A young girl sits in a dark theater, watching a brilliant engineer effortlessly solve complex algorithms on screen. That moment shapes how she views her own future. In 2018, the Geena Davis Institute published Portray Her, establishing a baseline for how television and film depict female scientists. To examine how representation evolved over the following five years, we partnered with If/Then®, an initiative of Lyda Hill Philanthropies. Our new study, Portray Her 2.0: An Analysis of 15 Years of Women in STEM On-Screen, 2007–2022, evaluates recent entertainment media while surveying middle school, high school, and undergraduate women to measure how fictional characters shape real-world career ambitions.
Real-world gender disparities persist across technical fields. Women in the United States remain underrepresented in STEM professions, often facing challenges around workplace retention, unequal pay, and career advancement. Because popular culture directly informs societal norms, on-screen portrayals can either reinforce these barriers or inspire the next generation of innovators.
Key Findings: Quick Overview
Our analysis of 2018–2022 media and our 2023 survey of young women reveal several notable shifts in technical character representation:
- Persistent Gender Imbalance: From 2007 to 2017, women made up 37% of on-screen STEM characters. From 2018 to 2022, that figure rose slightly to 38%. Men continue to outnumber women across all levels of character prominence.
- Growth in Racial Diversity: STEM characters of color rose from 29% in the 2007–2017 study to 42% in the 2018–2022 period. However, this growth remained heavily concentrated in medical roles rather than physical or computer sciences.
- Broader Technical Specializations: Medical and life sciences accounted for nearly 66% of female STEM characters in 2007–2017, dropping to 56% in 2018–2022. Portrayals of female engineers jumped from 2% to 13%, while computer scientists and programmers grew from 7% to 15%.
- Rising Demand for Role Models: In 2023, 71% of surveyed girls and young women agreed that on-screen female STEM representation is important—a 20-percentage-point increase from 2018. Additionally, 62% enjoy watching STEM content, and 72% want more female STEM characters on screen.
- Sustained Perception of Male Dominance: Survey respondents overwhelmingly associated civil engineers, software developers, and mathematicians with male characters, demonstrating that audiences actively notice on-screen gender gaps.
- Measurable Impact of Representation: Culturally resonant characters create powerful connections. Among respondents of color, 72% reported that Shuri and 68% reported that Riri Williams (both from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) positively influenced their interest in STEM, compared to 52% of white respondents for both characters.
Analyzing the On-Screen Representation of Women in Technical Fields
Although female characters now appear in a wider variety of technical roles, media portrayals still lag behind the interests of young audiences. When entertainment storylines confine women almost exclusively to medical settings, audiences miss out on seeing female leadership in aerospace, artificial intelligence, and environmental engineering.
Furthermore, screenwriters frequently depict technical genius as an innate, effortless gift rather than a skill developed through trial, error, and persistence. Research shows that framing STEM as a natural talent disproportionately discourages female students and students of color when they encounter academic challenges. Normalizing struggle and learning in narrative scripts builds resilience in young viewers who aspire to enter technical fields.
Actionable Recommendations for Writers, Directors, and Media Studios
To close the gender gap behind and in front of the camera, creators can adopt several concrete practices:
- Expand Careers Beyond Life Sciences: Feature female characters as software architects, climate scientists, roboticists, and mathematicians to show audiences the full scope of technical possibilities.
- Include Women in Minor and Background Roles: Cast women as background lab technicians, field engineers, and IT specialists to dismantle the visual assumption that male characters dominate technical environments.
- Prioritize Intersectional Casting: Ensure character development reflects diverse lived experiences, including race, disability, sexual orientation, body size, and age.
- Depict Real-World Work-Life Dynamics: Show STEM professionals navigating personal commitments and family caregiving, countering the belief that technical careers preclude balanced personal lives.
- Frame Technical Skills as Learned: Write storylines where characters make mistakes, ask questions, and refine their abilities through persistent study rather than effortless genius.
- Highlight Collaboration and Social Purpose: Emphasize how technical professionals work together in teams to solve meaningful societal challenges, aligning character motivations with values that resonate with young women.
Supporting Evidence-Based Research for Equity in Media
Data-driven insights help content creators replace persistent industry tropes with rich, authentic narratives. At the Geena Davis Institute, we analyze screen representation to ensure media reflects the true diversity of our world.
Support our ongoing research initiatives to help redefine how technical careers are portrayed on screen. Donate to the Geena Davis Institute today to empower the next generation of leaders.
Suggested Citation
Conroy M., Belding, E., Cassese, E., Espinoza, C., Meyer, M., Romero Walker, A. & Terán, L. (2024). Portray Her 2.0: An Analysis of 15 Years of Women in STEM On-Screen, 2007–2022. The Geena Davis Institute.