Search

Gender equality and women's empowerment are important issues that still need to be addressed, despite some progress in recent years. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aim to tackle various global challenges, including the 4th (Quality Education) and 5th (Gender Equality) goals that were used to frame an activity in a science education subject in a primary education teaching degree. Previous research has found a decrease in girls' interest in STEM and STEM-related jobs in primary and secondary education. To encourage girls in primary education towards STEM-related professions, an activity was organized in a science subject at a university in Navarre, Spain. The goal of this activity was to identify inspiring women scientists who could serve as role models for university and primary school students. A knowledge model, which is a concise and graphical representation of knowledge through concept maps, was created using the methodology of knowledge model design (Cañas et al. Revista De Informática Educativa 13:145-158, 2000) to showcase all the women scientists selected by the students. This final model is publicly accessible and can be shared with any educational center interested in promoting gender diversity in STEM fields. The results showed that the students learned meaningfully as they inquired about women scientists in professions that are typically considered more suitable for men. As these students are trainee primary school teachers, they can become part of an educational network that empowers girls by developing STEM-related activities that promote gender equality.

This study examines the success and role of African women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In the absence of significant research on women's STEM leadership, the success and roles of others could motivate an aspiring African woman to pursue a career in STEM. A qualitative approach was sought using open online questions and narratives from African women leaders about their roles and career success in STEM. Data were collected from the western, eastern, northern, and southern regions of Africa from participants who held STEM leadership positions, such as directors, deans, and chief officers. The participants were 42 women representing 12 African nations. The narratives of these women leaders' tones and life experiences were analyzed through content analysis. The narratives of these women leaders' tones and life experiences were analyzed in search of recurring patterns and themes. Successful leadership in STEM requires balancing career and family life, setting goals, solving problems, being open to innovative ideas, embracing diversity, collaborating, and having knowledge of STEM research and mentoring skills. Using the achievements and roles of others could inspire future African women to pursue careers in STEM.

In this article the author looks at processes of becoming a woman philosopher and scientist in eighteenth-century Europe, by focusing on educational experiences, discourses and practices revolving around the Italian mathematician, scientist and philosopher Maria Gaetana Agnesi. The author uses the Arendtian notion of "agonism" as a lens through which she reads Agnesi's manuscripts at the Ambrosiana Biblioteca in Milan, by pointing to the non-discursive affects that these documents emanate. By tracing women mathematicians' historical emergence as subjects of knowledge, as well as creators of philosophy and culture, the author proposes a reconsideration of the history of women's science education as an agonistic process that has left traces in various archives of gender and science.

An educational innovation experience developed as part of the curriculum for the Early Childhood Education degree is presented within the framework of the scientific dissemination project entitled 'INFA-CIENCIA: From the girls of today to the scientists of tomorrow', which pursues two objectives: (1) To bolster future teachers' knowledge of women scientists and (2) To improve their didactic skills so that they can adapt the research carried out by women to children's capacities. The key findings are a high level of satisfaction amongst teachers with the interventions by university students; the need to continue implementing this innovation, due to the scant knowledge of women scientists amongst students; and the advisability of the students voluntarily choosing the woman scientist they want to work on, in order to boost their motivation and interest.

Society is more digitised than ever and there is an urgent need to train people in these sectors, where women are still under-represented. A quantitative descriptive, correlational and explanatory descriptive design was used to identify barriers, supports and gender gaps in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in Secondary Education by analysing the interest and perception of 1562 students and 432 teachers. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Lambda test and Crame's V or Phi test were performed together with a qualitative analysis. The results show that fewer female students want to pursue STEM studies, with girls preferring health and education professions and boys preferring engineering and computer science. Indeed, their motivation is different since we found correlations between being a girl and choosing STEM for helping people and society, while earning money is important for boys. Girls believe more necessary than boys to have qualities to study STEM and less often perceive themselves as intelligent and courageous. Our study revealed that families and teachers encourage more boys than girls towards STEM activities. Teachers believe that girls are influence by preconceived ideas, lack of STEM knowledge and lower self-esteem. Regarding gender equality, almost half state that no objectives are included in the curricula, 43.85% do not include it in subjects and only 30% received training. Consequently, female vocations need to be promoted by teaching how STEM solves real-life problems, fostering creativity, increasing self-confidence, promoting STEM activities and making female role models visible. Teachers should receive more gender training and promote gender-sensitive STEM education.

