NASA head of science Dr Nicola Fox praised the rising number of women in science during a visit to Hitchin, Hertfordshire, this month. Fox, who graduated in 1991 as one of four women in a 200-student engineering course, urged young women to ignore gender stereotypes and follow their scientific curiosity.
Dr Nicola Fox Discusses the Rise of Women in Scientific Fields
The head of science at NASA has welcomed what she described as a fantastic
rise of women entering scientific fields. Dr Nicola Fox, who grew up in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, shared her perspective after returning to the University of Surrey, where she noted a striking increase in female graduates across physics and engineering programs.
That academic growth contrasts with the pace of professional integration. Figures from Stem Women indicate that while student enrollment and graduation rates have climbed, the number of women working professionally in STEM fields has increased only gradually. The data suggests that achieving workforce parity with men remains decades away.
University of Surrey Graduation Ceremonies and 1991 Cohort Comparison
Reflecting on her own academic path, Fox recalled completing her master’s degree in telematics and satellite engineering in 1991. At the time, she was one of only four women in a cohort exceeding 200 students. Visiting recent graduation ceremonies at her alma mater offered a stark contrast to those early days.
“I was at the physics graduation and the engineering graduation… It was amazing to see the number of girls that were graduating.”
Dr Nicola Fox, Head of Science at NASA
Fox attributes part of her early confidence to her secondary education. Having attended St Francis College, an all-girls school in Letchworth, she felt shielded from the traditional gender stereotypes that often steer young women away from science and mathematics. Because the school taught all subjects without rigid gender boundaries, she never encountered the notion that certain disciplines were off-limits. It was only after arriving at college that she encountered peers and social norms treating her physics pursuits as unusual.
Family Encouragement and Advice for Future Generations
Beyond formal education, Fox frequently credits her family with shaping her trajectory. Her father first sparked her lifelong fascination with space by showing her the television broadcast of the moon landing when she was just eight months old. However, she emphasizes that her mother provided the persistence required to navigate challenging technical fields.
“Even though she may not want to walk on the moon, she was going to make sure I had every opportunity if I wanted to.”
Dr Nicola Fox, Head of Science at NASA
Dr Nicola Fox Delivers Q&A Session During Hitchin Visit
Fox explained that her mother consistently countered moments of self-doubt with practical encouragement, advising her to push forward rather than quit when coursework became overwhelming. Delivering a Q&A session during her visit to Hitchin this month, Fox offered a direct message to young women weighing career options in technical fields: If somebody says girls don’t do that, then that’s just not true.
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