Women have long been underrepresented in many areas of science. Despite more women than ever entering the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) sector in recent years, retention remains a significant challenge.

A substantial number of women leave academia or research careers before they reach a long-term or senior position in their field, contributing to persistent gender imbalances across scientific disciplines.

As part of International Women’s Day 2026, this article examines the retention of women in science, exploring the systemic factors that influence career sustainability, and what it means for the future of the STEM workforce.

The “leaky pipeline” problem

The “leaky pipeline” metaphor is used to explain the continuous loss of women in science at various stages of their career path due to a range of factors, which results in a significant lack of diversity in leadership roles within STEM. In a pipeline that carries students from early education through to senior leadership, the “leaks” occur at the points where women disproportionately exit compared to men.

Recent data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that, in the UK, only 31% of core STEM students in higher education are women or non-binary, with 27% graduating. Furthermore, this is reflected in the workforce. With more than 1 million jobs being created over the last 7 years, the latest government census figures show that women take up only 26% of these roles.

Looking at data on an EU level, the same pattern of failed retention persists. Women remain underrepresented at top positions, holding only 30% of senior roles across all fields. In science and engineering specifically, this number drops to just 20%.

While the “leaky pipeline” is a widely used framework, it has also been criticised for oversimplifying career paths, suggesting that PhDs and scientific careers are the only goals of a science education, and not reflecting the complexity of modern careers in STEM.

However, regardless of how it is conceptualised, the loss of women at key career stages highlights a long-standing problem with retention in STEM, and the need for sustainable change and support.

Current gender representation in STEM higher education courses

Despite a rise in the number of women enrolling onto STEM higher education courses in recent years, the numbers still show a significant gender imbalance.

The HESA data cited above show that, across scientific disciplines, women consistently make up less than 50% of students, and even less of those who graduate.

Leaks in the pipeline continue after graduation, with even fewer women continuing their scientific education past an undergraduate degree. The pipeline narrows further and results in a significant imbalance in the gender representation of more senior roles within the scientific community.

Current gender representation in STEM workforces

While the last decade has seen an increase in the number of women joining STEM workforces around the world, the numbers are modest.

The UK has seen a jump of around 5% since the 2010s, with the US only increasing 1% since 2000. Despite a steady rise in recruitment, women currently make up less than 30% of the global STEM workforce, compared to just under 50% in non-STEM fields.

In many countries, it appears that the further women progress into scientific careers, the higher the rate at which they drop out compared with men.

Where does the “leak” begin?

As indicated by the research above, problems with retention seem to begin during higher education, with women choosing to step away from STEM career paths before completing their studies. This emphasises how early intervention is critical in improving the retention of women in science.

Evidence from higher education institutions around the globe supports this, as seen in the journals Behavioural Sciences and Societies. Longitudinal studies of women in engineering from universities in the US and Ecuador highlight how early educational experiences and structural barriers influence retention long before graduation.

Systemic barriers to retaining women in science

Women in STEM continue to face a range of systemic barriers to long-term retention that result in a higher percentage leaving a scientific career path early. As argued by STEM, a Non-Place for Women in the Social Sciences journal, low female representation in STEM environments is not simply a recruitment problem, but a cultural one.

Some of the most common reasons cited by women for dropping out of STEM are:

• Gender bias and sexism in the workplace – prejudices and a lack of inclusivity.
• Lack of mentorship and role models – as explored in an article in Entropy, with a smaller number of women visible in scientific fields younger girls do not have as many relatable role models that could spark their interest in a STEM career, leading to slower advancement and retention issues.
• Poor work/life balance structures – scientific careers typically have heavy workloads, limited flexibility and more rigid work structures that can make it difficult to balance personal responsibilities.
• Gender pay gap – recent data show that the salaries of women in STEM remain lower than their male counterparts.
• Lack of structured and consistent support – the systemic failure to appropriately support women at every stage of their scientific careers contributes to a higher number of women dropping out the further they progress.

An article in Societies argues that persistent attrition of women in STEM is a clear consequence of systemic and cultural barriers that go beyond education into academic careers, creating further leaks in the pipeline.

Studies have identified STEM disciplines as “non-places” for women, with exclusionary cultures and inadequate institutional support. Evidence from broader research explored in an article in Trends in Higher Education has demonstrated that addressing such issues and improving support structures can positively affect retention.

A review in Sustainability indicates that strategies aimed at combatting the systemic barriers women face in STEM can boost retention and have a positive impact on the sector. The following initiatives can significantly improve the retention of women in science:

• Delivering inclusive pedagogies that incorporate mentoring
• Visible female role models
• Active learning
• A focus on socio-emotional skills

Directly tackling the structural and cultural barriers that are embedded within STEM environments with such approaches can help STEM to gain gender equality.

The future of STEM

The underrepresentation of women in STEM is a problem that goes beyond gender equality alone. At a time when STEM fields require more creative solutions and stronger research outcomes, communities that can offer a diverse mix of perspectives and life experiences are essential.

When women exit STEM career paths early due to systemic issues in the sector, valuable insights are lost and scientific progress becomes limited. Alongside risking a shortage of talent, research that lacks female perspectives can produce biased or incomplete results, hindering scientific progress.

For meaningful progress to be made in areas such as economics, health, education and other complex global challenges, STEM fields must improve their ability to retain women well beyond graduation.

Give to gain

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Give to Gain’, emphasising how individuals, communities and organisations can give support to gain gender equality. It provides the scientific community with an opportunity to think about what support can be given to the next generation of women in science to ensure that they are not lost to the “leaky pipeline”.

Historically, women have struggled to gain recognition and visibility within scientific communities. An investigation into the history of scientific award recipients showed that women have been significantly underrepresented among prize winners, even in fields with relatively higher female representation.

There are various award opportunities that MDPI regularly offers and encourages women to apply to, for example the Influential Female Researcher in Land System Science Award presented by the Land journal to celebrate female investigators driving excellence in the field of land science, and the Tu Youyou Award, named after Nobel laureate Professor Tu Youyou. The full list of available awards and application details can be found here.

MDPI is proud to support women in STEM by giving access, opportunity and voice through its Open Access platform, reducing barriers to knowledge and education, increasing the visibility and reach of women’s research, and showcasing female leadership in Open Access publishing, advancing science and society.

Click here to learn more about how MDPI is celebrating International Women’s Day 2026.