<div><p>The gender gap in science is no secret — <a href="http://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/women-science" target="_blank">fewer than 30 percent</a> of the world’s researchers are women. And while the number of women pursuing careers in science is steadily rising, the lack of representation can be a tough hurdle to overcome. </p><p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;">Yet the research is clear — <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1700616114" target="_blank">gender diversity</a> improves the scientific process. In conservation, women’s direct participation and <a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/03/explainer-why-women-need-to-be-at-the-heart-of-climate-action" target="_blank">decision-making</a> results in stronger and more equitable outcomes.</span></p></div><div><p><span style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;">In celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, five Conservation International scientists reflect on their early careers and share advice they would give to their younger selves.</span></p></div><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/idow-stem-23_1.jpg?sfvrsn=ba17536b_1" style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;" alt="" sf-size="100" /><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/idow-stem-23_5.jpg?sfvrsn=c95b23a8_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/idow-stem-23_4.jpg?sfvrsn=5a151016_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/idow-stem-23_3.jpg?sfvrsn=c81f0006_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/idow-stem-23_2.jpg?sfvrsn=96a179cc_1" style="background-color:initial;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;text-align:inherit;text-transform:inherit;white-space:inherit;word-spacing:normal;caret-color:auto;" alt="" sf-size="100" /></p><p><em>Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</em></p>
