The Planetary Science Wiki Edit-a-thon: Six Years of Improving Representation on Wikipedia
Arianna Piccialli (BIRA-IASB, Belgium) reports on a Belgian-supported project to reduce gender bias and improve representation of planetary scientists profiled on Wikipedia.
Read article in the fully formatted PDF of the Europlanet Magazine.
The Planetary Science Wiki edit-a-thon is an ongoing initiative aimed at reducing systemic gender bias on Wikipedia
by improving the representation of women and other underrepresented groups in planetary science. Beyond increasing visibility, the project seeks to inspire future generations and promote greater inclusivity within the planetary science community.
The initiative was launched in 2020 by the Diversity Committee of the Europlanet Society, in collaboration with Women in Red, WikiDonne, WikiMujeres and Wikimedia Belgium. From the very beginning, the project has been entirely volunteer-driven.
In 2025, support from the Ernest Solvay Fund, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation in Belgium, enabled the project to expand its activities through professional Wikipedia training and the development of outreach materials. Regular hybrid meetings were hosted by the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) in Brussels. In 2026, with support from the University of Kent, two internship students prepared a booklet showcasing a selection of women whose passion, perseverance and scientific achievements have contributed to planetary science and astronomy. The booklet will be presented and distributed at EPSC2026.
When the project began in June 2020, only 189 biographies of planetary scientists were available on the English Wikipedia, of which just 48 (25%) were women. Across six editions, participants have created, improved and translated dozens of articles into more than ten languages, including Arabic, Basque, Azerbaijani and Greek, helping to increase the visibility of scientists from diverse backgrounds.
The project remains active, with regular editing campaigns and community meetings. The most recent initiative took place between 11 February (International Day of Women and Girls in Science) and 8 March (International Women’s Day) 2026. New participants are always welcome, whether they are experienced Wikipedians or complete beginners.
If you would like to contribute, collaborate or organise a similar activity within your institution, student group, or scientific conference, please contact Arianna Piccialli (arianna.piccialli@aeronomie.be).
