Using Wikidata to Provide Visibility to Women in STEM

Abstract

Wikidata is an open knowledge base that stores structured linked data. It contains over 58 million items ("Wikidata:Statistics," n.d.), but its data reveal a noticeable and prevalent gender disparity. In an effort to contribute to the growth and enhancement of women entries in Wikidata, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Library and the University of Ottawa Library collaborated to embark on pilot projects that broaden the representation and enhance the visibility of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In this article, we share the methods used at both institutions for collecting faculty data, batch ingesting data using external tools, as well as mapping archival data to existing Wikidata properties. We also discuss the challenges faced during the pilot projects.