Our project is primarily aimed at women. During communication with our target audience, we found that some had difficulty understanding the project and often required detailed explanations to fully grasp the concept. This led us to reflect: Why is this happening?

We discovered that in China, many women tend to focus less on themselves and more on their families, largely due to traditional views. For example, sayings like "A woman’s virtue lies in having no talent" or "It’s better to marry well than study well," along with the belief that "women are more suited for the humanities," reflect this mindset. These perspectives, which see women’s role as primarily family-focused, have contributed to fewer learning opportunities and less interest among women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, including synthetic biology. In both the workplace and academia, men significantly outnumber women. Globally, only 28% of engineering graduates are women, and less than a third of researchers are female. Social biases, long suggesting that women don’t need much STEM education, persist. Even when women excel, they often don’t receive the recognition they deserve. Compared to men, female researchers face disadvantages in securing funding, resources, and opportunities, and many leave the field earlier than their male counterparts. [1]

In this year’s project, our inclusivity goal is to empower women to participate in scientific research and remove the barriers they face. Through our research, we analyzed the main factors that hinder women’s enthusiasm and participation in science, and we implemented a series of activities aimed at raising awareness and recognition of the value women bring to STEM. We are also committed to creating an inclusive environment that supports women’s long-term development in science, encouraging them to make more contributions to the field.

We conducted a literature review to identify the main factors that hinder women's enthusiasm and participation in the field of science. We found that several factors could influence women’s interest, engagement, and performance in STEM. To address this, we created a survey to explore the reasons behind gender gaps more deeply. This will help us better allocate our team's efforts, address specific issues, and promote equal participation and development of women in the scientific field. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

To further investigate the gender gap and its causes in the field of science, we designed a survey. Through this survey, we hope to gather more information about the obstacles and challenges women face in STEM. The data collected will support the development of effective solutions and further promote gender equality and women’s participation in science.

https://www.wjx.cn/vm/Q8c2pfV.aspx#

What are the key reasons for the gender gap in science?(Multiple choice)

1.  Gender bias and traditional stereotypes about women

2.  Women have less access to money, resources and opportunities

3.  Balance between career and family life: housework is taken for granted and takes up women's energy and time

4.  Lack of good female role models to inspire and guide

5.  Face the pressure from family, relatives and friends when planning career

6.  Prejudice and discrimination by teachers and classmates during the study period

7.  Women's self-doubt and external bias: female workers are less competent than male workers

8.  Gender inequality in access to education

9.  Inequity in promotion and evaluation mechanisms in the workplace

The survey results show that stereotypes are the primary obstacle preventing women from entering the field of science. 86.67% of respondents indicated that gender bias and traditional stereotypes about women hinder their participation in science. Additionally, family responsibilities, unfair promotion mechanisms in the workplace, and pressure from parents and relatives are significant factors that also deter women from pursuing scientific careers.

It is clear that stereotypes are a key issue limiting women’s entry into science. In most cases, women become victims of gendered scientific stereotypes. Based on this finding, our team will focus its main efforts on eliminating societal stereotypes about women, while also addressing other barriers to promote equal participation and development of women in science.

Following our survey results, we held a group discussion. In the discussion, I first carefully reviewed the report "Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the Asia Pacific." The main obstacle for women participating in synthetic biology and science education is societal stereotypes. These biases stem from traditional views, such as "A woman’s virtue lies in having no talent" and "It’s better to marry well than study well," which show that women’s education was not widely recognized in the past. The belief that "women are better suited for the humanities" further exacerbates biases against women’s abilities to learn, leading many women to believe they are not suited for STEM careers or that they need to work harder to balance work and life, ultimately limiting their career development.

In academic settings, if a woman performs exceptionally well, particularly in science, people are often surprised; however, similar achievements by men are taken for granted. This reflects underlying gender stereotypes.

When discussing the image of scientists, we noticed that in childhood cartoons, almost all scientist characters were male. This set the dream of becoming a scientist for many boys, but girls lacked female scientist role models, resulting in fewer women being inspired to enter the field of science.

