Gender and STEM issues, the commitment of the Women and Technology Association in supporting the European project HYPATIA.
The reality founded by Gianna Martinengo at the forefront to support girls in choosing scientific professions
Milan, June 29, 2016 - Who said that, for teenagers, even Italian ones, there are no study and professional opportunities in the field of STEM, that is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics? Gender roles do not exist in nature, they are a "prefabricated" construct of Western society: it's time for education and industry to take this fact into account and open the doors of opportunities to girls. Of course, a change in mindset is needed, which must be adequately supported. With this noble intent, the European project HYPATIA was recently launched in Italy, presented by the National Museum of Science and Technology (the leading Italian partner). The project's goal is to create, also in our country, a hub dedicated to "Gender and STEM" topics involving science museums, teachers, students, research institutes, companies, foundations, and associations with experts on gender issues. All of this in dialogue with the other 13 European hubs.
The Women and Technologies Association, led by President Maria Luisa Nolli and founded by Gianna Martinengo, has strongly adhered to the initiative, which will result in a communication campaign titled "Expect Everything" and in the preparation of kits for stakeholders, to be then proposed to the students. The project aims to reach 50,000 teachers and more than 250,000 young people.
Commitment to gender and technology themes
The Women and Technologies Association has always supported initiatives aimed at promoting the role of women in the broader scientific world: these insights date back a long time. Just think that the Founder, Gianna Martinengo, entrepreneur and President of Didael KTS, had the intuition to address gender issues starting in 1999. She herself recounts: "The world of excellence cannot have gender connotations. Every day we have testimonies of women who stand out in their reference areas: areas that are not necessarily linked only to literary knowledge, but that range from engineering, to astrophysics, to chemistry. With this certainty, and with the desire to 'make a system' and promote the enhancement of female talents, in 2009 I thought of creating the Association. The combination of Women and Technologies has proven to be successful and every year, with the Technovisionary award, we give voice and tell the most beautiful experiences of female management to all media. For all these reasons, we can only applaud the birth of the hub, which we wish to support with enthusiasm, thanks to the commitment of all our members".
Ongoing projects of the Women and Technologies Association
Many - more than 60 - are the projects that the Association has conceived or shared over the years. Among these, the portal Women in Science, http://www.donnenellascienza.it which was created (Ministry of Education, University and Scientific Research Announcement. Directorial Decree 26 June 2012 no. 369; project lasted from 2012 to 2014) with an educational purpose and perfectly aligns with the intentions of the HYPATIA project. "It is -" explains Martinengo " a space where teachers can draw on content related to prominent female figures from antiquity and the contemporary era, stories of great women who have distinguished themselves especially in the scientific field. Among these, and not coincidentally, stands out Ipazia of Alexandria".
Also to be remembered are the annual events (organized since 2010) "FutureCamp Europe: job projects for young people", meetings in which very young people are provided with information - in the form of interactive experiences - on the professions of the future, especially in the STEM field. The next edition will take place on September 29th in Milan.
The Association also adheres to the manifesto "FWIS-For Women In Science" ( http://www.fwis.fr/?locale=en ), promoted by L'Oreal-Unesco, to promote a greater presence of women in science, in preparation for the IX European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education, to be held in Paris in September.
In 2013 Gianna Martinengo, then President of the Association of Women and Technologies, had the opportunity to address the theme "Women and ICT" at the ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) Committee of the European Parliament, during a public hearing. Title of her presentation, "Smart people for Smart cities". Here is the link to the video of the presentation https://prezi.com/sobx6mtqfzeh/smart-people-for-smart-cities/
The partners of the HYPATIA project
National Museum of Science and Technology (coordinator for Italy), NEMO Science Centre in Amsterdam, The Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem, Experimentarium in Copenhagen, Universcience in Paris, University of Copenhagen, the network of museums Ecsite (European Network of Science Centers and Museums), and the companies BureoQ, PPG, and L’Oréal Foundation.
The third partners: ASDC the UK Association of Science and Discovery Centres in Great Britain, CPS Center for the Promotion of Science in Serbia, Experyment in Poland, La Caixa Foundation in Spain, Noesis Science Centre in Greece, Science Centre AHHAA in Estonia, SCN ScienceCenter-Network in Austria, Science Gallery Dublin in Ireland, Teknikens Hus in Sweden.
