Anecdotes and guidance notes: surviving and thriving as a woman in science

Abstract Women have overtaken men in academic engagement and achievement at virtually all levels of secondary and tertiary education. However, despite numerous initiatives over several decades, women currently comprise only a fraction (13%–28%, depending on the discipline) of those following engineering, physics and materials-science careers, particularly at the senior level. Consequently, role models for early-career women scientists are sorely lacking. Aware of these and other obstacles for women in science and having engaged with many who have faced such challenges, a group of early- to senior-career women (including four of the current authors) were keen to improve the situation ‘on the ground’ for their peers. Accordingly, meetings were organised in the UK in 2023 (Femincam, focusing on electronic materials) and in 2025 (Women in Science Promoting Energy Research, focusing on energy materials). In total, there were around 200 participants, mainly PhD and postdoctoral researchers, of whom 5%–10% were male. We both heard about the exciting science of early-career women via talks and poster presentations and learned of the personal experiences that accompanied their creative and scientific endeavours. We hoped to find out whether career experiences could be improved and, if so, how this might be done. A wide variety of challenges were articulated, and potential solutions were discussed at both meetings. The challenges reflected existing published data, but new perspectives also emerged. In this paper, we present guidance notes, based on recommendations of and conversations with the participants at the meeting. We hope that all who are concerned with keeping women researchers in science careers find these reflections helpful and are moved to act upon them.