We believe that a series of measures must be taken to address these issues. These include increasing awareness of gender equality, enhancing women's participation in science, providing more support for female scientists, and establishing mentorship and role model programs for women. We should also inspire young women by creating more visible scientist role models, consider the needs of different female groups, provide targeted assistance, and adopt region-specific support measures based on local differences.

Whether through the survey or group discussions, we felt there was a lack of genuine interaction and feedback. To address this, we interviewed several school teachers, including the grade director, biology teacher, physics teacher, and chemistry teacher, to explore women's performance in science education.

All the teachers agreed that there are some differences in learning abilities between males and females. Typically, females excel in language skills and have more balanced overall academic performance, while males tend to show stronger logical thinking abilities, but with more polarized results—those who do well excel, while those who struggle often fall far behind. However, women also perform well in subjects like biology, physics, and chemistry. Although they may experience some physical limitations during university laboratory experiments, this has become less of an issue with technological advancements. The physics teacher also pointed out that while past studies suggested males outperform females in math and engineering STEM fields, recent meta-analyses have shown that gender differences in standardized math tests are nearly negligible, indicating that mathematical ability is not influenced by gender.

The teachers emphasized that the current education system does not show bias towards girls choosing humanities or sciences; the key lies in nurturing each student's passion and strengths. Not everyone is suited for science, just as not everyone is inclined toward the arts. Students should choose subjects based on their interests to achieve career fulfillment. The biology teacher mentioned that university professors, when selecting lab assistants, often consider gender characteristics: male professors may prefer female students for their attention to detail, while female professors might choose male students for physically demanding or outdoor experimental tasks, creating a complementary dynamic.

However, certain biases still exist among East Asian parents, such as the belief that boys should find partners slightly less capable than themselves, while girls must seek more capable partners. These stereotypes lead some parents to discourage their daughters from pursuing engineering, fearing that high competence may hinder marriage prospects. Parents often exhibit subtle biases when guiding their daughters towards either arts or science.

For women studying science, the teachers stressed that subject choice should be based on interest, not gender differences. Women should boldly pursue their desired path, provided they know how to protect themselves and understand their position. If young women discover a passion for science, it is crucial to foster that interest from an early age. Additionally, providing the necessary resources, support, and role models for them to succeed in any field they choose is essential.

Our conversation with the teachers clarified that the barriers women face in science education do not stem from the education system itself but from biases held by some parents and society.These biases limit women's interest in and development in science. This exchange also provided us with a clear direction for future efforts. We will focus on eliminating these societal stereotypes, helping more women discover and nurture their interest in science, and supporting their pursuit of opportunities and recognition in STEM fields.

We interviewed a teacher from Japan and learned that in Japan, women focusing on a "housewife" lifestyle has become a common phenomenon, with full-time housewives even being regarded as performing highly specialized labor. As housewives, they are confined to the family’s internal feedback system, which results in them missing out on career advancement opportunities and the benefits of work experience.

Regarding girls' education, Japan lacks role models for professional women, especially within families, which contrasts with the nation’s overall development.Additionally, the enrollment rate of women in higher education remains relatively low. The proportion of female teachers in high schools, universities, and graduate programs is also very low. At the primary school level, there is no significant difference in math and science learning abilities between boys and girls, but Japan’s gender stereotypes are more deeply ingrained than in many other countries, hindering women’s further development in scientific education.

This exchange made us realize that gender stereotypes affecting women exist in many countries. Therefore, we decided to upload our activity materials to Wiki, allowing other teams to download and use them to promote women's education in their respective countries or regions. At the same time, we will increase our online promotion efforts, utilizing the power of the internet to widely disseminate this informationand further advance women’s education in science. Additionally, we will focus on the status of women’s education in more countries and actively contribute to promoting gender equality and the development of scientific education worldwide.

