What is Women in Science?

Around the world, women are not full partners in driving the creation of new science and technology development that will define their lives and their children’s future. They are not even following the footsteps of the Nobel Laurite Marie Curie who has won this prestigious prize in chemistry in 1911.

In 1945, the United Nations (UN) declared equality between men and women to reaffirm faith in human rights. Since then, a series of national and international actions has taken place to empower women and eliminate discrimination against their access to knowledge.

Recognizing the important role of science and technology in every aspect of our daily life, women’s science education is essential to secure sustainable development. The status of women scientists in different parts of the world was reviewed, analyzed, and debated at length at the World Conference on Science (WSC), held in Budapest, Hungry in June 1999. Resolutions adapted to this effect stressed on the need for substantive efforts and strong commitments to make science and technology a shared asset to benefit mankind. The resolutions also call for "the establishment of international networks of women scientists".

In September 2003, UNESCO Office in Egypt organized a Regional Preparatory Meeting in Cairo as a follow up to the WSC and its resolutions. In an attempt to explore and debate the principle of creating a network of professional Arab women in the field of science and technology. The participants supported the initiative and established an Arab Network for Women in Science and Technology (ANWST) to encompass, acknowledge, and disseminate inventions and achievements undertaken by Arab scientists. ANWST has transferred its secretariat office to the BA in 2010 in recognition of the influential role of the Library in empowering women.

The first Women in Science Conference in 2007 (WIS 2007), was to complement the previous efforts, join hands with international counterparts, and share success stories to reach equal opportunities for women worldwide. The conference raised the following issues:

Education and social changes.
Universities and nurturing future generations.
Research and development, public and private.
Women in executive and managerial positions.
Libraries of the future.
Applications of science to benefit women.
A special session to empower the Arab Network for Women In Science and Technology institution to face formidable odds in a markedly patriarchal region.

Women in Science Conference (WIS 2011)

It is planned to organize the 2nd Women in Science Conference (WIS 2011) in collaboration with ANWST on 3–4 December 2011, at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt. The WIS 2011 will celebrate Madame Curie’s centennial Nobel Prize winning in Chemistry in 1911, as a role model for young scientists and researchers. Physicists and chemists from across the globe will gather to address the question of why have so few women followed in Marie Curie’s footsteps in science?The main aim of the conference is to empower women and encourage them to pursue their career in science and scientific research.

WIS 2011 is expected to contribute to the BA’s role as a hub where all ends meet and concentrate efforts to keep this issue of women empowerment in science and technology (S&T) alive by adding international exposure and publicize success stories to inspire and mobilize women. This is to maximize the human resources utilization in Egypt and the Arab region.

WIS 2011 will mark the first international conference held at the Library to raise the issues of S&T as the path to sustainable development after 25 January 2011 revolution. It is the Library’s role to raise the public awareness of the importance of S&T to build Egypt and the Arab World knowledge society. It is also the right time to have gender issues on the politicians and decision makers agendas as we are in the era of citizenship based on equal opportunities for all Egyptians.

The WIS 2011 will also raise the public awareness of the importance of S&T in general and chemistry in particular as 2011 was declared by the UN the Year of Chemistry. Through the conference sessions, speakers will highlight the capacity of science to secure sustainable development and create new jobs. Moreover, , agricultural, environmental and industrial problems can be solved and their output can be maximized through chemistry and scientific research.

WIS 2011 is anticipated to discuss the new diversity and integration of sciences leading to new interventions and discoveries. Our prominent key note speakers, like Professor Moustafa El-Sayed will lecture on the nanotechnology development and its impact on medicine, industry, space technology and other fields leading to the creation of new employment markets. Other themes will be tackled to demonstrate the importance of chemistry as a common factor in most of the S&T research work.

WIS 2011 Objectives

Honoring the achievements of Marie Curie in Chemistry, to encourage young scientists to work hard and fulfill their dreams.
Raising the public awareness of the importance of science in general and chemistry in particular as the means to secure sustainable development.
Encouraging young generation to pursue their careers in science and technology to create new jobs and open new business horizons.
Tackling challenges in scientific research and highlighting its promising output.
To tackle various obstacles impacting gender equality through education and career development in S&T to fully utilize the national and regional human resources.
Securing media coverage on all levels national, regional, and international to raise the public awareness of the urgency of empowering women through science education and pushing decision and policy makers to implement measures in this respect.
Enhancing the role of Arab Women in Science and Technology Network (ANWST), as networking is essential for collaborative work.
Discussing few of the latest scientific discoveries and their industrial applications to encourage young generations to favor science as a future career.