STEM role models: Making women in science visible not only inspires vocations, but also helps retain talent

In Chile, only one in four enrollments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs corresponds to women, even though they represent 53% of total higher education enrollment. This gap is particularly concerning considering that, according to United Nations estimates, 75% of jobs will be linked to these fields by 2050.

Data show that women in Chile are less likely to drop out in their first year, graduate at higher rates, and complete their degrees faster than men. According to figures from the Ministry of Education, first-year undergraduate retention rates favor women by 3.6 percentage points, and in 2025 they accounted for 56% of all graduates. On average, women also finish their studies more quickly.

Even so, their presence in scientific and technological fields remains limited. According to 2025 data from Chile’s Undersecretariat of Higher Education, 79,339 women were enrolled in STEM programs compared to 291,680 men. This underrepresentation is also evident in scientific careers: in Latin America and the Caribbean, women accounted for less than 30% of all researchers in 2019, according to UNESCO.

In Chile, these disparities are also reflected in research and academic work. A 2026 survey on gender gaps in academia—conducted by faculty from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Pontificia Universidad Católica, and Universidad Andrés Bello—found that female academics devote 11.8% less of their workload to research and publish 40% fewer scientific articles than their male counterparts. Women also remain underrepresented among academic staff, with a gap that still reaches 8 percentage points compared to men.

The importance of role models

One of the most effective strategies to close this gap, according to multiple studies, is to make female role models more visible. One such study, published in the Journal of Science Education and Technology, surveyed 788 senior undergraduate and graduate students at a STEM research university, as well as ten women leaders in STEM professions. Among female respondents, 87% reported having found role models during their studies, compared to 77% of men. One of the study’s key conclusions was that success in science and engineering depends on effective interactions with mentors and role models.

In academia, these figures are known as “role models,” and their impact can be significant: seeing other women leading in science or technology increases the likelihood that girls and young women will envision themselves in these fields.

With this goal in mind, Fundación Luksic launched the second season of the podcast Mujeres que Todo lo Pueden (“Women Who Can Do Anything”), a series of conversations with scientists, researchers, and professionals driving innovation in the STEM world.

“Showcasing women leading in science and technology plays a dual role: it inspires girls to see themselves in these fields and, at the same time, strengthens those already in them—encouraging more women to stay, grow, and step into leadership roles in environments that are still largely male-dominated,” explains Fernanda Orellana, Education Director at Fundación Luksic.

The project includes two seasons totaling 20 episodes, available on Spotify and YouTube, featuring women who are transforming science and technology. Among them are Komal Dadlani, biochemist and co-founder of Lab4U; María de la Luz Osses, metallurgical civil engineer and General Manager of Minera Zaldívar; and Matilde Gaete, a 21-year-old training to become the first Chilean woman to reach space.

“I was born in Arica, the daughter of Indian immigrants, and I came to science driven by curiosity, without really knowing what I was getting into. In my family, it was important that I go to university and build a better future, and along the way, discovering stories of other women scientists made me realize that I could be there too,” says Komal Dadlani, one of the podcast participants.

Researcher Denise Uribe, another of the interviewees, had a similar experience; she recalls how lonely it can be to make one’s way in highly male-dominated fields: “When I started my computer engineering program, I walked into the classroom and I was the only woman. In other sections, there were two of us. In academia, I realized that networks existed among women scientists and that we could build something more meaningful and include more women.”