Unveiling the Leaky Pipeline in STEM
This project aims to understand the reasons behind the leaky pipeline in STEM fields in Switzerland. To help us figure out why more women are leaving academia, this project surveys former researchers who made the decision to leave academia in the past 15 years.
Project group
Current members
Julia Venturini (Speaker)
Pamela Delgado
Marco Cavallaro
Robbie I'Anson Price
Project assistant
Martina Carlino
Advisory Board
Prof. Emanuela Struffolino; Assistant Professor of Economic Sociology, University of Milan
Dr. Jasmine Lorenzini; head of the EDI-office at SNSF
Background
When looking at gender demographics in the academic career progression, from student to professor, there is a far greater loss of women compared to men. This is known as the leaky pipeline, and it is a well-acknowledged gender equality problem world-wide. In Switzerland, 48% of the PhD students are women, but only 20% are full professors [1]. The STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) show a particularly low proportion of women relative to men [2,3]. These scientific areas are therefore more likely to be harsh-working environments for women. While several studies have addressed the leaky pipeline in Switzerland, none have collected data from the researchers who themselves left academia.
Objectives
The UPSTEM project aims to better understand the reasons behind the leaky pipeline in Switzerland’ STEM fields by surveying the researchers who left academia.
Activities
To design and carry out a survey targeted at former researchers from STEM fields in Switzerland who left academia in the last 15 years. The survey will aim to pin-down the reasons for leaving. At the same time, it will collect information about the career history of the researchers and their current professional situation.
To organise a 1-day workshop to discuss the survey’s results, and to have an in-person networking activity for female researchers.
Call for participation
Survey on Career Transitions of STEM Graduates
The UPSTEM project is conducting a survey targeting STEM PhD graduates who have left academia in Switzerland within the past 15 years.
The survey aims to gather perspectives on the circumstances and motivations behind the choice to leave an academic career in STEM.
The input collected will contribute to a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by former academics in STEM fields in Switzerland.
The survey is confidential, and responses will be stored anonymously. Please complete it by 30/05/2025, 12pm CEST
References
Data from the European Tertiary Education Register (ETER, 2020).
Zimmermann, O. et al. (2023). Gender equality measures in academia. Swiss Science National Foundation.
Blickenstaff, C. J. (2005). Gender and Education, 17(4), 369–386.