Since our school is located in an economically developed area with more progressive educational concepts, it does not represent the educational perspectives of all regions. Therefore, we interviewed a math teacher who had volunteered in the Daliang Mountains in Sichuan Province. The teacher pointed out that girls tend to be more diligent, while boys in science subjects show a polarized performance—those who excel do very well, while those who lag behind tend to fall far behind. Girls, on the other hand, tend to have more balanced academic performance. Parents usually hope their children choose science subjects, believing that science will lead to higher-paying jobs in the future. However, for girls, parents are more likely to compromise, thinking that studying humanities is acceptable, largely because they rarely see girls excel in science and are less inclined to push them. For girls, the bias from parents is not so much about choosing science but rather about education itself. There is a common belief in rural areas that highly educated women have a harder time finding a husband. This traditional mindset remains deeply rooted in some families, leading parents to be reluctant to encourage their daughters to pursue higher academic achievements, especially in STEM fields.

Regarding the dream careers of rural girls, most lean towards stable jobs such as doctors, government officials, and teachers; some also prioritize material pursuits, but research-based careers rarely appear in their career aspirations.

This interview helped us realize that for children in remote areas, "money" or economic issues are unavoidable obstacles. Due to financial constraints, they focus more on whether their chosen field of study can lead to a stable income, rather than choosing subjects or careers based on personal interests. Therefore, in future efforts to support children in remote areas, we not only need to promote awareness but also provide financial support to help them explore their strengths and encourage them to pursue careers they truly enjoy.

Education companies have a more comprehensive understanding of the current state of women’s education in the field of science compared to schools. We interviewed two lead teachers from education companies. They mentioned that with the progress of society, today’s education system places more emphasis on discovering and respecting children's talents, teaching them according to their aptitude. Regarding the participation of girls in engineering education, Ms. Xu pointed out that although the overall proportion is still low, there has been a significant upward trend in the past two years, with an annual growth of about 10%. She believes that girls have advantages in STEM education, including rigorous thinking and decisive execution, and in some engineering fields, they even outperform boys. However, some parents still believe that the investment in STEM education is too high and the returns too low, while others question the professional competence of female teachers in scientific disciplines.

In addition, we discussed the issue of gender discrimination in the workplace. Teacher Susu believes that as long as girls have sufficient experience and ability, they should be treated fairly and not stereotyped as only suitable for clerical work due to their gender. Ms. Xu noted that while her company holds few gender stereotypes, gender discrimination still exists in the internet and tech industries. Even when women show superior abilities, some companies still prioritize hiring men for key positions.

Ms. Xu also shared her personal experiences from school. She recalled that in high school, some teachers thought that boys were quicker at understanding formulas, so they preferred explaining problems to them. During the preliminary rounds of a middle school math competition, Ms. Xu scored the same as several boys, but the school ultimately only nominated the boys for the final competition. These experiences made her deeply aware of the impact of gender stereotypes on women in both academia and the workplace.

This interview helped us realize that women are not inferior to men in STEM education; in fact, they sometimes show unique strengths. Therefore, we should actively promote women’s education in the field of science, break gender stereotypes, create more opportunities and resources for them, and encourage more women to engage in scientific research and technological innovation.

During our frequent outings, we had casual conversations with drivers and found that many male drivers in their 40s generally believed that women should not receive too much education, especially in science subjects. Even when it came to their daughters in their 20s, they held similar views. They thought that women who study too much science may struggle to adapt to traditional roles in marriage, such as getting married, having children, and taking care of the family.

Based on this, we believe it is necessary to conduct widespread public education at the societal level to promote the power of "her" and break these deeply rooted social biases. By raising public awareness of the importance of women’s education, increasing opportunities and resources for women to access education, and reducing family pressure, we can help women freely choose their own paths in learning and career development.

Whether through surveys, group discussions, or interviews with teachers and education companies, our understanding of the current state of women’s education is only indirect. To gain a deeper understanding of the real needs of women in science education, we hope to directly communicate with women who are actively engaged in the field of science and listen to their thoughts and opinions. This will help us better understand their needs, allowing us to more effectively promote our activities and advance the equal development of women in the field of science.