We, Professors Wendy Chin and Vinitha Nithianandam, both who teach technology courses at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), had a vision. This vision was to attract more women into the technology field and keep them enrolled in technology courses through graduation or transfer. We sought to do this by creating the CCBC Women in Technology Support Group. This group was founded in 2017. Our CCBC Women in Technology program was inspired by Virginia-based Women in Technology, and it brings female students with a shared love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) an opportunity to come together to participate in various events. These include free workshops and lectures, attendance at social events, and the ability to network with successful women in the profession. This grassroots effort is an ongoing process and continues to evolve and bring awareness, retention, advancement, and support to female students in academic pursuits and professional careers in the STEM fields.

Black women in graduate school can experience stress due to blatant and subtle acts of gendered racism. However, we do not know how such stressors are navigated over time among those who successfully complete their PhDs. The current study used a Black feminist thought framework and narrative analysis to conduct a longitudinal exploration of how three successful Black women biomedical graduate students make sense of and respond to gendered racism they experienced and the coping strategies they employ as they persist. When interacting with others, the women experienced low expectations and doubts about being legitimate scientists. These experiences contributed to feelings of isolation, impacted their networking opportunities, and dampened their view of the desirability of an academic career postgraduation. Over time, their coping strategies for dealing with negative racial and gendered racial stereotypes and biases shifted from opting to "prove others wrong" or working harder, to leaning on their social networks for camaraderie and advice as well as choosing to not exert energy to form a response. Implications for mentoring and mentoring programs at the graduate level and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programming are discussed.

The visibility of female role models in science is vital for engaging and retaining women in scientific fields. In this study, we analyse four senior secondary science courses delivered across the states and territories in Australia: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Physics. We compared male and female representation within the science courses by examining the mentions of male and female scientists along with the context of their inclusions in the syllabuses. We find a clear gender bias with only one unique mention of a female scientist. We also find a clear Eurocentric focus and narrow representation of scientists. This bias will contribute to the continuing low engagement of women in scientific fields. We outline possible solutions to address this issue, including the accreditation of scientific discoveries to include female scientists and explicit discussion of structural barriers preventing the participation and progression of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Women are increasingly present in the field of engineering, but despite a significant female presence, it has been found that the programs continue to make no reference to women scientists. In chemical engineering, for example, all the names of scientists mentioned in the programs belong to men only. To test this hypothesis of over-representation of men in the programs, a series of random opinion surveys were launched among 600 students from 5 universities to find out whether they had noticed this over-representation and what they thought about it. The results showed that the vast majority did not realize that the scientists presented as examples in classes were all men. In fact, 90% of the student panel were unable to identify a woman in the chemical engineering field, and the remaining 10% could cite only one or two who were among the most recent and had received the most attention from the media. The issue of inequalities between girls and boys and between women and men in education remains central to understanding and combating gender inequalities and enabling people to develop as persons free from the limitations imposed on them by gender stereotypes. However, these inequalities cannot only be explained exclusively by the issue of access to education but must also take the type and content of education into account. This article is a call for reflection on the content of university curricula and has a twofold objective: on one hand, to raise awareness of this imbalance in representation among students, both male and female, and, on the other hand, to launch reflection on this "invisibility of women" and to propose some avenues for debate.

The objective of this research is to discuss how Sociology contributes to identify "the experience of the unconscious gender bias" against female scientists and to assess its impact on their career development. This research is at the first stage of three-year research project. The final aim of this research is to identify the social factors that sustain a positive research environment for the female scientists. This research focuses on the daily communication in the research laboratory settings and tries to find some answers to the methodological questions of how it is possible to investigate the experience of unconscious gender bias by the social research and how it is possible for a person to be aware of the unconscious gender bias against them in the daily communication.

