Spotlight on Women in Political Science: Prof. Vanessa Elias de Oliveira

Today (11 February) is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, commemorated under the theme From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap. On 8 March, International Women’s Day will also be celebrated under the theme Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.

These UN Days highlight the continued efforts to achieve gender equality and empower women worldwide, particularly in science and the social sciences. In this context, IPSA reaffirms its commitment to raising awareness about the under-representation of women in political science and to promoting the achievements of women scholars. Through its Gender and Diversity Monitoring Reports, IPSA provides a comprehensive international perspective on gender disparities in the discipline. 

To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, IPSA invites you to meet Dr. Vanessa Elias de Oliveira, Associate Professor of Political Science in Public Policy at the Federal University of ABC in Brazil.  Former President of the Brazilian Political Science Association (2022–2024), Dr. Elias de Oliveira also served on the IPSA Executive Committee as Chair of IPSA’s Gender and Diversity Committee (2023–2025) and currently serves as Vice-President and Co-Chair of the 2027 IPSA World Congress Program (2025–2027). She was also a founding member of the Brazilian Network of Women Scientists. Prof. Elias de Oliveira exemplifies how accomplished women scholars can make a meaningful impact in the field of political science.

At IPSA, she led an initiative to collect data from IPSA’s individual members and members of affiliated associations worldwide to understand perceptions and experiences of work conditions, inappropriate behaviors, and gender inequalities in the field.  The survey gathered responses from 1,200 participants across 88 countries. This global study resulted in the report IPSA Survey Report: Gender Inequalities in Political Science, co-authored with Rayane Vieira Rodrigues. The results were presented at the 2025 IPSA World Congress of Political Science in Seoul.    

Prof. Elias de Oliveira’s research portfolio centers on public policy analysis, with a particular emphasis on implementation, policy capacity, and the judicialization of public policies. In addition, she has produced scholarly work on gender inequalities in political science. Through her leadership and academic roles, Prof. Elias de Oliveira persistently advocates for equity in academia, not only in Brazil and Latin America but also in political science worldwide.