Our team members and surrounding classmates have expressed that they have not directly encountered gender discrimination, and their parents encourage them to freely explore their interests. However, they have also heard many stereotypes about women, such as "A woman’s virtue lies in having no talent," "Men for science, women for the humanities," "A woman's purpose in life is to marry and have children," and "Women shouldn't appear too strong, or they will be unwanted." They are dissatisfied with these stereotypes and are willing to join us in advancing women's education, helping to break these stereotypes, and advocating for gender equality.

Professor Yue, a chemistry professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the mother of Weihan Song, shared her views on our product and discussed the challenges women face in STEM education.

When talking about women's STEM education, Professor Yue recalled the situation from twenty years ago. She pointed out that at that time, not only STEM education but even the concept of women receiving education was not widely accepted. Society generally believed that girls should marry early rather than focus on their studies. Later, as more women entered schools, a new stereotype emerged: "Women are suited for the humanities, while science should be dominated by men." However, it turned out that many women excelled in science. Professor Yue emphasized that women should receive education and recognize their talents. If science is their strength, they should not be limited by societal biases. Even if they are not particularly interested in science, they should still acquire some knowledge to enhance their overall skill set.

This conversation made us realize the importance of breaking gender stereotypes and biases. We need to promote awareness on a societal level. By raising public understanding of women’s potential in STEM fields and changing traditional views, we can offer more opportunities and support to women, truly advancing gender equality and empowering more women to confidently pursue careers in science.

We had discussions with a mathematics master's student from Beijing Normal University, a chemistry master's student from Southern University of Science and Technology, and two biology Ph.D. students from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They chose their respective fields due to their strong interest in the subjects. For example, chemistry master's student Luo recalled feeling a passion for exploring a broader world when she saw some fascinating experimental phenomena in her high school chemistry textbooks and how chemistry knowledge explained everyday life. This sparked her interest in chemistry.

They mentioned that while the gender ratio among undergraduates was relatively balanced, the number of female students slightly decreased at the graduate level. Additionally, some professors displayed gender bias during the admissions process, often preferring to accept male graduate students. This became particularly evident during Ph.D. applications, where many professors asked female candidates whether they had boyfriends and if they had any plans for marriage or children in the near future. This is where the difference in treatment based on gender became apparent. Furthermore, in the job market, certain technical positions were open only to male applicants, and this type of gender discrimination is widespread in society.

They also shared their job-seeking experiences and noted that discrimination against women still exists, especially in technical positions where women are often not prioritized. They emphasized that attention to detail is not determined by gender; both men and women can be meticulous or careless. The key is an individual's ability and performance. However, women often face greater obstacles and must be even more outstanding to be given relatively equal opportunities with men.

This exchange further strengthened our confidence in promoting societal awareness. Only by breaking down societal stereotypes about women can we create truly equal opportunities for them and help them achieve greater success in science and technology fields.

In addition to our own promotional efforts, leveraging the power of the internet is essential to expanding our impact. Online platforms can help us reach a wider audience, breaking geographical barriers and spreading our ideas and information to more people. Through social media, websites, and other online channels, we can promote our message more efficiently, attracting more attention to women's participation in STEM fields, and fostering gender equality and social progress. Moreover, online interaction allows us to gather more feedback, helping us better adjust and optimize our promotional strategies.

Weibo: iGEM一She

TikTok: iGEM-She+

Xiaohongshu: iGEM-She+

WeChat Official Account: JIASHU-SH

The "Female Scientist" project is the first step in our promotional campaign. Through group discussions, interviews with volunteer teachers, and exchanges with Professor Yue from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, as well as current master’s and Ph.D. students, we realized that stereotypes largely arise from the lack of positive role models. Therefore, we designed the "Female Scientist" project to tell the stories of outstanding female biologists and showcase their significant contributions to humanity. We publish these stories on media platforms, hoping that their work will gain public recognition and attention. At the same time, we aim for their success to inspire more girls to bravely pursue their dreams in STEM fields.

