As of 2025, about 75 per cent of the Sea Around Us team is comprised of women and in the past 25 years, of the over 200 people from more than 40 countries who have worked for the project, 59 per cent have been women.
As we observed the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and, soon after, International Women’s Day, this is an important figure to highlight considering that less than 30 per cent of the world’s researchers are women, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
In Canada – where the Sea Around Us’ headquarters are located -, women accounted for 34 per cent of STEM bachelor’s degree holders among people aged 25 to 64 in 2016. However, they constituted only 23 per cent of those employed in science and technology occupations, indicating a gap between educational attainment and workforce representation.
Opening spaces for women to work and thrive in the field of science of their choosing has proven to produce more innovative and higher-impact research. Studies have also shown that gender-diverse teams generate more novel solutions, challenge assumptions, and broaden the scope of inquiry.
Furthermore, gender diversity reduces systemic biases that have historically excluded women from research funding, leadership positions, and recognition in science.
Recognizing the overarching limitations that still permeate the world of science, particularly in academia, the Sea Around Us is proud to offer insights into the importance of supporting the work of women in science and, in our own way, accelerating action toward equality.