The Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences

November 2013

IANAS is a Network of Academies of Sciences in the Americas

» 23 Academies of Sciences and scientific organizations

» About 100 volunteer scientists from throughout the hemisphere working on IANAS programs

» The mission of IANAS is to strengthen science communities in the hemisphere and to provide an independent source of science policy advice to governments on key challenges.

» Water Program

» Energy Program

» Science Education Program

» Capacity Building» Women for Science

Program

SCIENCE EDUCATIONWOMEN FOR SCIENCE PROGRAMAnneke Levelt Sengers (US) and Lilliam Alvarez (Cuba)

Sources: Figure 2: UNESCO Institute for Statistics Women in Science , 2009/(3) The Role of Latin American Women in International Scientific Collaboration. Dr E. Margarita Almada, Dr Jane M. Russell & Shirley Ainsworth. IFUW International Federation of University Women http://www.ifuw.org/

Women in Science in the Americas

» Their careers tend to remain confined to the lower ranks of the hierarchy

» Women are still poorly represented at the decision-making levels.

» In particular, women’s membership in national science academies in the region is low - below 30%

» Women are not sufficiently included in international collaboration teams or publications (3)

IANAS WfS

Mission…

Eugenia Sacerdote , Chemist and Biologist Argentina

Ruth Shady, Peru

Full inclusion and empowerment of women in science and technology

» Goal To encourage gender equity among our Member Academies

˃ Appointing liaisons in all Academies and to all Programs, strengthening the network.

˃ With the support of the Academies, promoting the creation of national scientific groups addressing gender issues

˃ Advising and informing Academies and IANAS Programs about gender issues and posting resources on gender issues on web page

» Other strategies enhancing the status of women scientists… ˃ Visibility to oustanding women scientists in the

Americas with the goal encourage young women to think of science as they evaluate their own future opportunities.

˃ Recognizition to women scientits in different stages of their careers

Visibility The IANAS Biography Project“During the polio epidemic I set an example in Argentina by vaccinating myself and my offspring, after which I set about vaccinating others…” Eugenia Sacerdote Lusting, Argentina

“My parents made me feel I could achieve whatever I wanted; the sky was the limit.” Marla Sokolowski, Canada

“Science is about data, perseverance, discipline and often about love, and women know a lot about all this” Idelissa Bonelly, Dominican Republic

“Being a scientist does not conflict with feminine values; you can be a mother, a housewife and glamorous “Grace Sirju Charran, Trinidad and Tobago

“Science is not to be kept but rather to be spread” Deana Marcano, Venezuela

“The most important thing is to devote yourself to what you like best, regardless of the pay or recognition, because this will come if you do your work with passion.” Eugenia Kalnai, US

10 mujeres que lideran la ciencia en América Latina Margarita Rodríguez

BBC Mundo

Miércoles, 16 de octubre de 2013

Facebook Twitter Google+ Compartir Envíe esta página por e-mail Imprima esta nota

Son decenas y están por toda América Latina. Tienen en común su amor por la ciencia y una curiosidad del tamaño del Universo. Se trata de científicas que llevan a cabo investigaciones clave en diferentes campos, no sólo en la región sino en el exterior.

Recognizing women scientists

Academies of Sciences and the L'Oréal-UNESCO Prize in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala Mexico, Peru, United States, Uruguay

Fellowships for women in sciences and social sciences. i.e Mexico and Brazil

IANAS Prize for advanced female graduate student in the sciences, mathematics or engineering

Clarimar Camacho, Venezuela IANAS Prize 2012

Our next steps

• Strengthening existing national committees and creating new committees.

• Performing a census of women scientists in the Academies of the Americas.

• Promoting recognition of outstanding women scientists in the Americas at all stages of their careers. • Biographies of Young Scientists in the

Americas• Women scientist & Youtube

IANAS WfS Focal Points Meeting in Santiago with participation of ASSAf

“…in 1967…I almost had a heart attack when I found I was the only woman in the Department of Meteorology. Then I became the first student to become pregnant, the firstwoman to get a PhD in the Department, and the first woman to become a Professor…I note that since that time, MIT and the US in general made profound changes for the better that started”Eugenia Kalnay, Meteorologist United States of America

www.ianas.org