Toronto Women
in Science Talks
Welcome to T.W.I.S.T
Toronto Women in Science Talks (TWIST) aims to foster a supportive and empowering community for women in science. We are dedicated to confronting the systemic challenges that many women face—whether it’s the lack of representation in leadership roles, navigating implicit bias, or overcoming barriers to career advancement
Coming Up Next
Upcoming seminars, conversations, and events dedicated to helping women and non-binary individuals flourish at each stage of their scientific careers.
We appreciate support from:
Breaking Barriers: Key Statistics and Insights on Women in Science
30%
Leadership roles in academia
Globally, women hold less than 30% of senior leadership positions in academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, with the numbers declining further at prestigious institutions.
In research universities, only 11% of physics professors are women, and in computer science, it is approximately 10%.
19.5%
Less research funding
Female researchers receive approximately 19.5% less research funding than male researchers on average. This is based on the $40,000 funding gap when compared to an average male researcher grant of around $205,000, according to the 2020 study. Additionally, women are less likely to be awarded major grants or selected to lead large-scale research projects, further limiting their access to crucial funding opportunities in academic science.
3.9%
Nobel prize laureates
As of 2023, only 3.9% of Nobel Prizes in the scientific fields of Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology Medicine have been awarded to women, with a total of 25 female laureates out of 641 prizes since 1901. Specifically, women represent just 1.5% of physics laureates, 3.6% of chemistry laureates, and 5.7% of those in physiology or medicine. This highlights the ongoing gender disparity in these prestigious scientific awards.
25%
Less citations
Women in academic science are 25% less likely to have their papers cited compared to papers authored by men. This citation gap contributes to slower career progression, as citations are a critical metric for academic promotion. Additionally, women are less likely to be first or last authors on scientific papers, key positions for recognition and advancement in academic science.