The study explored facets of identity formation considered to be of significance by Zimbabwean female adolescent students in physics. Four high schools that were offering physics at A' level in the Midlands Province, in Zimbabwe were targeted. Nine female adolescents doing mathematics and physics and only mathematics were chosen. Data generation instruments were semi-structured interview and classroom observation guides. The results of this study indicate that facets of identity formation as confident, fearless, intelligent, and courageous, liking physics and being determined. These facets motivated female students studying physics to develop an identity in favour of physics, resulting in them opting to study physics as a subject of choice at A' Level. On the other hand, female students who had the potential to study physics but were studying only mathematics stated that fear of failing physics, not being courageous, lacking confidence and that physics was irrelevant to their career choice were significant in influencing their non-participation in physics. These facets may have enabled female students to form an identity that contributed towards their motivation for participation or lack of it in physics. The negative physics identity influences their perceptions of physics and their low participation in the subject.

The study investigated the Zimbabwean female participation in physics, with special emphasis on the factors of identity formation considered as contributing to developing an orientation to physics by female students. The main study from which this paper was taken explored the influence of identity formation on the Zimbabwean Advanced Level ("A" Level) female adolescent students in physics. Four high schools that were offering physics at "A" level in the Midlands Province, in Zimbabwe were targeted. Nine female adolescent students eighteen years and above: three doing mathematics and physics, one doing physics without mathematics and five doing mathematics without physics were chosen. The instrument that was used for data generation was semi-structured interviews. The results of this study indicate that amongst other factors the main factors of identity formation considered as contributing to developing an orientation to physics by female students are: need female physics role models, who can encourage O-level female students to take up physics being motivated by good O-level teaching, high self-confidence, high self-esteem and career aspirations. On the other hand, gender insensitivity, male peer harassment and gender stereotyping are, factors in identity formation they considered as inhibiting the development of an orientation to physics by female students. This causes fewer female students to opt for physics as one of their "A" Level subjects. The formation of a negative physics identity by female adolescent students influences their perceptions of physics and their participation in the subject.

In order to understand and resolve the disproportionate number of women in the sciences it is necessary to look at historical educational trends. Through the ages there is evidence of a "pendulum effect" where there have been major shifts focusing science education either on male or females. To be able to realistically establish sustainable equity in the natural and life sciences it is necessary to reexamine not only the curriculum verbiage used in the text but also teaching styles that are used to present the material. One approach is introducing more hands-on learning to supplement the "banking" approach traditionally used in introductory science classes. Hands-on learning engages visual, kinesthetic as well as auditory pathways and allows students to move from abstract thinking to dealing with the concrete. While there have been numerous studies done, they have historically focused on the effect of hands-on learning in K-12 schools. There is still much research that needs to be done on all types of science curriculum, especially at the post secondary level. We conducted several studies at Saint Xavier University with students in the Introductory Biology and Women in Science Courses. We examined the effects of various pedagogies on class performance in a non-majors science course. We examined the effects of no labs, a few labs or weekly labs on student performance. Significant improvements were seen within sexes (10%), and with female students (13%), while male students showed modest improvement (2%). While this is not the only way to achieve sustainable equity in natural sciences, this appears to be an effective pedagogical tool in stabilizing the "pendulum effect". (Contains 1 table, 22 footnotes, and 2 graphs.).

Most women entering tenure-track positions in the sciences do so in their late twenties or early thirties after completing a graduate degree and post-doctoral training. Tenure-track positions usually span a six or seven year probationary period during which time institutions expect unlimited commitment from the tenure-track candidates to their work. Most tenure-track candidates are overwhelmed by this onerous expectation, but research shows that women are particularly affected by this expectation. Women tend to shoulder more family responsibilities than men especially if women are members of a family unit with at least one child, and women, who aspire to have children, are faced with the difficult decision to bear children and potentially compromise tenure or to delay child-bearing until tenure is achieved and face age-related risk factors associated with maternal and fetal outcomes. Previous research has shown that women in tenure-track positions in science disciplines at research-intensive (R-1) institutions are more likely to acquire tenure if they are unmarried and/or are childless than their married peers with children, thus, the issues of family responsibilities and child-bearing have real consequences for women in science. The purpose of our study is to determine if these issues have consequences for women in academic science at masters-level institutions, which require tenure-track faculty to develop a productive research agenda as well as demonstrate excellence in teaching. We discuss the implications such consequences will have on the future of women in science in the United States unless universities grapple seriously with an environment that may unintentionally force women to choose between an academic career in science or marriage and motherhood. (Contains 1 table.)