To better spread our message and fully utilize the power of the internet, we used AI to create a song about inclusivity, which we released on our media account (https://v.douyin.com/iMy6oK4Y/). The song calls for women to showcase their strength through learning. Its catchy nature gives it a broad appeal, allowing it to quickly spread across social media and various platforms, attracting more attention to our project and its message. Compared to text or images, music resonates emotionally and is more direct, making it easier to touch people’s hearts and spark discussions and sharing among different groups.

We created two versions of the song and ultimately chose the second version because it not only better conveys the theme of female empowerment but also breaks traditional boundaries by showcasing the "Strength" of women in the STEM field. Through this innovative format, we hope to encourage more women to pursue their dreams, break stereotypes, and show the world their limitless potential.

We have established a women's support group where we regularly post stories of outstanding female scientists and provide solutions to women's questions in the engineering field. Through this platform, we aim to encourage more girls to enter STEM, offering them support through exchange and mutual assistance, helping them broaden their perspectives, and improve their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, to support their learning and growth.

We held a seminar themed "Female's Power in STEM," aimed at showcasing our research on women's participation in the scientific field and calling for more people to join the movement to promote women's STEM education. The seminar covered topics including the current state of women in STEM industries, reasons for the lack of female representation in STEM, measures to support women's development, our team's efforts, and concluded with a group discussion.

In the group discussion, we identified future directions, deciding to organize more offline activities and implement innovative measures to promote women's education in STEM. Through these activities, we hope to inspire more girls to take an interest in STEM fields and encourage them to bravely pursue their scientific dreams.

We organized an offline seminar on women's education in STEM, inviting not only female students but also male students, hoping to gain perspectives from various angles on this topic.

At the seminar, Cui first shared the research and achievements of our team. During the discussion, we summarized several environmental factors that hinder women's development in STEM, including but not limited to: poverty, which leads to a lack of basic life and social security for women, making it difficult for them to pursue STEM fields; insufficient attention to gender issues in STEM policies; women’s self-confidence and sense of belief being affected by long-standing societal and cultural norms, leading to a lack of confidence in pursuing STEM; although laws promote gender equality, their implementation is often weak, and the proportion of female researchers and leaders remains low; and persistent gender stereotypes that continue to obstruct women's progress.

In future activities, we will focus on addressing these barriers based on the findings of the seminar and work to break them down, promoting the equal development of women in STEM and boosting their confidence.

We hung up a banner in the teaching building that reads, "Women Can Shine in Science Too," hoping that students attending classes would gain more confidence in studying science through our promotion. At the same time, this message is also intended to reach passing parents, helping them recognize the importance society places on women's participation in science, thus encouraging more parents to support girls in pursuing careers in science.

We created posters and placed them in study corners of the library and in the hallways of the teaching buildings. Through these posters, we hope that passersby will see them, boosting women’s confidence in studying STEM subjects, and through subtle influence, gradually change public perceptions of women’s participation in STEM fields.

We created new posters in Chinese, English, and Japanese versions to expand our reach. To increase interactivity, we designed the bottom of the posters as tear-off bookmarks, allowing passersby to take them along as daily inspiration. This approach not only spreads our message but also provides people with a small tool to remind themselves to pursue their scientific dreams.

We set up an outdoor booth to promote women’s education and our project. During our first attempt, the booth was placed under the teaching building, but it did not attract much attention. To improve, we adopted a more proactive approach, creating signs and assigning team members to explain the project on-site, encouraging women to recognize their potential and break free from traditional constraints.

In our new attempt, we chose a hotel and a city square as exhibition locations. At the hotel, female guests had enough time to learn about our project during check-in, while the city square was a place where women gathered for leisure in the afternoon, giving them more time to engage with the activities. These changes significantly improved the promotional effect, attracting more attention and participation from women.

However, during the exhibition, we encountered some older men who questioned the idea, stating that women should not learn too much or claiming that our displays were not beneficial to women. Despite societal progress and the growing opportunities for women to shine in various fields, the stereotype that "women should not study" still persists. This reinforced our determination to promote gender equality. Through our activities, we hope to take a small step toward eliminating these biases.

