Portray Her 2.0: An Analysis of 15 Years of Women in STEM On-Screen, 2007–2022

The Geena Davis Institute, in collaboration with IF/THEN® (an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies), proudly presented the Portray Her 2.0 report at The Ebell of Los Angeles on February 12, 2024. This event showcased the evolution of women in STEM on-screen over the last 15 years, examining portrayals from 2007 to 2022.

Madeline Di Nonno, President and CEO of the Geena Davis Institute, opened the event, sharing insights into the persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM roles in media. The updated report, “Portray Her 2.0: An Analysis of 15 Years of Women in STEM On-Screen,” extends the initial findings, offering a fresh perspective on the last five years (2018-2022). It also includes a survey of girls and young women’s STEM attitudes, experiences, and the influence of fictional STEM characters on them.

Geena Davis, Founder and Chair of the Geena Davis Institute, provided high-level remarks on advancing gender equity in STEM, followed by Dr. Meredith Conroy, Vice President of Research and Insights, who detailed the report's findings.

The event featured two panel discussions. The first, the Media Content Panel, included Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Co-Host of NBC’s Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild; Melissa Navia, Actor in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt, Survivor contestant and Engineer; and Sara Scott, EVP of Production Development at NBCUniversal. The panelists discussed the impact of STEM portrayals in media.

The second panel focused on the success of Mission Unstoppable, a CBS show highlighting female innovators in science, with Nicole Small, CEO of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, introducing the panel. Moderated by Dr. Crystal Dilworth, participants included Miranda Cosgrove, Host and Executive Producer; Michelle Nelson, EP/Showrunner; Ayonnah Tinsley, Youth Scientist and TikTok Influencer; and Elena Garcia, Digital Manager at Hearst Media.

Key findings from the Portray Her 2.0 report revealed a slight increase in women’s representation in STEM characters from 37% to 38% over the past 15 years. However, the study noted a significant rise in STEM characters of color and a more diverse portrayal of women in various STEM fields. It also highlighted the changing narrative roles, with an increase in female STEM characters as villains.

The event underscored the importance of diverse and accurate representations of women in STEM on-screen and its potential impact on young women and girls’ interest in STEM fields. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media continues to advocate for more authentic and inclusive portrayals of women in STEM, aligning with the broader goal of gender equity in media and society.

For those who missed the live event or wish to see an exclusive preview please check out the recording on our YouTube channel.  We also encourage you to download the full research report from the Geena Davis Institute’s website.

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