Women in the University: Their Role in STEM Knowledge Production and Management
Women in the University: Their Role in STEM Knowledge Production and Management

Summary/Abstract: Women actively participate in scientific knowledge production in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), yet previous studies report persistent gender inequalities in academic leadership and research management. This study aimed to analyze women’s participation and leadership in STEM departments and research groups at public universities in Andalusia, Spain. The research addressed whether women are equally represented in STEM research groups and whether their presence in leadership positions reflects their overall participation. It was hypothesized that women are underrepresented in STEM leadership roles, particularly as heads of departments and principal investigators of research groups. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted using publicly available institutional data from ten Andalusian public universities. The sample included STEM-related departments and STEM research groups. The variables analyzed included gender, institutional affiliation, research area, and leadership position. The results indicate that women represent one-third of researchers in STEM groups, but only a small proportion of principal investigators. Furthermore, women occupy a low percentage of leadership positions in STEM departments.

• Details
• Contents