In this first episode of a series of interviews with experts in the field of semiconductors and engineering, we sat down with Françoise Chombar, co-founder of MELEXIS in 1988 and CEO from 2004 onwards.
Ms. Chombar highlights five key actions to reduce gender imbalance in STEM and help Europe reach its targets by attracting more women into the field:
- Addressing unconscious biases in teachers: At all levels of schooling, exposure to math and science teachers (whether they be male or female) with pro-boy biases significantly decreases girls’ future likelihood of pursuing a degree in STEM;
- Showcasing female role models: Exposure to women with successful professional and personal experiences in STEM increases girls’ confidence and enjoyment of those subjects;
- Fostering inclusive leadership: Implementing thoughtful mechanisms of diversity and inclusion to combat the many implicit (or explicit) instances of sexism in the corporate world;
- Enhancing context interdisciplinary STEM literacy: Connecting STEM disciplines to real-life applications and challenges facing the world to increase young people (but especially young women’s) interest in the fields,
- Investing into diverse STEM talent: Rethinking public financing schemes to provide up-skilling and re-skilling to women in the field, connecting public and private institutions to further D&I objectives.
