Introduction
Analyzing gender in science has two levels: counting how many women are participating in science as a labour force and the second is critically examining the knowledge produced in science. The arguments supporting these developments are either using the efficiency in economic terms, human rights, and quality in terms of scientific excellence. Recent research explored how to measure those structural causes and how to implement structural change to improve women’s participation in research. As gender studies as a discipline grew out from humanities and social sciences transformation of STEM research and knowledge production is still at the beginning.
In the recent years there is a notable progress towards integration of gender into science, there are more and more projects which stimulate the involvement of female scientists and gender experts, less projects on critically analyzing power structures on academic knowledge production. Research needs to be transformed as the „proper integration of sex and gender analysis in research stimulates the creation of gender-responsible science and technology, and by doing so enhance the lives of both men and women around the globe” (genderSTE, 2013). Because the shortage of women researchers, causes biases in the impacts of research, special strategic measures are needed to overcome this shortage. Raising awareness about the great importance of gender in science is not just about gender equality and gender mainstreaming, it is also about economic efficiency and a more just society.
The positive impact of gender in science and how to achieve it
In recent years the European Commission put an appreciable effort in pointing out the prominent importance of gender in science. In order to help develop the gender dimension in EU research, the European Commission assembled an “Innovation through Gender” expert group, with the dual goals to (1) provide scientists and engineers with practical methods for sex and gender analysis, and to (2) develop case studies as concrete illustrations of how sex and gender analysis leads to new ideas and excellence in research (Gendered Innovation, 2013).
