One Day National Seminar on ‘Increasing Participation of Women in Science and Technology’ held at KU sponsored by National Commission for women, New Delhi.
National Seminar on ‘Increasing Participation of Women in Science and Technology’ held at KU
Srinagar, March 28: A one-day National Seminar on ‘Increasing participation of Women in Science and Technology’ was organised by the Centre for Women’s Studies and Research at the University of Kashmir, in collaboration with the National Commission for Women, New Delhi.
The seminar witnessed participation from academics, scientists, scholars, administrators and students from different fields from various states of India.
Spread over three sessions, presentations brought to light achievements as well as challenges faced by women in the fields of science and technology.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir, Professor Talat Ahmad stressed on the need for change in attitudes among the society towards women’s participation in the field of science and technology.
The Vice Chancellor spoke about how smaller changes can be observed through the many conversations on questions of gender within the sciences.
“It is very important for policy planners and decision making bodies to ensure that those women researchers and scientists who after marriage take a break of few years for upbringing of children are encouraged to resume their scientific pursuits so that women equally continue to contribute in the field of science and technology,” added Prof Talat.
One of the recurrent themes in the seminar has been about questions of under-representation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and the causes for the same.
Professor Anitha Karup, Dean Academics, Head Education Programme, School of Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore who was special guest during the seminar elaborated on her research of almost ten years.
She highlighted the statistics and pointed out how while women’s presence has increased rapidly in the field of sciences broadly since 1950, but, there are variations within disciplines like physics, math and engineering.
Her research pointed to the leaks at the level of doctoral research, where women seem to disappear from the system after attaining their doctorates.
Many other distinguished professionals and academicians such as DCDC KU Prof Neelofar Khan, Dean Social Sciences KU Prof Asifa Jan, Dr. Iffat Hassan, HOD, Sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy, GMC, Srinagar, Abid Ahmad, Joint Director Education, Kashmir, Dr. Muheeb Bhat, Dr. Irfana Begum, Dr. S. Jabeen, among others presented their views and opinion on the issue based on their personal research experience.
Speaking on the theme of the seminar Coordinator Centre for Women’s Study and Research Dr Tabasum Firdous said that recommendations were made during the seminar to consider designing more inclusionary policies across the discipline, as well as a need to celebrate the achievements of women in sciences, despite the hurdles.
Earlier Dr Roshan Ara Cordinator of the seminar provided the overall details of the main aims and objectives of the seminar.
Centre for Womens Studies & Research