Chief scientist in Cyprus speaks on the growth of women's participation in science

In Cyprus, Chief Scientist Dimitris Skourides spoke on April 7 in Brussels at the "Women Who Built Europe" conference, where he presented national measures to increase women's participation in research, innovation, and technology.

According to data presented by Skourides, the Research and Innovation Foundation announced 90 calls for proposals and signed contracts totaling 100 million euros between 2023 and 2025, resulting in 739 new jobs, 209 of which were filled by women.

Changes in postdoctoral funding programs led to a surge in female participation: 61% of coordinator applications were submitted by women, compared to 29% in previous rounds; women lead 76% of funded projects. These figures illustrate the impact of targeted measures on gender representation in scientific projects.

Skourides noted that in Cyprus, women make up 42.3% of participants in science, engineering, and STEM fields, and 29.3% in information and communication technologies (ICT). He also highlighted the 37% share of women in the Cabinet and cited initiatives such as "Women for Tech" and "Women for Cyber" with over 670 active members. His position was supported by the Gender Equality Commissioner of Cyprus, Tzogi Christodoulou. Skourides called for stronger networking and an active role for women in leadership and innovation.