Social inequality, gender bias, and racial prejudice. These persistent challenges continue to shape our world, sparking important conversations and, unfortunately, causing real harm. Despite significant progress in modern society, these disparities endure across generations.
But what if we could take action? What if iGEM was an opportunity for students to raise awareness and, in turn, share their knowledge?
It is up to us to act, to take responsibility, and to try—at our own level—to make this world a little more welcoming every day.
Below, you will discover our team’s journey with this issue: once distant to us, now at the very heart of our adventure. From gathering information to taking concrete action, you will find plenty to learn, reflect on, and share. Take your place with us in this ever-changing world.
Find out about the current situation
a) Testimonials
To maximise our impact and avoid venturing into the unknown without information, we decided to contact professionals in the field of inclusivity in science, Soapbox Science.
Soapbox Science Brussels is a science outreach initiative run by the Royal Observatory of Belgium that aims to promote inclusivity in science by organising talks.
During our meeting with two members of this initiative, Marta and Caroline, we talked a lot about their experiences as women in the world of science and technology, as well as the situations of other minorities in this sector. Marta studied engineering and is now the managing director of her own company. Caroline, meanwhile, works in the field of physics. Their testimonies opened our eyes to certain forms of discrimination that are unfortunately still part of everyday life for scientists. Here they are:
Meeting with Soapbox Science Brussels
Marta
I am in the Earth observation field where things are slowly changing. There are more and more women and more and more women at high positions. But in practice, for me personally, it has been sometimes hard to be taken seriously, not only as a female scientist, but as a young female scientist. And currently in my field, most of the senior scientists are men. I often feel this barrier that they would not take me seriously because of this. I had direct bad interaction with people saying that men are more inclined to this kind of fields, like more technical and scientific. The people making hiring decisions telling me that they would choose a man over a woman because of this. This actually happens. So it's still unfortunately real. A real problem.
I am in the Earth observation field where things are slowly changing. There are more and more women and more and more women at high positions. But in practice, for me personally, it has been sometimes hard to be taken seriously, not only as a female scientist, but as a young female scientist. And currently in my field, most of the senior scientists are men. I often feel this barrier that they would not take me seriously because of this. I had direct bad interaction with people saying that men are more inclined to this kind of fields, like more technical and scientific. The people making hiring decisions telling me that they would choose a man over a woman because of this. This actually happens. So it's still unfortunately real. A real problem.
Caroline
10 years ago, when I was studying I had one professor who was clearly misogynistic and made inappropriate comments. We were several students who liked to ask questions very often, and whenever a male friend of mine asked something, the professor would always answer and value his comments. But the one time I tried to ask a question, he just told me it was stupid. And as an 18-year-old, that is something you don’t really handle very well.
10 years ago, when I was studying I had one professor who was clearly misogynistic and made inappropriate comments. We were several students who liked to ask questions very often, and whenever a male friend of mine asked something, the professor would always answer and value his comments. But the one time I tried to ask a question, he just told me it was stupid. And as an 18-year-old, that is something you don’t really handle very well.
Marta
In Italy, most of the professors in my faculty and in engineering faculties were men, and they often behaved in a very male-dominated way. During exams, you would get very sexist comments, which made women feel extremely uncomfortable. I personally know women who dropped out because of this — because they felt horrible and were constantly judged for how they dressed, how much makeup they wore, or even if they didn’t wear any makeup at all. So I think this is still a big issue.
In Italy, most of the professors in my faculty and in engineering faculties were men, and they often behaved in a very male-dominated way. During exams, you would get very sexist comments, which made women feel extremely uncomfortable. I personally know women who dropped out because of this — because they felt horrible and were constantly judged for how they dressed, how much makeup they wore, or even if they didn’t wear any makeup at all. So I think this is still a big issue.
Caroline
I had a friend coming from Iran, and after her PhD she couldn’t continue. Usually, when you are in a scientific career, you do a PhD and then you try to get postdocs. But sometimes there are a few months or even years in between where you don’t have a contract, and this kind of situation is very problematic for people coming from countries outside the European Union — especially countries like Iran, where, if you are a woman, you cannot easily pursue a science career at the moment. So for her, for instance, she was basically forced to find another job after her PhD, because if she didn’t, she would have had to go back to Iran — and she knew that going back to Iran meant she could not continue her science career.
I had a friend coming from Iran, and after her PhD she couldn’t continue. Usually, when you are in a scientific career, you do a PhD and then you try to get postdocs. But sometimes there are a few months or even years in between where you don’t have a contract, and this kind of situation is very problematic for people coming from countries outside the European Union — especially countries like Iran, where, if you are a woman, you cannot easily pursue a science career at the moment. So for her, for instance, she was basically forced to find another job after her PhD, because if she didn’t, she would have had to go back to Iran — and she knew that going back to Iran meant she could not continue her science career.
Caroline
I have another example of a friend who is trans. She had several opportunities to travel to the U.S., but given the current situation, it is completely impossible. This is a big issue with the current political environment. Maybe if you are lesbian or gay, it is less of a problem, because it is not as visible or officially written anywhere when you travel for work. But for transgender people, it is a real issue at the moment. For her, it is a real problem because she was supposed to go to the UK as part of her PhD, to make a research trip, and she basically cannot. I mean, technically she could go, but it would be kind of dangerous for her.
