Honoring Ukrainian Women in STEM

Today, February 11, 2025, marks the 11th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a United Nations-designated observance promoting equal access to and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. While women remain underrepresented in STEM fields globally, Ukraine stands out as an exception. Nearly 46% of Ukrainian scientists are women—almost double the global average—placing Ukraine 12th among 41 countries for female representation in science. In recognition of this day, it is important to highlight Ukrainian women who have made significant contributions to STEM fields.

Science: Sofia Okunevska

In January 1896, Okunevska became the first Ukrainian woman from Galicia (now parts of southeastern Poland and western Ukraine) to graduate from a medical university and the first female Doctor of Medicine in Austria-Hungary. She developed medical educational programs for nurses and midwives, created a dictionary of Ukrainian medical terminology, and co-founded the first medical trade union. Okunevska also pioneered the use of radiation therapy for cancer treatment in Galicia and Austria-Hungary.

Through the Shevchenko Scientific Society, she conducted research on obstetric care and established a school for OBGYNs in Lviv. During World War I, she provided medical care to Ukrainians in Switzerland, Czechia, and the Austrian refugee camps.

Technology: Anastasia Volkova

Volkova is the founder of Flurosat, a company that uses satellite imagery analysis and autonomous drone technology to detect early signs of crop disease. Inspired by her godfather, a farmer, Volkova realized she could apply her technological skills to improve agricultural efficiency and crop health.

Engineering: Anastasiia Smyk

Smyk earned her master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the National Aviation University of Ukraine. After graduating, she organized an annual aviation summer camp for a Girls Scout troop in Kyiv, where she taught children the fundamentals of aviation and paragliding. 

In January 2022, she co-founded InputSoft, a software company that digitalizes the paperwork used in data management and resource management at airports. The company aims to improve airline service quality, reduce labor costs, and optimize ground handling operations. By minimizing aircraft waiting time with engines running, InputSoft also helps reduce CO₂ emissions.

Mathematics: Maryna Sergivna Viazovska

Born on December 2, 1984 in Kyiv, Ukrainian SSR, Maria Sergivna Viazovska is known for her work on sphere packing, the arrangement of non-overlapping spheres within a constrained space. She was raised in a scientifically oriented family; her father was a chemist, and her mother was an engineer. Thus, she was encouraged from an early age to pursue mathematics and science. She attended the Kyiv Natural Science Lyceum No.145, a high school for high-achieveving STEM students, where she medaled in national mathematics Olympiads. 

In 2016, Viazovska solved the sphere-packing problem in eight dimensions, a problem previously solved only in three dimensions or lower. Unlike earlier proofs that relied heavily on extensive computer calculations, her proof was “stunningly simple.”