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Gender Disparities in STEM study, What is Casio Doing to Solve This Problem?
More than 130,000 Casio scientific calculators sold in Spain, France as of today, and other European countries have illustrations of women scientists on the cover. Also, free downloads of posters of these illustrations along with profile statements of female scientists, as well as related learning materials are available from related sites.
This is due to the Women Do Science initiative promoted by Casio Co., LTD.’s sales subsidiary Casio Spain's Education Division. Why are illustrations of diverse women scientists featured on scientific calculator covers and posters? We asked Mr. Eloy Bernal, the originator and promoter of the initiative, about the motivation, purpose, and thoughts behind it.
- What is the Women Do Science initiative?
It was launched in 2018 in Casio Spain and its main activity is to put illustrations of women scientists on the covers of scientific calculators and also to provide materials to introduce such illustrations and profiles of the women scientists to make them widely known.
The first scientific calculator with illustration was introduced to the world in 2019, and in the five years since then, the number of women scientists featured has reached 24 as of January 2025. At first, the initiative only available in Casio Spain, but in 2023 Casio France also started the initiative, and will be introduced in Belgium and other European countries in the future. Here are some examples of the design.
- They are all wonderful designs! Why did you start this initiative?
Mr. Bernal: It all started in 2018 when I read an article in the Guardian newspaper about a female scientist, Jess Wade, writing an article for Wikipedia called Women in Science. This article reminded me of an underlying question in my mind: What can Casio do to eliminate the gender disparities in learning, especially in STEM fields.
The elimination of gender disparities in education is a very important issue because it is related to basic human rights, the well-being of life, and the long-term economic development of individuals and their countries. UNESCO has also set the elimination of gender disparities in STEM as one of its goals.
On the other hand, a survey of Spanish children shows that girls are more likely to have difficulty with math at ages 10-16, and at much younger ages of 7-10, many girls have a self-perception that they are not very smart, regardless of their actual ability to learn. We can say it's a kind of assumption.
What we came up with as something we could do to free girls (and those who around them) from these assumptions was to visualize the many women predecessors in STEM fields by putting their illustrations on the covers of our scientific calculators.
- So, it is effective to put illustrations of these women scientists on scientific calculators to trigger a change in awareness.
Mr. Bernal: Yes. Scientific calculators are a common tool in STEM classes at the secondary level (junior high) and high school in Spain and many other European countries, and most of the students have them. Therefore, we thought it would be a perfect way to introduce women's activities in the STEM field.
Although gender should have nothing to do with pursuing a certain field of study, in reality, women are still in the minority in STEM fields, especially in mathematics and engineering. If one of the reasons for this is due to an assumption, either by women themselves or by those around them, that women are not good at STEM, then this activity of putting illustrations on the calculators can be an effective means of changing the thoughts.
What do you think of the illustrated scientific calculator? Survey made on over 1000 people.
- Even in Spain, girls are often considered to be not good at science and math.
Did you think this initiative would work?
Mr. Bernal: Since this was a completely new experiment, we did not know what teachers and students who actually use scientific calculators would think about it, and we needed information to support our idea before starting the initiative. So first, we conducted a survey of 450 teachers and over 700 students.
The teachers responded 100% positively, and many of the students also said they would prefer the illustrated ones. So we decided to promote the Women Do Science initiative.
As a result, more than 85,000 illustrated scientific calculators as of today are now in the hands of teachers and students who love them.
- You have a variety of women scientists, from those in the past to those who are active today. What criteria do you use to select these?
Mr. Bernal: We highlight individuals who have compelling stories about their journey to achieving their careers. Since we cannot illustrate anyone without permission, it is essential to have a reliable point of contact to obtain proper authorization, especially for historical figures. For instance, in the case of Madame Curie, we reached out to her granddaughters to explain the purpose of our initiative and secure their approval.
We also talked with Margarita Salas daughter or Ángela Ruiz Robles granddaughter to get some examples. Of course, for those who are currently active, we obtain their direct consent.
- Each illustration has a different taste and variety. It is like looking at a wonderful artwork. Are each of them the work of a different person?
Mr. Bernal: Yes, each illustration is created by a different Spanish woman artist. Currently, we are collaborating with 24 artists, one for each of the 24 designs. This number will grow as more scientists are featured on the covers of scientific calculators in the future. By commissioning each artwork from a woman artist, we also aim to promote greater representation and participation of women in the art world.
- You also provide posters and other materials to be displayed in the classroom; what is the purpose of this?
Mr. Bernal: We also strive to proactively provide content that fosters understanding and dialogue on this issue, and the posters are a key part of that effort. Each poster introduces a woman scientist, featuring her statement, personal creed, and the autograph of the artist who created the illustration. When displayed in classrooms, these posters create opportunities for students and teachers to engage in discussions and deepen their knowledge about these remarkable figures. In other words, the illustration on the cover of the scientific calculator is just the starting point of the Women Do Science initiative.
These posters are available for free download in Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Galician, and English from the following sites
https://www.cientificascasio.com/
In addition to the posters, the site offers a wide variety of content, including quiz applications for each age group, video channels and podcasts for learning science and math, and related links. The site also includes biographies of the women scientists and the artists who illustrated them, as well as their achievements.
We hope that the visualization of women predecessors in STEM field through the provision of these materials will encourage girls to believe in their own potential and lead to conversations that include boys and the adults around them, and spread awareness that yes, it is normal for girls to study science and math.
Our most recent initiatives are the panel exhibition featuring women scientists; exhibit held in Tibidabo on February 9 and now being held at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia from February 11.
This date February 11 coincides with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, designated by the United Nations, making it the perfect moment to launch the exhibit. It has successfully sparked significant interest in the subject, and the exhibition is scheduled to run until April 6.
- What are your goals for the future?
Mr. Bernal: One of the aims of Women Do Science is to promote the Casio’s educational business statement “Boost Your Curiosity” to encourage each student to pursue learning. Learning should be fun and enjoyable, and it should boost their curiosity. Therefore, we want them to pursue learning that they enjoy without being bound by unconscious bias. I would like to spread the opportunity even further by introducing more women scientists and, at the same time, expanding the area for the Women Do Science initiative.
I would like to continue working together with Casio members in Japan to realize a world where women in science (Women Do Science) are not special, but are a normal part of life, and where people can pursue their favorite studies, regardless of gender, without any preconceptions.
