Editorial letter: More female talent in science

Dear Editor:

On January 20, it was announced that 1,562 women were selected for scientific careers as a result of a joint effort between the government and higher education institutions to grant women additional places in studies related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (also known as STEM), representing 443 more students selected compared to the previous year.

Despite these significant efforts, the data continues to be concerning: only 35% of STEM students worldwide are women, and in Chile they represented 32% of the 2026 admissions. This gap confirms that, beyond current measures, this is a long-term challenge both for the State and for those of us in civil society who seek to complement this work.

Promoting more stories about women in these fields, reviewing school curricula, and ensuring that students have full access to information about employability and salaries for different careers after secondary school are concrete steps that can be taken.

Let’s not lose any female talent in STEM. We need to promote more women in laboratories, in mines, programming, researching, and creating knowledge. Not only to complement what already exists, but to develop what has not yet been imagined.

Fernanda Orellana, Director of Education at Luksic Foundation.