Jess Wade Has 270 Wikipedia Reasons For More Women In Science

Academic Jess Wade, an inspirational Post Doc in plastic electronics at Imperial College London has written a staggering 270 articles on Wikipedia about Women in Science. Wade doesn‘t want to stop! She wants everyone to know that women have every right to be celebrated for their achievements in the scienxe and technology sector. 

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Wade articulated the need to acknowledge the work of women in science. “I kind of realised we can only really change things from the inside, Wikipedia is a really great way to engage people in this mission because the more you read about these sensational women, the more you get so motivated and inspired by their personal stories.” 

Currently there are only 12.8% of women in he science sector who have achieved phenomenal ground breaking research. With the industry male dominant, efforts to encourage more women in STEM is sexist and does not work. Take for example the European Commissions disgustingly misinformed take on “Science: it’s a girl thing”, in which women sexily pranced around decoding the chemical composition of makeup.

You need women to appeal to women, to encourage women to further their careers and be acknowledged for their achievements, rather than labelled for their shortcomings.

Science had been a mans game from the start, if we look back in history a women's education was not as valuable as a mans. Women have been fighting for equality since the dawn of time. Women in science often work twice as hard as men to only gain equal to less recognition of their contributions. 

It would take 258 years to close the gap on gender equality just in the physics sector alone according to a recent study. It should be acknowledged that there so much money being pumped into campaings to support women in science. But as science runs on evidence, there is no evidence that these campaigns work. What does work is to exemplify and show case women and their achievements like Wade does. 

Wade features the likes of Emma McCoy, the first female professor of maths as well as National Geographics editor Susan Goldberg. She also has distributed up to 70 copies of Inferior, a book by Angela Saini uncovering the gender differences and stereotypes clouding science. 

Wade’s fight is not over, she wants women in science to be the new epidemic. She continiously strives to nominate women for prizes in science. 

More badass women over at M.I.A’s Documentary Trailer.