and inclusive in the years to come.