STEM, Gender Equity and Diversity Leaders Attend AWIS Summit

The 30 executive-level speakers who convened at the Innovation and Inclusion Summit on Wednesday didn’t mince words when evaluating the state of equity in STEM and the work that still needs to be done.

Kicking off the summit, AWIS CEO Sandra Robert, CAE, unveiled new AWIS data gleaned from the recent membership leadership survey: regardless of sector, women continue to be significantly underrepresented in leadership roles.

The disparity is starker for women of color, with 14% more likely to face assumptions that they are more junior or have less experience than they do and about 10% more likely to have someone else take credit for their ideas.

Highlighting the impact of race and ethnicity in addition to LGBTQ status and other identities, the panelists shared best practices and solutions to address the gaps in entrepreneurship funding, retention and women in leadership. Session after session, it was clear that these influencers make up a force that’s not backing down from the fight to support women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and every other underrepresented group in the STEM industry.

STEM game changers making significant contributions to increasing workplace diversity received the highly-coveted 2019 AWIS awards. With a proven track record of promoting women in leadership positions and advocating for more inclusive practices in STEM, the three awardees are fierce leaders in their respective fields. In intimate Fireside Chats, each discussed her path to success amidst enthusiastic applause.