10th Anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

On February 11, 2025, the world commemorates the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This day highlights the ongoing struggles regarding gender equality in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and it celebrates the progress made thus far in addressing these issues.

The Impact of AI in Pharma

One significant area where women’s contributions are essential is in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) within pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. Changes in regulations surrounding the use of AI in this field are rapidly evolving, necessitating the involvement of experts in the technology.

Jean Redmond, COO at Biologit, emphasizes the transformative potential of AI in the pharmaceutical sector, stating, “I believe AI is set to transform the pharmaceutical industry, and this is already taking place in many real-life use cases.” She advocates for women’s integral participation in developing and deploying AI to ensure ethical and representative applications aimed at issues affecting women.

Addressing Data Biases

Redmond notes the importance of understanding data biases, particularly in AI models utilized in healthcare. She argues that datasets must include diverse populations across gender, race, age, and life stages to ensure that AI systems are robust and equitable.

Unique Qualities Women Bring to AI

Michelle Bridenbaker, COO of Unbiased Science, highlights distinctive attributes that women bring to technology, such as risk assessment capabilities and attention to detail. She states, “In an AI context, these qualities are especially important because of the need to consider both the ethics of AI use and also the human impact of process automation.”

Furthermore, she mentions that women are often willing to share best practices and support each other in navigating AI implementation challenges, which is vital given the rapid evolution of this technology.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence

Agnes Cwienczek, Director of Product Management at ArisGlobal, remarks on how emotional intelligence, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills contribute to effective AI solutions within organizations. “While some of these are perhaps less directly relevant to defining and developing AI-based solutions, they can be important to the implementation of those solutions within an organization,” she explains.