International Workshop on "Women and Science / Technology" Network in Asia

(1) Background and Aims

As the 3rd MEXT Science and Technology Basic Plan (2006-2010)emphasized the development of the Asian S&T community, this hints that the Asian network of female scientists and engineers will occupy an important position in the policies of Asian S&T development. The EU and the US, where women’s networks in S&T have already been fully developed, expect Japan to take the initiative, and are interested in China and India because of their
remarkable economic expansion. This program aims at strengthening the solidarity of female scientists and engineers in Asia, and promoting their friendship and the improvement of women’s social status.

(2) Activities for Establishing Our Network

In order to establish the network, it is important to discover potential human resources suitable for the program. We have carried out the following activities to find ideal people not only in the fields of science and technology but alssocial studies of science.

Lectures and Presentations at the International Conferences
1.Nov. 2005. OECD/SFRI WS on Women and Scientific Careers, Paris. (Ogawa:
The Present Condition and Problems of Women in Science and Technology in Japan : invited lecture)
2.Nov. 2005. International WS on Asian Women in Physics, Pohang(Korea).(Ogawa and Torikai: invited lectures)
3.June 2007. The 21st Pacific Science Congress, Okinawa. (Ogawa:Results and Future Vision for the Workshop)

Invitations to Female Researchers from Asian Countries
1.Feb. 2006. Dr. N. Kumar(NISTADS INDIA) (lecture in Ochanomizu Univ. and discussion with program members)
2.Mar. 2006. Prof. Lee(Chonbuk Univ. Korea) (lecture in Ochanomizu Univ. and discussion with program members)
3.June 2007. Profs. Cheng and Tsai(Taiwan)
(lecture in Ochanomizu Univ. and investigation on statistics and indexes)
4.Sept. 2007. Prof. Petchsingh (Thammasat Univ.)
(joint program with international exchange of Mie Univ.)

International Exchanges with Asian Researchers
1.Oct. 2006. ICU International WS “Body Knowledge and Gender in Asia” (Ogawa, Takarabe & Rikitake participated.)
2.Jan. 2007. Visit to NISWIST in Korea (by Takarabe: Research on Policies of Supporting Female Scientists and Engineers, funded by Chubu Univ. )
3.June 2007. The Australian Embassy, Evening Seminar ”Women in Government” (Ogawa and Torikai)
* Through these activities, we can extend the network of scientists and sociologists in science and technology.
* Invitations to Asian researchers have given us opportunities to study other Asian countries’ situations.

(3) Results of Activities

The First International Workshop 29 Sept. 1 Oct. 2006

Various kinds of presentation were given: Physics and Gender (4 members)、ICT Industry and Women(2 members)、Contemporary Situation of Women’s Participation in Science and Technology (3 members)、Policies of Gender Mainstreaming in Science and Technology(2 members), Women and Medicine (1 member )、Two days' discussion for statistics indexing, education systems, and gender policies as general themes were well-attended.

Setting up of our Home Page

In March, 2007, our network homepage was set up. It is indispensable for communication between members and sharing of information or for appealing to the outside of the network. It will be very useful for us to prepare the workshop which will be held in September of 2008.

Presenting our program at the Asian Pacific Congress

At the international congress held in Okinawa in June, the program head gave a presentation of our results and extended our network through the session on science and gender. As this session was held with links to the Science Council of Asia, we were able to find a clue to collaborate with public sectors hereafter. Such collaboration is important for us to collect the statistics in each country and inform non-members of our activities. (photo3: from front left, Prof. Lee (Korea) and Ms Hermawati (Indonesia), participants of our 2006 workshop )

Study of Statistical Indexes ――welcoming 2 Taiwanese researchers

We began to prepare for the 2008 workshop with the collaboration of two Taiwanese researchers in July 2007. Although in the 2006 workshop we had many themes, now we are focusing on the sex-disaggregated statistics of students and researchers in each country based on common indexes. We have realized importance of disseminating information outside of our network via our home page. In order to not only exchange opinions within a network, but also to increase the number of young scientists and engineers, a statistical foundation is important. Also important are activities to improve the public image of female scientists and engineers. These will lead junior school girls and junior high school girls to major in science and engineering and to enter careers in science and technology. From these points of view, we are planning both intensive discussion within the network and a public symposium in cooperation with Mie Prefecture Gender Equality Center, in which we introduce female pioneers in medicine and physics in Asian countries.

(4)Conclusion and Perspective

Our workshop was a first opportunity to collect together people who were interested in encouraging female scientists and engineers in Asia. Through this international exchange, we hope to support female scientists and
engineers in Asia and find themes and orientations by recognizing problems in common and areas of difference by:

1 establishing a statistical foundation;
2 promoting role models of female scientists and engineers to encourage young women to enter S&T fields;
3 appealing to the importance of female participation in science, engineering, medicine and agriculture, and contributing to the empowerment of women in Asian countries and to the elevation of women’s social status.