How eight initiatives are tackling neuroscience’s gender gap

Today, 11 February 2025, marks the 10^th annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a United Nations’ initiative to celebrate women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to call attention to the persistent gender gap in those fields. In neuroscience, women make up more than 50 percent of Ph.D. candidates but represent less than 14 percent of tenured faculty. Because of this “leaky pipeline,” many women exit neuroscience by mid-career. Choosing to stay in the field presents significant challenges, such as systemic bias that includes under-citing women’s work compared with that of their male counterparts.

But the tide is shifting—in large part thanks to the efforts of women neuroscientists around the world who are developing creative initiatives that can bolster their ranks. Storytelling podcasts, speaker repositories and social media networks that promote women scientists are among the community-based advocacy projects that are helping to change the face of neuroscience.

The Transmitter spoke with eight women neuroscientists leading such initiatives to learn about their groups’ origins and how they uplift women in their field.

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.