This event made us realize that biases against women studying science still exist in society. What we are doing is an important initiative to change this phenomenon. We hope that through continued efforts, we can gradually shift the societal mindset and encourage more women to confidently enter the field of science and pursue their dreams.

We participated in a volunteer activity focused on educating kindergarten children. During the event, we shared stories about female scientists with the children, and they were all very interested. We realized that, regardless of gender, children have a strong desire to learn new things. This event showed us how important it is to guide children's learning interests, and we found that they prefer to learn through fun, interactive methods.

In addition to working on changing societal stereotypes about women in STEM, it is equally important to increase girls' interest in STEM fields. To this end, we designed the "Female Scientist Guessing Card Game." Through this game, girls can guess the achievements of female scientists based on their names, learning while having fun and sparking their interest in STEM. This interactive approach is not only entertaining but also allows girls to feel the power of role models and the charm of science.

In the "Female Scientist Guessing Card Game," we realized that the game's fun factor was insufficient to effectively increase girls' interest in STEM fields. Therefore, we specially customized new chemistry and math cards. In particular, the chemistry cards feature various game rules designed to encourage children to engage more in learning different STEM subjects. This improvement not only enhances the game's enjoyment but also provides children with a richer learning experience, allowing them to experience the joy of science through play.

The children expressed that they prefer listening to stories over memorizing the achievements of female scientists. They showed greater interest in the new game cards, finding chemistry and math more fun through gameplay. This interactive approach allows them to learn scientific knowledge while having fun, enhancing their interest in STEM subjects.

We created a STEM children's book primarily aimed at young Girls, using storytelling to help them learn about the achievements of female scientists in a more accessible way. This approach not only helps children understand the accomplishments of scientists but also inspires their interest in STEM subjects through engaging and entertaining storylines.

We created a cartoon comic for children and included it in our children's books. Through engaging and fun storylines, we aim to spark children's interest in STEM subjects. We hope that by using this approach, children can be introduced to scientific knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, while fostering their curiosity and spirit of exploration from an early age. At the same time, the characters and plots in the comic can help build their confidence, encouraging them to believe in their abilities and boldly pursue their dreams from a young age.

We believe that this method of combining education with entertainment will lay a solid foundation for their future learning and inspire them to continually explore and make progress in STEM fields.

For children in remote areas, financial issues are the primary obstacle they cannot avoid. Therefore, we launched a charity fundraising campaign aimed at providing help for children in these regions. Our classmates actively responded, donating a large number of books and funds. These donations were eventually sent to remote areas to support children who lack educational resources.

Through this event, we not only provided practical support to these children but also deeply realized the importance of social responsibility. The enthusiastic participation and dedication of our classmates further strengthened our resolve to continue helping vulnerable groups.

We hope that through such efforts, we can create more learning opportunities for children in remote areas, especially girls. We want them to no longer be limited by financial problems but to have the chance to read books they are interested in and explore the fields they are truly passionate about. By providing more resources and support, we hope to help them pursue their interests and dreams, encouraging them to move forward bravely in both their academic and personal lives and do what they truly want to do.

We found a project on the Alipay Charity platform called the "Mountain Phoenix Girls' Education Program," which specifically provides scholarships, educational support, and empowerment camps for disadvantaged girls in remote areas, encouraging them to change their destinies through knowledge. Our team members organized a donation effort, hoping that through our contributions, we can help more girls gain access to education and inspire them to bravely pursue their dreams and transform their futures through knowledge.

We have noticed that, due to the implementation of new policies in Afghanistan, the opportunities for women to receive education have become increasingly scarce, let alone STEM education. According to UNESCO, Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans girls over the age of 12 from attending school, with 2.5 million girls deprived of education, accounting for 80% of the country’s school-age girls. According to the latest data, approximately 1.4 million girls are banned from attending secondary school, and over 14.6 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Over the past three years, the number of primary school students has dropped by 1.1 million, and enrollment in higher education has significantly decreased by 53%.

