Celebrating women in academia and addressing underrepresentation

The barriers limiting the number of women appointed, retained, and promoted in academia are well documented. Addressing these barriers is key to increasing participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which in turn is essential for maintaining a well-trained and competitive workforce and educational system. The success stories of tenacious individuals who persisted despite the many barriers placed before them serve both as potent reminders of hard-fought gains in equal access and opportunities and as inspiration to current and aspiring scientists. When concepts like diversity, equity, and inclusion are rebranded as discriminatory, how do academic institutions respond to the challenge to encourage broad participation in STEM?