University leadership from career and organizational viewpoints are discussed from the perspective of a woman physicist. Laws of physics are used, through appropriate analogies, as templates for structuring useful life lessons on holistic WHAM leadership. Interactive university skill sets and program policies based on holistic WHAM approaches are least likely to omit significant factors that could contribute to creation of great students as products--the main goal of university leadership. The holistic WHAM life lessons presented rest upon Five Pillars of Support for Success (or simply Five Pillars). The writer views these five Pillars as encompassing the basic aspects of life and living and defines them as follows: Spiritual (central and most important), Physical, Intellectual, Social, and Financial. The WHAM model is based on nurture in these five areas and demonstrates that the greater collaboration or unitedness in any given endeavor, the greater the yield. Women are natural nurturers and should be considered for leadership roles. Impediments to their progress and ways to help improve the numbers as they relate to women as leaders in the academy are explored. (Contains 7 footnotes.)

The under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields is of continuing concern, as is the lack of women in senior positions and leadership roles. During a time of increasing demand for science and engineering enterprise, the lack of women and minorities in these academic disciplines needs to be addressed by concentrated institutional attention and resources. Although the overall historical gender inequity in earned doctorates is decreasing, women remain underrepresented in scientific and engineering disciplines in the workforce and in faculty positions. Given the gendered patterns evident in engineering and STEM academic disciplines, it is important to consider the factors contributing to these phenomena, including the interplay between work and family constraints in academic careers. Rather than simply male dominance or individual preferences or capacities, this under-representation in STEM is also due to "deep seated" gender barriers, such as the persistent belief in gender differences in abilities which maintains the status quo and affirms current inequalities as "natural." Our paper focuses on hegemonic masculinities in organizations to better understand the institutionalization of gender inequalities. (Contains 1 footnote.)

Society is increasingly dominated by rapidly evolving systems of technology. The goal of technology education, as an academic component of public education, is to ensure that students become "technologically literate" members of society who are able to understand, access, use, manage, and control these technological systems. Significantly fewer female students are enrolling in technology education courses compared with males. According to Sanders, female enrollment in the U.S. was determined to be almost half (46.2%) technology education enrollment in middle school, but fell dramatically in high school to less than one-fifth (17.7%). Data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (2004-2005) showed that only 8.6% of females who enrolled in Exploring Technology Systems in Middle School elected to take the freshmen level technology education course, Fundamentals of Technology. This study focuses on the impact of male bias in the classrooms of North Carolina on female social status and on technology education, and offers suggestions on how to achieve gender equity in technology education. (Contains 6 tables.)

Women in academia face unique challenges when it comes to advancing to professorship. Using latest research about gender and academic leadership, we present a training curriculum that is sensitive to the unique demands of women in and aspiring to leadership positions in academia. The context-specific and evidence-based approach and a focus on self-directed leadership development are unique characteristics of the training. It aims to enhance women's motivation to lead, increase their knowledge about academic leadership, and empower them to seek the support they need to proactively work toward appointment to a professorship. We also delineate an evaluation framework, which addresses these targeted outcomes. The findings from a pilot program in Germany confirmed that the curriculum is effective in developing women as academic leaders. The discussion highlights the significance of a context-specific and evidence-based approach to women's leadership development in academia.

In this article, questions of public education in both environmental issues and science, more broadly, are examined in an effort to respond to Richard Aldrich's call for historians of education to use their skills and understanding both to inform the present and to shape a more enlightened future. In particular, the lives and work of three women in science--Marianne North, Rachel Carson and Alice Stewart--are investigated through their art, writings and actions and through autobiographical and biographical material. The focus is on issues of natural history, the environment and the use and misuse of technology arising from their scientific work. In each case, how far they challenged the scientific thinking of their day or extended public understanding is explored while consideration is also made of how they were educated for their scientific careers, what impediments they faced and how far and in what ways they overcame them.

This article explores the application of science identity development theory for women of color interested in the science disciplines; and it advocates for taking an intersectional approach to understanding how women of color form science identities. The article also challenges community college administrators and scholars to focus on redefining science identity development theory within the community college setting as a means to enhance success for women of color pursuing academic work in scientific disciplines.

