DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

Our Commitment to DEI

In response to renewed calls for racial equity in the United States, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) have become buzzwords. However, while prompting significant calls to action throughout the healthcare and life sciences industries - we must actively work to continue these efforts even after the national dialogue fades.

Women, especially women of color, continue to be underrepresented in STEM and life sciences, and the disparities start early. Despite making up 48% of the U.S. workforce, women only represent 27% of the STEM and life sciences workforce. While women have made significant gains in recent years, more work is still needed to increase women's representation in STEM and the life sciences.

The Science Runway pledges to continue expanding its work to increase the number of women in STEM and healthcare fields.

When examining trends of Women in STEM and healthcare fields, we must pause and further explore these numbers. Black and Hispanic women remain significantly underrepresented within healthcare and STEM. In 2019, 36.3% of physicians in the United States identified as women. However, only 2.6% and 2.3% of physicians are black and Latinx women, respectively. Multiple studies demonstrate the benefits of a diverse workforce and healthcare professionals representing the patient populations they serve. Therefore the Science Runway is:

• Committed to expanding the horizons of young women and girls interested in STEM and healthcare beyond the career paths of doctors and nurses.

• Working to equip the next generation of STEM and healthcare leaders with the confidence and skills to combat healthcare and life science disparities.

• Continuing to investigate the intersections of gender and race and how best to support young women and girls of color in their journey into STEM and healthcare careers.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have made significant strides in diversifying the healthcare and life sciences workforce. However, to truly transform America's STEM workforce to reflect the communities it serves, we must start at a young age. Therefore, Science Runway is committed to working with young women and girls to encourage and inspire the next generation of female STEM and healthcare leaders.