The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is more than a symbolic date on the calendar. It is a global reminder that inclusive science is stronger science.
In the field of food systems and environmental sustainability, this truth is especially evident. From pioneering ecological movements to redefining responsible innovation, women scientists have played a crucial role in transforming our understanding of the relationship between nature, technology, and society.
As we mark this day, we reflect on the legacy of remarkable women who reshaped scientific thinking, and on how their principles continue to guide initiatives like INCiTiS-FOOD today.
Importance and Background of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Despite meaningful progress over the past decades, a gender gap continues to shape the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) worldwide. While more women than ever are pursuing higher education, their representation in some scientific and technological disciplines remains disproportionately low.
The United Nations has long recognised gender equality as a fundamental driver of global progress. Ensuring equal opportunities for women and girls is not only a matter of fairness – it is essential for economic growth, innovation, and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
International commitment to this issue has been steadily reinforced. In 2011, the Commission on the Status of Women emphasised the importance of equal access for women and girls to education, training, science and technology, as well as to full and decent employment. Two years later, in 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution highlighting that equal participation of women and girls in science, technology, and innovation is indispensable for achieving gender equality and empowering future generations.
Behind these global commitments stand real women whose work has transformed science, communities, and the way we understand sustainability. The progress we speak of is not abstract – it is embodied in the courage, vision, and leadership of women who have reshaped entire systems.
Wangari Maathai: Science Rooted in Community
Few women have demonstrated the transformative power of science, community action, and environmental stewardship as profoundly as Professor Wangari Maathai.
Born in rural Kenya in 1940, Maathai became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a Ph.D. Her academic path, from biological sciences in the United States to doctoral studies in Nairobi, positioned her as a pioneer in a field where women were rarely visible. But her greatest impact extended far beyond the university.
In 1977, she founded the Green Belt Movement in response to concerns raised by rural Kenyan women. They spoke of drying streams, declining food supplies, and the growing burden of collecting firewood. Under her leadership, millions of trees were planted across Kenya. Yet the impact was never just ecological. Trees prevented soil erosion, restored groundwater, protected biodiversity, and strengthened local food systems. At the same time, women gained income, leadership skills, and a renewed sense of agency.
For Maathai, environmental degradation, poverty, and food insecurity were not isolated problems. They were interconnected symptoms of deeper structural inequalities. Through education and community empowerment, she encouraged people to understand the political and social dimensions of their challenges – and to see themselves as active agents of change.
Her work earned her the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize, but perhaps her most enduring legacy is the idea that sustainable development begins with empowered communities and locally rooted solutions.
The philosophy that guided Wangari Maathai’s work resonates strongly with the mission of INCiTiS-FOOD. At its core, the project recognises that food security, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion cannot be addressed in isolation. By combining scientific innovation with community engagement, INCiTiS-FOOD seeks to build resilient urban food systems – much like Maathai’s movement demonstrated that sustainable change grows from the ground up.
Rachel Carson: Science with a Conscience
Rachel Carson was a marine biologist, a gifted writer, and one of the earliest voices to challenge humanity’s unquestioned faith in technological dominance over nature.
Working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carson initially built her career studying and writing about ocean ecosystems. Even in the 1950s, her work reflected a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of natural systems – an ecological perspective that would later define modern environmental thinking.
Her landmark book Silent Spring (1962) marked a turning point. In it, Carson exposed the ecological and health risks associated with the widespread use of chemical pesticides in the post–World War II era. She questioned the prevailing belief that scientific progress and chemical innovation automatically equated to improvement – and courageously challenged both government institutions and private industry.
Carson’s message was not anti-science. It was a call for responsible science – science guided by ethics, evidence, and long-term thinking. She reminded the world that human activity does not exist outside of nature’s systems, but within them.
Her work laid the foundation for the modern environmental movement and permanently shifted how societies think about agriculture, chemicals, and ecosystem health.
Rachel Carson’s legacy resonates strongly with the vision of INCiTiS-FOOD. At a time when industrial agriculture often relied heavily on chemical inputs, Carson called for a deeper respect for ecological balance. Today, INCiTiS-FOOD builds on that principle by exploring innovative, resource-efficient urban food systems and circular technologies like aquaponics, hydroponics, and insect farming, that aim to reduce environmental impact and heavy dependence on chemicals while strengthening food security. The project reflects the kind of science Carson advocated for – not science that dominates nature, but science that works in harmony with it.
From Inspiration to Action: Women in INCiTiS-FOOD
The legacies of Wangari Maathai and Rachel Carson remind us that science becomes transformative when it is rooted in responsibility, inclusion, and community impact. At INCiTiS-FOOD, these principles are not abstract ideals – they guide our everyday work.
As a multidisciplinary project operating at the intersection of food systems innovation and sustainability, INCiTiS-FOOD brings together researchers, engineers, social scientists, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds. Women are an integral part of this ecosystem – contributing as scientists, Living Lab leaders, innovators, and decision-makers. They embody the very synergy that the International Day of Women and Girls in Science calls for: collaboration across disciplines to build inclusive and resilient futures.
Beyond research and innovation, INCiTiS-FOOD is committed to creating spaces where women’s expertise is visible, valued, and amplified. By fostering inclusive teams, supporting knowledge exchange, and engaging with local communities, the project contributes to a broader movement toward gender-balanced leadership in science and sustainable development.
On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate not only the pioneers who reshaped how we understand nature and responsibility, but also the women who continue to drive innovation today.
Follow our Newsroom for more stories and read our last year’s blog post, where women from the INCiTiS-FOOD project shared the words of wisdom.
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