Black women scientists are living in an important time in South Africa as the socio-political landscape is changing rapidly, effecting changes in many dimensions of identification, particularly "race", gender and class. This paper draws data from in-depth interviews with a cohort (n = 10) of Science scholarship students to explore experiences of alienation and belonging at university. Although these young women are, by definition, "high performers", selected from the top five percentile of their secondary schools, they may still enter university study with limited access to dominant forms of cultural capital, including English proficiency and scientific terminology, and other forms of less tangible knowledge. The participants recount multiple experiences of non-belonging in the university context, both in and outside of classrooms, and a sense of alienation from their chosen fields of study. However, the findings also suggest that the establishment of affective bonds with particular institutional spaces and people stabilises their sense of self and belonging. Perhaps simultaneous membership of two outlier groups, a marginal and an elite group, which creates alternating senses of alienation and belonging, may provoke new modes of academic life and ways of doing Science.

The under-representation of women in engineering is an issue of concern for policy-makers. While much of the existing literature has focussed on understanding reasons for women's under-representation in engineering and related technical fields, there is a paucity of research that examines why women who are already in engineering persist. This study aims to answer the question, why do women engineers in academe persist in a discipline that is generally perceived to be inhospitable to women. Three main challenges, namely gender discrimination, lack of institutional and disciplinary support, and the rigid nature of the workplace, emerged as key impediments to women engineers in the private sector. In contrast, women engineers in the academy identified the flexibility offered by academic environments, the presence of personal support networks, and a passion for teaching and students as critical factors that influenced their decision to remain in academia.

This article focuses on the use of theatre as a mode of creative scholarship, from the research involved in sketch creation to the presentation of that research to academic audiences. We particularly focus on a specific sketch developed by the CRLT Players--one that explores the consequences of subtle discrimination faced by women scientists in research laboratory settings--to illustrate the ways in which theatre can engage audiences with research results. The article explains how participation in such performances promotes a more active exploration of scholarship than simply reading or hearing a presentation. Interactive theatre directs and focuses an audience's attention in ways unique to the stage; the embodiment of research in 3-dimensional characters allows spectators to explore multiple perspectives on research results; and the process of critical reflection and facilitated discussion that follows the performance leads viewers to consider changes, both personal and institutional, that can address the issues depicted in the sketch.

This is an empirical study on the underrepresentation of people of color in scientific careers. Grounded in critical race theory, the paper examines the lived experiences of six Black women physicists and addresses obstacles faced in their career paths and strategies used to overcome these obstacles. Data for this study were collected through semi-structured interviews and coded for emergent themes. The findings reveal that college recruitment and funding were fundamental for these women to choose physics over other STEM fields. In addition, Black women experience unique challenges of socialization in STEM, particularly by exclusion of study groups. We suggest physics departments provide a more inclusive environment to support Black women in science. [This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.]

The majority of existing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research studies compare women to men, yet a paucity of research exists that examines what differentiates female career choice within the physical sciences. In light of these research trends and recommendations, this study examines the following question: On average, do females who select physics as compared to chemistry doctoral programs differ in their reported personal motivations and background factors prior to entering the field? This question is analyzed using variables from the Project Crossover Survey data set through a subset of female physical science doctoral students and scientists (n = 1137). A logistic regression analysis and prototypical odds ratio uncover what differentiates women in the physical sciences based on their academic achievement and experiences ranging from high school through undergraduate education. Results indicate that females who have negative undergraduate chemistry experiences as well as higher grades and positive experiences in undergraduate physics are more likely to pursue a career in physics as opposed to chemistry. Conclusions suggest that a greater emphasis should be placed on the classroom experiences that are provided to females in gateway physics courses. Analyses show that women are not a single entity that should only be examined as a whole group or in comparison to men. Instead women can be compared to one another to see what influences their differences in educational experiences and career choice in STEM-based fields as well as other academic areas of study.

This study examines the transformation (professional growth) of career-changing women scientists who decided to become teachers. Drawing upon Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory, we tracked their transformation for 3 years. Our findings revealed multiple identities, disorientation, a perceived sense of meaninglessness, loss and eventual regain in confidence, gain in pedagogical knowledge and skill, and changed perceptions of the social roles of science teachers and scientists. Driven by personal choice or need (financial, intellectual), such transformations were achieved through active pursuit of meaning in one's work, critical assessment of assumptions, planning, and trying on the unfamiliar role of a science teacher. It is argued that such transition entails complex changes in thinking about science teaching and identifying oneself as a science teacher.

