The week in physics: Addressing the STEM gender gap; Early space-science debates

Yamilée Toussaint sparks girls' interest in STEM through dance Forward this email View in your browser The week in physics: 13–17 January Beginning in February, all Physics Today newsletters will be sent from PhysicsToday@aipcomm.org. To ensure that you continue to receive our newsletters without interruption, please add our new email address to your contacts. Advertisement High-Throughput Photonics Alignment Engines Our cost-optimized automated photonics alignment system, the F-141, is designed for fast and accurate testing and assembly of arrays, components, and photonics integrated circuits on silicon photonics wafers. It's available with up to 6 degrees of freedom in single- and dual-sided configurations. Learn more Early debates in space science Does the Sun generate a wind or a breeze? Where do gamma-ray bursts originate? Here's how five of the biggest questions in the field were answered with the help of satellites. W. David Cummings and Louis J. Lanzerotti Yamilée Toussaint sparks girls' interest in STEM through dance The engineer and dancer aims to increase the number of women of color in the sciences. Hannah H. Means From the vault: August 1974 Carnot's contribution to thermodynamics At first almost ignored and unread, Sadi Carnot's analysis of heat engines—published 150 years ago—contained ideas and methods that were to be developed later by Clausius and Thomson. Martin J. Klein Q&A: Physicist Karen Hallberg is the new Pugwash secretary general The organization relies on science diplomacy in seeking solutions to global threats. Toni Feder Signals of fire trapped in ice Bubbles of gas in Antarctic ice cores contain evidence of heightened wildfire activity during periods of abrupt climate change in the last ice age. Laura Fattaruso UNESCO details the STEM gender gap and efforts to close it Using two decades of data, a recent UNESCO report enumerates disparities between women and men in STEM in the G20 countries, considers the reasons for those disparities, and recommends measures to address them. Titled Changing the Equation: Securing STEM Futures for Women, it was published last November. Women are underrepresented in STEM education and employment in all G20 countries, with no statistically discernible progress in the past decade, according to the report. In 2023, women in those countries made up about 35% of college graduates in STEM fields and 22% of the STEM workforce. South Africa and India had the highest proportion of women graduates in STEM, with 47% and 45%, respectively. (Adapted from T. Straza, Changing the Equation: Securing STEM Futures for Women, UNESCO, 2024.) Factors that play into the persistent gender gap are shown in the accompanying figure. They include stereotypes, societal pressures, and cultural biases. Some 34% of women and 12% of men reported sexism, harassment, or gender-based violence as being a top challenge. The report data come from multiple sources, including a biennial survey targeted at students and professionals. The surveys provide a longitudinal view of themes and challenges that influence whether a student pursues a career in STEM. Gender inequity continues in the STEM workforce. For the 10 countries for which earnings data were available, women in STEM fields were paid at most 88% as much as men; in the US, that number was 69% in 2023. At the faculty level, women's salaries in US STEM departments were 83% those of men. Furthermore, according to the report, women were less likely to receive research grants than men, and when they did, they received smaller amounts. The report also details efforts around the world to bridge the gender gap. Suggested actions include ensuring equitable access to resources, creating mentorship and industry-partnered programs for girls and women, improving career guidance, ensuring fair and equal pay, and implementing policies for gender equality. Since 2007, UNESCO has sought to reduce gender inequalities in STEM through its global Priority Gender Equality mandate. The organization argues that "achieving gender parity in STEM careers is not only a matter of social justice but also an economic imperative." More information on trends and UNESCO's work can be found in the report. Tonya Gary From the January magazine Magic moments with John Bell John Bell, with whom I had a fruitful collaboration and warm friendship, is best known for his seminal work on the foundations of quantum physics, but he also made outstanding contributions to particle physics and accelerator physics. Reinhold A. 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