According to the UNESCO Science Report 2021, women are underrepresented in a vast number of STEM fields such as mathematics, physics, computing and digital information technology.
In artificial intelligence for example, women account for just 22% of workers, and also make up just a third of researchers worldwide. Cloud computing is another sector that is dominated by men, with just 14% of the workforce being made up of women.
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Despite efforts to encourage inclusion in the STEM sector, a new report suggests a striking amount of progress is still needed.
Analysis recently released shows that in the US, Black and Hispanic workers remain underrepresented in STEM jobs. Black professionals account for just 9% of STEM workers and Hispanic professionals a meagre 8%, despite making up 11% and 17% of the US workforce. On the other hand, Asian and white professionals continue to be overrepresented.
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Even though the word “outbreak” is now most associated with COVID-19, many parts of the world are still affected by outbreaks of other diseases. Particularly in Latin America, millions of people get infected with yellow fever, zika and dengue.
An international team of researchers will embark on a groundbreaking study to develop models that predict epidemics of these diseases and how to avert them in time. The main objective of the study is to create a systemic model of prediction of outbreaks, which has not been done before despite the causes and cycles of these diseases being well-known.
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Like its counterparts around the world, RIKEN, Japan’s top research institute, is learning to refocus its efforts on the coronavirus emergency. Scientists from many fields – not just the infectious disease experts – are starting to ponder the imponderable: how will the world look after the emergency passes?
“Today, when we look at the challenge of coronavirus, we have to find a way to rebuild,” says Yuko Harayama, RIKEN’s director for international affairs, communication and diversity.
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The Future of Jobs report maps the jobs and skills of the future, tracking the pace of change. It aims to shed light on the pandemic-related disruptions in 2020, contextualized within a longer history of economic cycles and the expected outlook for technology adoption, jobs and skills in the next five years.
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