“For the first time female doctorate graduates exceed their male counterparts,” announced professor Deresh Ramjugernath at the 2025 Stellenbosch University (SU) graduation for the faculty of science. This is “a milestone of progress and representation that [SU is] proud to acknowledge”, he added.
For 2026, 62.5% of the first-year first-time entrants into the faculty of science are female, according to professor Burtram Fielding, the dean of science.
Teagan Smit pipettes cheek cells in preparation for gel electrophoresis. PHOTO: Emma Giles
“There is a noticeable majority of female students in my classes and programmes,” said Dr Brendon Pearce, a lecturer from the department of genetics within the faculty of agrisciences at SU. Professor Clint Rhode, the departmental chair of genetics, also said that he has noticed many more female students, especially in his undergraduate classes, with the largest skew being about 70% female. Rhode added that the genetics honours class is often predominantly female with two or three males per class of 16.
Teagan Smit and Neena Bredeveldt, interns in the genetics department under Pearce, and molecular biology and microbiology graduates in 2025, gave some insight into their experience. While Bredeveldt recognised a fairly balanced gender split in her classes, Smit noted that in third year it was fairly obvious that her classes were “female-dominated spheres”.
Neena Bredeveldt loads cheek cell samples into a gel for electrophoresis to visualise DNA. PHOTO: Emma Giles
Rhode and Pearce provided some potential theories behind this increase in female science students. Rhode described it as “an interesting phenomenon”, possibly due to women feeling more empowered to study these days. Pearce and Fielding both attributed the shift to recent data from the department of higher education and training, which according to Pearce “suggests that female learners often outperform their male counterparts in science and mathematics” at school, leading to higher university enrolment rates.
While Pearce and Rhode note the increase in female students in their classes, they both highlight that this does not necessarily translate into more senior research. “A ‘leaky pipeline’ often remains an issue as we move toward senior research and leadership roles,” said Pearce. “Science on a whole is still quite male-dominated,” described Rhode. He acknowledged that although there is an increase in women studying science, it “doesn’t completely translate into women actually working in science”. “The goal is not only to open the door, but to make sure talented students can thrive once they are inside,” explained Fielding.
Some members of the all female genetics intern group in the lab under Dr Brendon Pearce. PHOTO: Emma Giles
International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS) was commemorated on 11 February. IDWGIS is “more than just a date on the calendar; it is a vital call to action”, said Pearce. He highlights that while we celebrate high enrolment numbers at SU, women still make up less than a third of researchers globally. “We must continue to dismantle systemic barriers, such as unequal access to funding and the lack of senior mentorship,” he added. IDWGIS is about ensuring that “the passion young women show in my genetics classes today translates into a lifelong, sustainable career in science tomorrow”, said Pearce.