Nurturing gender-balanced research environments

Female researchers at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), home to International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), shared their perspectives on promoting women’s participation in the digital economy at a recent roundtable held by the joint venture institution.The digital gender gap was a focal point at the event and was said to have been caused by many issues, including the lack of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Countering this is the university’s work in encouraging women to join these fields – women slightly outnumber their male counterparts at master’s degree level in STEM subjects and represent 40 per cent of doctoral students.“Having more women in STEM is an effective way to eradicate gender stereotypes and gender bias in our digital space. It helps to involve more women in the ongoing digital transformation, thereby contributing to gender equality. I believe we have a responsibility to create a more gender-equal environment for female researchers. I also hope senior academics can provide greater support to younger scholars, especially females,” said Yu Song, director of the XJTLU think tank, XIPU Institution.One such scholar at the event was IBSS PhD student Yue Zhou. She explained that encouragement from XJTLU academics made her consider the possibility of pursuing a PhD and set her on her journey as a researcher. “I hope my stories about doing the research I love can inspire more young people to find and enjoy their passions,” said Zhou.The group also spoke about the importance of women in scientific research, as a crucial means of diversity in research teams and in the creation of fresh perspectives, as well as the support they may require in achieving a sustainable work‑life balance.“I need to take care of my children while managing a research team and a PhD student team. Balancing my life and career is not easy, so it’s important to learn to manage one’s time and plan in advance,” said Professor Li Yang, associate dean of research and impact at XJTLU’s School of Science.