To further understand the current state of education for women in Afghanistan, we contacted a principal of a girls' elementary school there through TikTok and made donations. To protect their safety, we heavily censored and cropped the image materials. This action not only made us realize the serious global challenges that women’s education faces but also motivated us to continue our efforts in promoting education for women.

We realize that in today’s education system, women are free to develop their interests. However, in earlier years, it was difficult for women to even receive an education. Now, these women are elderly, but they still have the right to continue learning and acquire new knowledge. We conducted a survey on elderly women’s learning preferences and found that they prefer to gain new knowledge through radio and television. For people of their generation, literacy levels are limited, so audio and video media are more suitable for their learning needs. These methods not only make it easier for them to access information but also attract their interest.

For this reason, we wrote a simple, easy-to-understand popular science script on synthetic biology, specifically targeting the learning needs of elderly women. We used clear language in the script, avoiding overly technical terms to ensure they could easily understand the basic concepts and practical applications of synthetic biology. We used AI technology to help us with voiceover and video production, making the content more vivid and interesting, allowing elderly women to access new knowledge in the form of audio and video.

Through this approach, we hope to convey the latest scientific knowledge to them, spark their interest in science, and show the practical significance of science in daily life, allowing them to experience the joy of learning and exploration.

LGBTQ+ is an acronym representing a range of gender identities and sexual orientations. We spoke with a lesbian woman who pointed out that issues facing the LGBTQ+ community in STEM have not received as much attention as other minority groups, such as women in STEM. Since the LGBTQ+ community is an invisible minority, there has been a lack of conscious efforts to include them in mainstream discussions. Many LGBTQ+ members report feeling underrepresented both in and out of the workplace and consequently suffer a disproportionate amount of negative impacts.

To foster a more inclusive social atmosphere and encourage the integration of the LGBTQ+ community into STEM, we specifically created a poster to raise awareness about the LGBTQ+ community and promote the implementation of more inclusive initiatives through outreach and education.

As we progressed with our project, we were delighted to see that inclusivity in women’s science education is gradually improving in our country. Through our efforts, we have successfully raised awareness about the gender gap in STEM fields. Our promotional activities have encouraged many aspiring girls to bravely pursue their scientific dreams and contribute to the advancement of humanity.

However, stereotypes still persist, and we must continue to enhance society’s inclusivity and support for women in STEM education. Additionally, in many parts of the world, biases against women’s science education remain, and in some regions, women are even deprived of the right to education. Therefore, after the iGEM competition, we hope to expand this project by establishing a club dedicated to eliminating gender stereotypes in science, continuing to promote related activities.

[1]https://news.un.org/zh/story/2023/02/1115047

[2]https://unsdg.un.org/zh/latest/stories/gaibianshijiedekeyantaliliang

[3]https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1781817103770868368&wfr=spider&for=pc

[4]https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/672517367

[5]https://news.un.org/zh/story/2021/02/107773

[6]extension://bfdogplmndidlpjfhoijckpakkdjkkil/pdf/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.undp.org%2Fsites%2Fg%2Ffiles%2Fzskgke326%2Ffiles%2F2024-04%2Fyataidequnuxingcanyukejichuangxinyanjiubaogao.pdf

[7]https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_22203206

[8]http://www.casted.org.cn/upload/qikan/2017/vxzJzeWUV.pdf

[9]https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjti4e62a2HAxXu1cIEHY3MC1cYABABGgJwdg&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw1920BhA3EiwAJT3lScUZ6ENDksb7WgeV3zD8Ja1AG4jzzeemxmAG5rRnziVNlcc9wypWHBoCtvEQAvD_BwE&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQ-D2YgMlBkO-9TEAHJ3hosUDmhlng1reeqmOlpHSmfEA4IXFH6tPgjsVgYP1Fd9V2gZK4rUqkQ0ivQXg5kVmjO4-d6w&sig=AOD64_2WOfoh2doBkfJSh7ufMBrJpnqaKQ&q&nis=4&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwjJv4K62a2HAxV_MDQIHa2jA_UQ0Qx6BAgFEAE