IQS launches STEM4her, an innovative platform to promote female talent and reduce the gender gap

The gender gap in STEM degrees continues to be one of the greatest challenges for the education system and the labour market: fewer careers, a smaller presence in managerial positions, and less visibility of female role models.

With the aim of reversing this situation and providing female students with real tools to grow professionally, IQS is sponsoring STEM4her, an exclusive initiative designed to support and promote female talent in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The objectives of the programme are clear: to offer direct support, to create a solid professional network, to help students identify real role models, to give visibility to female talent, and to foster STEM careers.

To make this possible, the STEM4her project is supported by an Advisory Council made up of eight IQS Alumni, all of whom are women with established professional careers in the STEM sector and a strong commitment to inspiring and supporting younger generations.

STEM4her connects IQS students with Alumni who have already built careers in their respective fields, creating a “match” that enhances personalized support through exclusive mentoring. At present, more than 20 mentors are taking part in the project, a figure that will continue to grow in future months.

The project launch event was held at the IQS campus, in a festive atmosphere specifically designed for the occasion, with a customized space and even a photo booth to capture the good vibes. The celebration was structured across two clear sections to optimize engagement with each group: students and Alumni.

The event began with a session aimed at the students. In a packed auditorium, the presentation emphasized the need to break down barriers and create supportive spaces that help future professionals build solid career paths. Among these barriers, the difficulty of reaching managerial positions stood out, even in sectors where the presence of women is significant.

The programme offers advantages such as direct access to leading professionals, networking opportunities, specific and exclusive activities, spaces to share doubts and projects, and direct support for career development.

“The initiative arises from the needs identified during different group dynamics with the students,” explained Dr Marta Tena, Director of Communications and Marketing at IQS. “We want to shatter stereotypes and create role models. This is an inclusive, open, and transformative proposal, but we are aware that we are only planting a seed. Making it grow will depend on all of us,” she stated.

In this regard, Dr Tena explained that the programme aims to create spaces for dialogue and proximity, avoiding the traditional formats of large conferences where students found it more difficult to interact. The programme is organizing, for example, lunches and dinners in a relaxed atmosphere with a very limited capacity where students can talk with professional women who inspire them.

For his part, the IQS Director Dr Salvador Borrós stated: “Today is a very important day for us because the work of many months is materializing into an idea we have been developing for years. It is a fact that there are not enough women in STEM degrees, and we must succeed in motivating future university students.”

The event concluded in the afternoon with a second presentation in the form of a roundtable hosted by Alumni and for Alumni, entitled “Women and STEM: professions with impact,” moderated by Dr Cristina Alonso, Director of the UNIJES Research Centre for Environment and Ecology. Four leading figures took part, sharing their career paths marked by leadership, innovation, and research.

Dr Rosa Nomen, Professor Emerita and Chair of Chemical Engineering at the IQS School of Engineering, began her contribution (through an online interview) by explaining that she was one of the first female professors hired at IQS and highlighted that in specializations such as industrial, mechanical, or computer engineering, female representation still hovers around 25%. She concluded by stating her hope of the figure one day reaching 50%.

Dr Magda Faijes, IQS professor and Head of the Department of Bioengineering and an expert in biocatalysis and bioengineering, began with a revealing anecdote: “When asking students about Bertozzi, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2022, most thought it was a man, when in fact it is a woman: Carolyn Ruth Bertozzi. We often tend to assume that if someone has gone far, it must be a man.” Faijes reminded attendees that women’s progress in the professional world is a collective effort that also involves men. “We must do it together. We need men’s understanding, and they must recognize their female colleagues’ abilities.”

Montse Muñoz, chemical engineer and an independent board member on various boards of directors, and now a leading voice in leadership and digital transformation, stated: “We cannot overlook 50% of the talent, it’s obvious. Talent management is already complicated enough. If we ignore half the population, we’re heading in the wrong direction.” She also referred to gender quotas: “I’m not a big supporter, but since they exist, they must be used.” She added: “The problem is not recruiting women, but helping them grow.”

Cristina Fontcuberta, an industrial engineer and the founder of Lin by Leanfontcus, emphasized passion and a calling as the main driving forces: “It’s the basis of everything. Entrepreneurship is a difficult path, and that’s why attitude is key.” She clarified, however, that “it’s not about becoming more masculine, but about contributing our unique perspective.”

Nearly 150 students in the morning and dozens of Alumni and professionals in the afternoon took part in the event. Feedback gathered after both presentations confirmed that STEM4her made a solid debut.

“It is an honour to be a mentor, to serve as a role model, and to be on the other side, able to offer all my knowledge and help students. Taking part as a mentor in STEM4her is a fantastic opportunity to give back to IQS what it gave me,” said Estel·la Buscató, Alumni and mentor, currently the Innovation Manager, Business Analyst, and R&D Enabler at Bayer.

Dr Cristina Alonso, member of the Advisory Council, explained: “I worked for twenty-six years in the industry leading many women’s and mentoring programmes. And a year ago, I returned to IQS, where I studied. When I heard about STEM4her, I thought: this is exactly what is needed and what we must do.”

The students also welcomed the initiative enthusiastically. “It’s a brilliant proposal because it will allow us to enter the professional world with people who are already in the job market and, above all, with leading women who, as they have stated, will be easily accessible,” said Lia Brossa, a 4^th year student in Biomedical Sciences.

“A project like this was necessary, especially because we are increasingly used to seeing more female role models in football, for example, but not in the world of business, engineering, or science. In these fields, there are few women that are widely known, even though we know there is a great deal of women’s work behind the scenes that is not visible,” added Laia Cantarell, a 4^th year student in Biomedicine.

“I found the mentoring aspect very interesting. And I would definitely sign up for the motivational small-group talks. In a big conference, with so many people, you might find it harder to ask questions out of embarrassment,” said Sara Sorjus, a 1^st year student in Biomedical Sciences. “Knowing that you can talk to people who have been through the same as you and who now hold important positions means a lot, especially because they are women like me. I am in my fourth year, and perhaps until now I hadn’t realized that I, too, could reach such a position. Why not?” said Patrícia Sáez, a 4^th year student in Biotechnology.

The STEM4her project encompasses three essential groups for closing the gender gap: current IQS students, Alumni who already act as role models, and future STEM students. In the latter area, IQS has already carried out initiatives such as the “Dream it, STEM it” programme, which brought together more than 100 young people in their final years of compulsory secondary school and baccalaureate studies.

The event also served to announce upcoming activities linked to STEM4her, including a visit to MIT, a unique opportunity to experience one of the world’s most powerful scientific and technological ecosystems first-hand, and the series Conversations that Inspire, a programme of meetings with professionals who will share career paths, challenges, and findings with the students.