International Day of Women and Girls in Science and why role models matter

Role models matter. If you can see it, you can be it. February 11th marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Elevating women and girls in Science and S.T.E.M. has a significant impact overall. It's a reminder to all of us that Science is a way of making sense of our world. As a discipline, it unlocks discovery and career opportunities and contributes to our communities both directly through innovation and advancement and as an economic driver to the economy. 

The recent Rainforest Alberta Scorecard saw the timely addition of a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (D.E.I.) measurement to the survey. This addition underscores the importance of representation. Celebrating women and girls in Science likewise underscores that the Sciences are for all of us, that curiosity, knowledge seeking, and a passion for discovery are part of our human experience.

Mellissa Hozack, founder and owner of TruMe Whole Health based in Medicine Hat, Alberta, recently received a Regional Innovation Champion ASTech Award. The award acknowledges her work as a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, innovator and champion within our region––a role model, demonstrating that we can be many things: a Pharmacist, a founder, innovation champion, mother, wife, community supporter and women in Science.

Roxanne Doerksen, based in Cypress County, Alberta, was the founder and owner of T.R.A.D. Worm Industries received a Regional Innovation ASTech Award for her work in waste recovery and Agriculture. If you have yet to have the opportunity to hear Roxanne speak about her passion for environmental stewardship, you need to. Roxanne is a force, whether in business, innovation or leadership. She's a Biologist, a wife, a mom, a founder, an entrepreneur, an innovator and a community leader.   


Donna Sato, based in Vauxhall, Alberta, recently travelled to Japan to the Tokyo Game Show convention to showcase her video game, Neko House. She and her team of seven are designing a video game set in a cat shelter under Sato's media company, Mikan House Inc. Building a game with a small team typically takes two to three years. Neko House is in its early prototyping stage––six months into development. The trip to Tokyo, Japan, was full of significant opportunities for the team. Just one year into entrepreneurship and five years out of College, Donna has bootstrapped a cross-functional team together, set off to Tokyo, secured support, pitched her game and built her network. She's done this from rural Alberta in a thoughtful, inclusive, and community-minded way. 


We’re highlighting three stories. There are many more. You won't need to go far to find your own connections to women and girls in Science making a difference every day. They're there. And we can support them by recognizing them, sharing their stories and highlighting their names. Because if you can see it, you can be it.

The United Nations has highlighted four key points to consider in 2024 and beyond. 

  • Women represent 33.3% of all researchers, and only 12% of members of national science academies are women.

  • One in five professionals (22%) is a woman in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence.

  • Despite a shortage of skills in most technological fields driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women still account for only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of computer science and informatics graduates.

  • Female researchers tend to have shorter, less well-paid careers. Their work is underrepresented in high-profile journals, and they are often passed over for promotion.

Compelling points to consider at all levels, whether in the early years of elementary and high school, post-secondary education, and into the workplace and innovation ecosystems, living out the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion create strong and resourced communities.

As a Regional Innovation Network, we aim to foster innovation and support those who are underserved in the innovation ecosystem. We encourage you to join us in shining a spotlight on women in science and female innovators in your communities, not only this February 11, but every day.