As part of the celebrations to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Alfonso X el Sabio University (UAX) has brought together five of its pioneering female researchers, with the aim of highlighting female talent in the fields of science and technology and encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM.
The round-table discussion brought together Margarita Gómez Sánchez, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry and project leader in aesthetic and regenerative dentistry; Lucía Doyle Gutiérrez, Senior Researcher in Sustainable Materials Engineering; Pamela Köster, head of the Microinvest research group on microbiota, pathogens and gut health; Cristina Peña Maroto, Research Scientist at the Sols Morreale Institute for Biomedical Research; and María José Álvarez Alonso, lecturer and researcher in Psychology and Neuropsychology and Director of the Master’s in Psychopedagogy at UAX.
This event reinforces UAX’s commitment to high-quality research and to reducing the gender gap in the scientific field. According to data from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE), only 30.7 per cent of graduates in STEM subjects in Spain are women, a rather low percentage given the significant growth and employability these fields have experienced in recent years. According to a recent survey by the Spanish Association for Cancer Research (Aseica), only 3.9 per cent of Spanish schoolchildren mention a woman when asked about scientific role models, which highlights the importance of raising the profile of successful female scientists to inspire future generations.
“At UAX, we are committed to high-quality research and are dedicated to fostering an environment that focuses not on gender, but on talent. With 55 per cent of our university community comprising female researchers, we want to continue strengthening the promotion of STEM careers, which we do through events such as this, but also through degree programmes such as Biotechnology and Biomedicine or Computing and AI, amongst others. Our aim is to contribute to scientific innovation and to global, inclusive and sustainable development,” said Iris Núñez, Vice-Rector for Research and Postgraduate Studies at UAX.
During the event, Gómez Sánchez highlighted “the fundamental role of the university in advancing the field of research and in reducing the gender gap in the scientific field”. For her part, Peña Maroto pointed out that one of the obstacles to achieving this is that “many girls still do not recognise these roles or female role models in science”.
Álvarez Alonso and Köster both agreed that in their specific fields (biomedicine and neuroscience) “women are in the vast majority, which is quite an exception in the sector as a whole” – a , this contrasts with the figures from other fields such as engineering. Doyle Gutiérrez encouraged the students to pursue their dreams, “because if you do something you’re passionate about, it’s easier to shine, and you have to fight for it”.
The event concluded with a screening of the documentary *Picture a Scientist*, a reflection on the challenges women face in the scientific field. Through testimonies and inspiring examples, the film highlights the importance of continuing to open doors for new generations of female scientists.
UAX thus reaffirms its commitment to remaining a leading institution in scientific education and research, promoting projects that contribute to the advancement of society and equal opportunities in all fields.