I have another example of a friend who is trans. She had several opportunities to travel to the U.S., but given the current situation, it is completely impossible. This is a big issue with the current political environment. Maybe if you are lesbian or gay, it is less of a problem, because it is not as visible or officially written anywhere when you travel for work. But for transgender people, it is a real issue at the moment. For her, it is a real problem because she was supposed to go to the UK as part of her PhD, to make a research trip, and she basically cannot. I mean, technically she could go, but it would be kind of dangerous for her.
Caroline
At least in the field I worked in during my PhD (physics), there were even fewer people of color than women. There were already very few women, but even fewer people of color, and I think this is a big problem. Even in Belgium, when I studied, there were maybe one or at most two students of color out of the 30 students who finished physics with me. And when you go to conferences, you can really see this lack of diversity.
At least in the field I worked in during my PhD (physics), there were even fewer people of color than women. There were already very few women, but even fewer people of color, and I think this is a big problem. Even in Belgium, when I studied, there were maybe one or at most two students of color out of the 30 students who finished physics with me. And when you go to conferences, you can really see this lack of diversity.
b) Survey form
These testimonials already illustrate the reality of the situation, but to better understand the barriers that prevent access to science, we need to gather opinions on a larger scale. We therefore decided to share a form with various questions about people's feelings on inclusivity in science and technology. Here are the results:
c) Official data from the EU
Figure 1. She Figures Index 2024 – Comparison of overall gender equality scores in research and innovation across EU countries.
Source: European Commission, She Figures 20241.
The evidence is clear: inequality and discrimination still seem to be part of everyday life in science. But is this the case everywhere in Europe?
Since 2003, the European Commission has been publishing reports on gender equality in research and innovation. These reports, called She Figures, are extremely helpful as they enable statistical comparisons between different European countries.
A She Figures Index has been created to assess the progress made by different European Union countries in terms of gender equality within the European Research Area (ERA). This index is based on segregation in the sector, research areas, career progression, decision-making, participation in research, and the integration of gender into the content of research and innovation. Each dimension, as well as an overall score, is assigned a value between 0 and 100, with 100 representing full gender equality.
In 2024, the overall scores ranged from 60 for Luxembourg to 80 for Sweden.
Figure 2. Proportion of women among doctoral graduates in the EU, broken down by field of study: F01 - Education, F02 - Arts and humanities, F03 - Social sciences, journalism and information, F04 - Business, administration and law, F05 - Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, F06 - Information and Communication Technologies, F07 - Engineering, manufacturing and construction, F08 - Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary, F09 - Health and welfare, F10 - Services.
Source: European Commission, She Figures 20241.
Other figures are striking: although gender balance is respected when looking at the proportion of women among doctoral graduates, when looking at individual sectors, there is a significant disparity.
Women are actually overrepresented in the field of education (over 60%) but represent less than 40% in fields such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Engineering, Manufacturing, and Construction.
Figure 3. Proportion of women and men at different career stages in science & engineering between 2019 and 2022. St.: Students, Gr.: Graduates
ISCED 6 – Bachelor’s or equivalent level.
ISCED 7 – Master’s or equivalent level.
ISCED 8 – Doctoral or equivalent level.
Grade C: The first grade/post into which a newly qualified PhD (ISCED 8) graduate would normally be recruited.
Grade B: All researchers working in positions that are not as senior as Grade A but definitely more senior than Grade C.
Grade A: The single highest grade / post at which research is normally conducted.
Source: European Commission, She Figures 20241.
Another interesting piece of information to look at is the number of women in top positions. When we take a typical academic career in science and engineering, we see that the proportion of women decreases sharply as we move up to the highest ranks.
Unfortunately, the situation has changed little between 2019 and 2022, and this is not only the case in the science and engineering sector.
Learn how to act with Soapbox
Now that we have a broader understanding of the current situation regarding inequality in science, it is time to consider how to take action.
We therefore continued our discussions with experts in inclusivity to determine whether—and how—we could make a difference.
1. Why are there fewer women than men in certain scientific fields?
Stereotypes, the lack of female role models, and the way we talk about girls’ abilities strongly influence their choices.
Many women turn to teaching because they identify with their female teachers, while research or physics remain less popular options,
reinforced by negative representations and preconceived ideas about women’s abilities.
In short: representation matters, and stereotypes remain powerful barriers.
2. Can small groups of students have an impact in promoting equality in science?
Yes. Even small groups can challenge stigmas by giving visibility to the careers of women, non-binary people, and minorities—showing that these paths are open and accessible.
The goal is not to achieve perfect quotas, but to build an inclusive environment where gender, origin, or orientation never determine opportunities or careers.
3. How can we make a difference?
The key lies in raising awareness among young people before they choose their field of study.
Changing the mindset of an entire population is difficult, but by reaching young people, we can foster long-term change.
Empowering future generations with awareness is the surest way to transform mindsets.
Now, all that remains is to take action!
