Tales of Five Inspiring Women Navigating Today’s Life-Career Minefield!

JST & La Recherche: Women in Science Panel
EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) Proposal, Leiden, The Netherlands 13 – 16 July, 2022
https://www.esof.eu
17h15 – 18h30, Thursday 14 July, 2022: Online Session.
Abstract:
As of 2020, women represent less than 30% of researchers worldwide, with well-documented bias built-in to a STEM career, top positions often beyond their reach and pay gaps, particularly for women of colour. Women have won only 5.4% of Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine, 3.8% in chemistry, and 1.9% in physics. Even in fields with greater gender-balance, the pipeline ‘leaks’ as women leave and more men reach the top.
Multiple barriers stymie the careers of women, particularly those that decide to have children. These include everyday work-place sexism, role stereotyping, devaluing, appearance judging, micro-aggressions and harassment dressed up as banter. The disappearance of older women at work is a visible trend. And in today’s pandemic, women are impacted the most, citing forced unemployment and negative impacts in mental and physical well-being and work/life balance.
Giving and Taking Scientific Advice: Mind the Gap

INGSA-Euroscience Giving & Taking Scientific Advice Panel
EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), Leiden, The Netherlands 13 – 16 July, 2022
https://www.esof.eu
15h45 – 17h00, Friday 15 July, Lorentz Stage.
Abstract:
This panel unites politicians, presidents of science advisory bodies and science diplomats from Africa, Europe and North America to examine how scientific advice feeds into effective policymaking, or not, as the case might be. On the one hand, we have internationally significant researchers making daily contributions to the advisory processes of governments and international organisations. It is as if ‘evidence’ comes seamlessly down a big, long tube. On the other, we have policy makers / politicians charged with procuring and applying science advice. In theory, they just must go with the ‘best’ and most ‘cost-effective’ arguments.
To start, we unpick how both science and politics operate at the boundaries of knowledge and uncertainty, but approach problems differently. Scientists question and challenge assumptions, searching for empiric evidence to determine better options. Uncertainty is part of the process. Alternatively, politicians need to take decisions despite the uncertainty. They are often guided by the demands of voters and ideology, or simply the funding they may or may not have. What is changing is that a third force is coming to the fore. Grass-roots citizens are no longer passive bystanders. The complex contradictions between knowledge and uncertainty, evidence and ideology are increasingly in the public eye. It is a high stakes game.
Tales of Five Inspiring Women Navigating Today’s Life-Career Minefield!
Latin America and the Caribbean Open Science Forum (Foro CILAC)
https://event.meetmaps.com/cilac21/en/landing#speakers
26 April 2021, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Abstract:
As of 2020, women represent less than 30% of researchers worldwide, with well-documented bias built-in to a STEM career, top positions often beyond reach and pay gaps galore, particularly for women of colour. Women have won only 5.4% of Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine, 3.8% in chemistry, and 1.9% in physics. Even in fields with greater gender-balance, the pipeline leaks as women leave and more men reach the top.
This panel discussion spotlights five truly inspiring women offering insights into their specific journeys in the world of science-related work. Interviewed by Mozambique’s first female science minister (now UNESCO regional leader for the Latin America & Caribbean Region), we unravel their personal and career anecdotes, while distilling their best advice.
The policy & practice of drug, alcohol & tobacco use during Covid-19
Science Forum South Africa
Still Igniting Conversations About Science
https://esastap.org.za/sfsa2020/
13:45 – 15:15, Thursday, 10 December 2020
Abstract:
This session brings together leading medical, policy and civil society experts to examine the late Kofi Annan’s statement that “drugs have harmed many people, but bad government policies have harmed many more”. Its focus is on weighing-up the ethics of intervening in the lives of addicted and non-addicted users of licit and illicit drugs.
This debate is timely given South Africa’s March 27 prohibition of all alcohol sales. The country stood largely alone in also banning the sale of nicotine products. Media attention worldwide was considerable. The public health logic behind, and repercussions of, these and subsequent decisions will be scrutinised. The pandemic has brought into sharp focus how societies worldwide both professes intolerance for the use of ‘drugs’, while providing and even cherishing the social settings that enable and make legitimate their use. Taxation, jobs, sectoral interests, culture and civil liberties all come into play.