Sarah Tong, co-founder and CEO, Big Bang Academy: For transforming STEM education and inspiring young girls and women to lead in science

“Because of what I do, I am in two of the fields where women are still under-represented: in STEM and in entrepreneurship.

Globally, women make up over half of all students who have enrolled in tertiary education, but they remain considerably less likely to choose STEM fields. The 2024 GEM Gender Report showed that women made up only 35 per cent of STEM graduates, showing no progress over the past ten years (which was around the time I graduated from an engineering degree from university, also being the minority).

There are still a lot of gender biases in STEM rooting from traditional stereotypes. In our current student base (aged 3-16), only 30-35 per cent are female students.

Even in Hong Kong, a city where gender equality is considered to be quite advanced, I have come across parents and teachers being affected by gender-limiting stereotypes. For instance, caregivers tend to think male children are more interested in STEM simply because they like to play with toy cars. For female kids, the bar is different: even if their daughters show interest in simple mechanical tasks such as assembling things or playing with Lego, parents tend to be more reluctant to sign them up for STEM education, especially if they have also shown interest in the arts, such as dancing or playing the piano. This gendered attitude has remained largely the same even though a new and progressed concept, STEAM, has been introduced.

Similar situations are faced by female entrepreneurs around funding due to limited access to networks, lack of role models and biases of investment panels.

In the age of rapid development in technology, AI and STEM, no girls and women should be left behind. Being under-represented in STEM and in entrepreneurship, I feel compelled to be more bold, more ambitious and to make a difference!”

Read Jennifer Yu Cheng on Sarah Tong

Dr Pui-Wah Choi, founder, WomenX Biotech: For advancing women’s health with innovative biotech solutions

“The lack of female scientists, entrepreneurs and leaders hinders progress in femtech and other crucial fields in Hong Kong. We need diverse perspectives to address the unique challenges women face in Hong Kong and worldwide—ranging from menstrual health to disease detection, emotional management and inequality. By fostering a culture of innovation among women, we can develop a wider array of solutions that truly meet these needs.”

Read Vivien Khoo on Dr Pui-Wah Choi

Lisa Tarquini, founder, The Menopause Space: For breaking menopause taboos and driving workplace and societal support for women

“I love being a woman, but I know many women don’t have the privileges I do. I want to eradicate privilege and make sure every woman regardless of culture and socio-economic status has access to best-practice healthcare.”

Read Angelle Siyang-Le on Lisa Tarquini

Lynette Nam, executive director, Justice Centre Hong Kong: For advocating for refugees and ensuring access to vital legal and psychosocial support

“‘Women hold up half the sky!’ (Mao). Many of the refugee women and girls I’ve worked with have experienced unimaginable adversity and violence, but they are without a doubt some of the most resilient people I know. These are survivors, warriors—people who will give 110 per cent to the community that welcomes them and gives them a chance to start again. We need to look beyond the usual victim narrative, and not lose sight of the incredible potential we have in this city.”

Read Patricia Ho on Lynette Nam

Stephanie Ng, founder and executive director, Body Banter: For empowering youth to embrace body positivity and break mental health stigmas

“It is important to me to empower women and girls in Hong Kong because I strongly believe that their empowerment is intricately tied to the empowerment of people of all genders. In my work in the body image and mental health space, I’ve observed that rigid standards dictating how women ‘should’ look and behave directly impact individuals of other genders. For instance, the persistence of strictly defined criteria for the ‘ideal’ female body means that equally strict criteria for the ‘ideal’ male body will also continue to be upheld. Against the backdrop of these rigid appearance standards for cisgender individuals, little room is left for non-binary and transgender individuals to explore their preferred forms of self-presentation. 

Furthermore, gendered behavioural norms, as exemplified by statements like "boys don’t cry" and "man up," convey the message that there are ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ ways to express emotions based on one’s gender identity. In turn, these norms can lead some people to engage in emotional suppression or a reliance on unhealthy coping mechanisms. In short, I believe it is essential to openly discuss and address the limiting beliefs and rigid standards faced by girls and women in Hong Kong, while also highlighting the intricate linkages between their empowerment and that of individuals across the gender spectrum in our community.”

Read Lindsey McAlister on Stephanie Ng

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