What we have done
These discussions, along with our research and reflections, led us to identify a major reason why some groups remain underrepresented in science and technology: stereotypes. These invisible barriers, which we often mistake for reality, are actually barriers of the mind: “Physics is for men,” “Girls aren’t good at math,” “Computer science is just for geeks,” “Autistic or ADHD people can’t work in teams.”
To truly make a difference, we must act from the very beginning — during childhood, when minds are still being shaped. We must show these future adults that everything is possible and that, regardless of their gender, background, or personal profile, if they are determined, they can succeed. And the best way to make them believe this is by showing them real-life examples of people like them who have already made it. That’s why we decided to launch an awareness campaign on inclusivity in science.
First, we expanded our activities with our partner schools by sending them awareness-raising video clips explaining to their students that, no matter who they are, they have the opportunity to succeed in science. We produced a series of podcasts on YouTube featuring five speakers from different backgrounds and walks of life.
In addition to YouTube, we also posted excerpts from these podcasts on Instagram, along with other awareness-raising posts. The social media format allows us to reach a much wider age range than in schools.
We were also involved in the inclusivity committee of the general assembly of students in Louvain-la-Neuve. Finally, we promoted an event called Girls Leading in Science, which aims to normalize the place of women in science and encourage young scientists in their studies.
a) YouTube Videos
“Inclusive science”: Discover our series of inspiring podcasts, featuring diverse voices – women, men, people from minority backgrounds and neurodivergent individuals – who have all found their place and succeeded in the world of science and technology.
We welcomed guests to talk about:
The place of women in science
Can a woman be pregnant while pursuing her research?
The difficulty for foreign people to adapt and do science abroad
How disabled people deal with their difficulties in science
If someone else could do it, why can’t you? That’s the message we wanted to convey in this podcast series.
There are brilliant female scientists, mothers who successfully complete their theses, people from all walks of life who excel,
neurodivergent individuals who are coming into their own — and now it’s time to show everyone.
Inclusive science - Teaser
Inclusive science - Introduction
Women in Science — representation and stereotypes
Pregnancy & Research — can you be a mother and a scientist?
Science Abroad — challenges for foreign researchers
Disabilities & Science — scientist with ADHD
b) Awareness Raising in Schools
To create a meaningful awareness campaign, we decided to extend our collaboration with the secondary schools we had previously visited for our education activities. To do so, we produced a short awareness video about stereotypes and inclusivity in science.
In this video, a short journey represents the academic path of five different profiles. Four of them are stopped by their own stereotypes: “Women should be mothers, not scientists.” “People with ADHD don’t belong in higher education; they’ll never succeed.” “A foreigner in our lab? Locals first.” “Don’t show your personality, fit the mold.”
But are these ideas true? Of course not and it’s up to us to prove it. Science thrives on diversity, and such stereotypes have no place in education or research. It’s time for young people to become aware of these biases and refuse to be limited by them. That’s why it’s essential to reach future university students before they make their career choices, to remind them that if they dream of becoming scientists, the only thing that matters is their curiosity and ability... not their background or appearance.
We did not just show this video in the classrooms we visited. We asked as many teachers as possible to show the video at the beginning of their lessons to their entire class. This allowed us to reach both science and non-science students aged 14 to 20.
We tried to reach as many secondary schools across the country as possible, and here are the schools we were able to reach:
Wallonia
Charleroi: Athénée Royal Jules Destrée, Athénée Royale Vauban, Les Aumôniers du Travail
Binche: Collège Notre-Dame de Bon Secours
Ottignies: Collège du Christ-Roi
Court-Saint-Étienne: Collège Saint-Etienne
Brussels
Neder-Over-Heembeek: Athénée des Pagodes
The advantage of reaching secondary school students, apart from changing attitudes as early as possible, is that school is compulsory for everyone up to the age of 18 in Belgium. We were therefore able to talk to a much wider range of people than if we had limited ourselves to higher education. We were also able to convince some who were hesitant to pursue scientific studies because of these stereotypes.
We also promoted the Girls Leading Science competition among the principals of the schools we collaborated with, allowing this kind of initiative to reach a broader and more diverse audience. Girls Leading Science is an event that aims to normalize the presence of women in science and to encourage young scientists to pursue their studies with confidence.
It is by multiplying our efforts for the younger generation that we will bring about a lasting and meaningful change for the future.
c) Inclusivity committee of the General Assembly of Students (LLN)
Within our university, there is an organisation that defends students' rights and represents them, called the Louvain-la-Neuve Student General Assembly. Part of this organisation is responsible for inclusivity at the university. It was therefore only natural that we decided to collaborate with this committee in order to achieve a real impact together. During the school holidays and at the beginning of the 2025 academic year, we worked together to develop awareness-raising strategies in exchange for sharing our podcast Inclusive Science.
Thanks to the AGL, we were able to reach more people with our awareness campaign. They allowed us to distribute it within the university as well as on their social networks.
Unfortunately, the events organised in collaboration with the AGL will only take place after the Jamboree, but we were still able to learn and share our information while promoting our podcast series.
Meeting with Soapbox Science Brussels
