A study published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2021 tackled the overall impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on participation in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM) by women—particularly women of color.
The report titled "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine" said significant changes to women's productivity, advancement, mentoring networking relationships, and mental health and well-being had been observed.
Contributors included the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Policy and Global Affairs; Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine; and the Committee on Investigating the Potential Impacts of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
The following 10 findings represent aspects that the committee agreed have been substantiated by the preliminary data, evidence, and information gathered by the end of 2020.
Leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, the representation of women increased in STEMM fields, from acquiring Ph.D.s to holding leadership positions.
Pandemic-related disruptions to schedules, added to formerly routine job functions, can exacerbate mental health conditions such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress.
Structural racism is an omnipresent stressor for women of color, who already feel particularly isolated in many fields and disciplines.
While some research indicates consistency in publications authored by women in STEMM disciplines, like Earth and space sciences, during 2020, preliminary measures of productivity suggest that COVID-19 disruptions disproportionately affected women.
While colleges offered extensions for those on the tenure track and funders offered extensions on grants, these changes do not necessarily align with the needs expressed by women.
Evidence from 2020 suggests women in academic STEMM fields experienced changes in interactions and difficulties from remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some collaborations face challenges, including finding time to engage synchronously, which presents a more considerable burden for women who manage the larger share of household duties.
Transitioning conferences to virtual platforms produced positive outcomes, such as lower attendance costs and open access to content. Adverse outcomes included scheduling meetings at non-traditional work hours and opportunities for bias in virtual environments.
Financial decisions like layoffs and furloughs that were quickly implemented affected nontenured faculty members—positions that women and people of color more often occupy.
For women in the health professions, major risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic included unpredictability in clinical work, evolving clinical and leadership roles, the psychological demands of an ongoing and stressful job. They heightened health risks to family and self.