The underrepresentation of racial minorities and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a national concern. Goal theory provides a useful framework from which to understand issues of underrepresentation. We followed a large sample of high-achieving African American and Latino undergraduates in STEM disciplines attending 38 institutions of higher education in the United States over 3 academic years. We report on the science-related environmental factors and person factors that influence the longitudinal regulation of goal orientations. Further, we examine how goal orientations in turn influence distal academic outcomes such as performance and persistence in STEM. Using SEM-based parallel process latent growth curve modeling, we found that (a) engagement in undergraduate research was the only factor that buffered underrepresented students against an increase in performance-avoidance goals over time; (b) growth in scientific self-identity exhibited a strong positive effect on growth in task and performance-approach goals over time; (c) only task goals positively influenced students' cumulative grade point average, over and above baseline grade point average; and (d) performance-avoidance goals predicted student attrition from the STEM pipeline. We discuss the implications of these findings for underrepresented students in STEM disciplines. (Contains 4 tables and 8 footnotes.)

The underrepresentation of women in physics doctorate programs and in tenured academic positions indicates a need to evaluate what may influence their career choice and persistence. This qualitative paper examines eleven females in physics doctoral programs and professional science positions in order to provide a more thorough understanding of why and how women make career choices based on aspects both inside and outside of school and their subsequent interaction. Results indicate that female physicists experience conflict in achieving balance within their graduate school experiences and personal lives and that this then influences their view of their future careers and possible career choices. Female physicists report both early and long-term support outside of school by family, and later departmental support, as being essential to their persistence within the field. A greater focus on informal and out-of-school science activities for females, especially those that involve family members, early in life may help influence their entrance into a physics career later in life. Departmental support, through advisers, mentors, peers, and women's support groups, with a focus on work-life balance can help females to complete graduate school and persist into an academic career. (Contains 3 tables and 5 figures.)

In previous decades, researchers have identified a gender gap in the careers and academic achievement of men and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Recently, it has been suggested that some of these gender gaps no longer exist; however, the picture is more nuanced, for women are represented well in some STEM fields (such as biology) and not in others (such as computer science). The current research employed survey methodology to explore the perceptions of 360 finalists and semifinalists of the prestigious Science Talent Search. Two cohorts of participants who were either in their late 30s (Cohort 2) or late 20s (Cohort 1) were contacted to investigate factors that influenced them to select or not select STEM college majors and occupations. Comparisons between men and women revealed that women recalled having lower self-efficacy in STEM in college than men, and fewer women selected STEM majors as undergraduates. Interest was cited as a major influence for occupational selection for both men and women. Proportionally, more women than men entered fields such as biology and fewer women entered fields such as engineering and physics/astronomy. A greater proportion of older women mentioned leaving STEM because of a lack of flexible hours and needing to attend to family responsibilities. Implications for education and future research are discussed. (Contains 9 tables and 2 figures.)

This study examined the contributions of campus racial climate perceptions and other college environments to overall sense of belonging among racially diverse women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. The sample included 1,722 women from the 2004 National Study of Living-Learning Programs. Using a conceptual framework that integrated Weidman's (1989) undergraduate socialization model, Astin's (1991) I-E-O model, and Mertens' (2005) transformative research perspective, 29% of the variance in overall sense of belonging was explained. Race/ethnicity, perceptions of the campus racial climate and the residence hall climate, and academic self-confidence emerged as significant predictors. Implications for supporting women in STEM are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

In 2007, the Women in Physics Group of the Institute of Physics initiated the Very Early Career Woman Physicist of the Year Award. The award seeks to recognise the outstanding achievements of women physicists who are embarking on a career in physics and to promote the career opportunities open to people with physics qualifications. The prize is awarded annually to a woman who is within three years of having completing her undergraduate degree in physics and who is either working as a physicist or is engaged in postgraduate study. As well as providing recognition of the winner's work through the prize money, the award also provides valuable networking opportunities. In four years there have been five winners (in 2010, there were joint winners) and here they offer their thoughts on what inspired them to go into a male-dominated world and what it is like to be a successful woman in physics, 100 years after Marie Curie. For teachers of the next generation of physicists, there are some interesting similarities and insights that enable a different perspective when considering the potential of current students.