To mark International Day of Women in Engineering, celebrated annually on June 23, we take a moment to reflect on the progress of women's participation in STEM and ICT fields, particularly at Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT).

This date aims to recognize and celebrate the role of women in engineering, a field historically dominated by men.

The celebration was established in 2014 by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) in the United Kingdom, with the goal of raising the visibility of women in engineering and strengthening their presence in the profession. The day is now observed in several countries, including Portugal and Brazil, and is marked by events and initiatives that aim to inspire and encourage more women to pursue careers in the field.

In Portugal, institutions such as the Ordem dos Engenheiros and other organizations promote activities to celebrate the occasion and highlight the importance of women in engineering, including event broadcasts and the dissemination of projects involving female participation.

The landscape of gender equality in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has undergone a profound transformation over the last few decades. Once defined by systemic barriers and underrepresentation, the field is now increasingly shaped by inclusion, advocacy, and opportunity, though challenges remain.

Historically, women and gender-diverse individuals have been significantly underrepresented in STEM fields. Factors such as gender stereotypes, lack of role models, unequal access to education, and workplace discrimination contributed to this imbalance. In engineering and computer science, for example, women accounted for less than 10% of professionals in many countries as recently as the 1980s.

Over the past 30 years, progress has been driven by institutional reforms, global advocacy, and grassroots movements. Key milestones include: Legislation and funding aimed at reducing gender gaps in higher education and research; Global campaigns such as UNESCO’s "Cracking the Code" and UN Women’s STEM initiatives; Increased visibility of female and non-binary role models in science and technology.

Today, women earn more STEM degrees than ever before. However, disparities persist. In many tech and engineering sectors, especially at senior leadership levels, women and some groups continue to be underrepresented. Retention is also a key issue, as women often leave STEM careers due to workplace culture, lack of mentorship, or limited advancement opportunities.

True gender inclusion in STEM goes beyond numbers. It involves rethinking structures, fostering inclusive leadership, and creating environments where all individuals can thrive, namely:

• Inclusive hiring and promotion practices
• Mentorship and sponsorship programs
• Flexible work policies and support for work-life balance
• Addressing intersectional challenges related to race, disability, socioeconomic status, and gender identity

In Portugal, significant progress has also been made over recent decades in promoting gender equality in STEM fields. From a history marked by inequality, the country has moved toward a scenario where women's participation is increasingly visible and valued. For instance, Portugal stands out in Europe for its high number of women in higher education, especially in natural and health sciences. According to Eurostat (2023), around 49% of scientists and engineers in Portugal are women, a figure above the European average.

In engineering, gradual but steady changes are taking place. Universities and polytechnics are seeing a growing number of female students in courses such as computer science, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, and mechanical engineering, reflecting the positive impact of early-stage awareness and career orientation programs.

Portugal has shown a strong commitment to this issue, developing various science and technology strategies, including:

• The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) integrates gender equality principles in its funding programs and project evaluations.
• The National Equality Plan 2023-2026 includes specific measures to promote women’s access to scientific and technological careers.

The field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has historically been one of the most challenging in terms of gender balance. However, at IT, this reality is steadily changing toward a more diverse, inclusive, and innovative ecosystem.

While women remain underrepresented in ICT globally, IT has seen a consistent rise in the number of female researchers and PhD students in the field. Increasingly, women are involved in cutting-edge projects related to artificial intelligence, mobile communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), electronic organics, and quantum computing, contributing top-quality research and interdisciplinary insight.

IT is proud to count on female group leaders and international project coordinators in ICT areas, including initiatives related to digital health, 6G networks, brain-computer interfaces, and AI ethics. Examples include:

1. Participation in European and international projects with strong female leadership;
2. PhD students and postdocs active in scientific networks and mobility programs such as CMU Portugal;
3. Female researchers engaged in equality committees, science communication, and STEM education;
4. Through its strong connection to institutions like Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Aveiro, University of Coimbra, University of Porto, University of Beira Interior, Polytechnic of Leira, ISCTE, and others, IT plays an active role in developing female talent in ICT, promoting:

• Mentoring and career guidance for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students;
• Participation in programs like “Engenheiras Por Um Dia” and science outreach events for young girls (see more);
• And, the creation of more representative and collaborative lab environments and research teams.

In this Newsletter (Issue 124/Jun, 2025), we proudly highlight several young women PhD students (see PhD hosted by IT) whose work stands out in the final quarter of 2024 and in the first quarter of 2025. 

For more data, please consult our Annual Report 2024: