Keeping Women and Girls Engaged in Science: The Role of Science Communicators, from Policy to Press Coverage
A Fireside Chat with The Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Followed by an Open Discussion
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. ET via Zoom
Cost: Free for SWCC Members / $30 CAD for Non-Members
The number of women working in scientific careers has increased over the past 50 years, but women in science still face many challenges, including lower pay, fewer publications and opportunities, and misguided assumptions or remarks. While scholarly research has identified some of the systemic barriers to keeping women and girls engaged in science for the long term, in practice the solutions are complex to implement and require participation across multiple groups. Science communication is critically important in driving the implementation of these solutions.
For the first part of this event, The Hon. Kirsty Duncan, author of the book The Exclusion Effect, joins SWCC board member Kristina Campbell for a fireside chat on some of the major factors that keep women and girls engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and the steps needed for their practical realization. The chat will cover the particular significance of science communication, including how policy and popular press / culture shape perceptions and actions in this area.
The second part of this event will provide time for an open audience discussion, with Kristina being joined by members of the SWCC book awards committee. This inclusive conversation will range from personal experiences to formal initiatives to portrayals of women scientists in popular media (for example, the book Lessons in Chemistry). Participants will be invited to share experiences, ideas, and solutions that address the underrepresentation of women and girls in science.
[Note: In this discussion, women is used to refer inclusively to all individuals who identify as women.]
Speaker
Kirsty Duncan
The Hon. Kirsty Duncan was the Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North until early 2025. She was the Chair of the inaugural House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research, the Deputy House Leader for the Government of Canada in the 43rd Parliament and served as Canada’s Minister of Science, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, and Minister of Sport in the 42nd Parliament.
As Minister of Science, Dr. Duncan delivered the largest investment in research in Canadian history. She put in place measures to ensure government scientists could speak freely and that scientific evidence is considered in decision-making. Throughout her tenure, she prioritized equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Prior to entering politics, Dr. Duncan was Associate Professor of Health Studies, University of Toronto at Scarborough Campus; Research Director, AIC Institute for Corporate Citizenship, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto; and Associate Professor of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Windsor.
As a scientist, Dr. Duncan is best known for leading an expedition to the Arctic to discover the cause of the 1918 Great Influenza pandemic. She has also served as a Lead Author for North America on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
