From science to storytelling: Why reskilling is the key to women thriving in STEM

If you’ve ever observed a troop of chimpanzees, you’ll know something important: every member plays a role in maintaining the delicate balance of their social ecosystem. Remove just one—say, a particularly sharp-eyed female who knows exactly where to find ripe figs—and you can throw the whole troop into nutritional chaos. That’s the image I often come back to when thinking about women in STEM.

As a former scientist trained in animal behavior and data ethics, I’ve spent my fair share of time parsing patterns—whether in primate social networks or digital ones. And one pattern that’s impossible to ignore is the chronic underutilization of women in science, tech, engineering, and math. But there’s a powerful tool we’re not using nearly enough to correct this imbalance: reskilling.

Women Are underrepresented—And it’s not due to lack of talent

Let’s address the monkey in the room: women aren’t underrepresented in STEM because we’re bad at math. Or science. Or solving problems. In fact, data shows that girls perform just as well, if not better, in STEM subjects in school. So what gives?

A mix of systemic bias, leaky pipelines, career interruptions (hello, unpaid caregiving), and lack of support structures conspire to push women out of STEM roles—even after they’ve fought hard to get in. And when women do leave, they’re often left wondering how to re-enter, especially when tech evolves faster than your houseplants die (or is that just me?).

This is where reskilling—the process of learning new skills to transition into a different role or industry—comes in. It’s not just a buzzword. It’s a lifeline.

Reskilling is an equal opportunity issue

Reskilling isn’t just a workforce development tool. It’s a gender equity strategy. When we provide accessible, inclusive reskilling opportunities, we create on-ramps for women who’ve stepped away from STEM or who were never given the map to begin with. It says: “We see your potential—and we’re willing to invest in it.”

As someone who’s pivoted from academia to digital design and communication, I know how transformative this can be. My background in animal behavior taught me how to observe, analyze, and communicate complex systems. My work in data ethics gave me a lens to question the power structures embedded in algorithms and institutions. And when I layered that with skills in digital storytelling and tech, I found a whole new way to apply my scientific brain in the real world.

Imagine what would happen if we did that at scale.

What we gain when we reskill women

Let’s zoom out. Here’s what we stand to gain when we commit to reskilling women into STEM roles:

• A sustainability edge. Women are overrepresented in sustainability fields and underrepresented in tech. Marrying the two through reskilling creates leaders who can innovate responsibly—and not just build for the sake of disruption.

• Ethical tech. If you want AI tools that actually serve people (and don’t just amplify bias), you need diverse perspectives. Women with backgrounds in fields like biology, psychology, or ethics bring critical insights that pure coders often miss.

• Workforce resilience. A more diverse, skilled STEM workforce is a more agile one. Reskilling helps organizations adapt to changing tech landscapes without starting from scratch every time.

• Better science communication. Women re-entering STEM via reskilling often bring with them cross-sector experience—education, caregiving, arts, communication. These skills are vital for bridging the gap between scientific advancement and public understanding.

Reskilling doesn’t mean handing someone a free Coursera coupon and calling it a day. We need programs designed with women in mind. That means:

• Flexible, hybrid learning models for caregivers.

• Mentorship opportunities that build confidence, not just skills.

• Hiring pipelines that value interdisciplinary experience (shout-out to all the science majors who also happen to be amazing communicators, artists, or designers).

And most importantly, we need to stop asking women to retrofit themselves into outdated STEM cultures. Reskilling is a chance to create something better—not just a way to get more women into the same old systems.

Final thoughts

I didn’t leave science because I didn’t love it. I left because I wanted to use what I knew in a more flexible, impactful, and creative way. Reskilling helped me do that. But I had to build the path myself.

Let’s make it easier for others to follow.

Unlocking women’s STEM potential isn’t just good for diversity metrics—it’s good for science, for tech, for the planet. The tools are here. The talent is here. It’s time we use reskilling to bridge the gap.