In its recent report, The Persistence of Gender Gaps in Education and Skills, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has queried why high-performing females do not continue investing in developing skills in areas such as mathematics and science, when compared to high-performing males.
It also asks why, when overall gender gaps in mathematics and science are quite small, young women continue to be under-represented in STEM-related fields after leaving school. The report stresses the importance of enhancing the educational pipeline to attract, retain and maintain more women in the STEM sectors.
The OECD reminds us that female scientists and engineers pioneered the nuclear and radiological fields, with leaders and innovators such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie and Lise Meitner, among many others, establishing the foundation of modern nuclear science and technology.
To take the discussion further and explore whether education policies are geared towards enhancing career paths of women in STEM and nuclear science, the OECD hosted an expert panel for a webinar held on International Women in Engineering Day on 23rd June. The rich discussion included eminent speakers in the field:
William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) moderated the discussion.
The OECD will use the discussion to inform future policy directions.
