Roundup: What's happening at OWSD for International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021?
February 04, 2021
OWSD is celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, February 11, which recognizes and celebrates women's contributions to science.
February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS), established by the United Nations in 2015 to recognize and celebrate women's and girls' contributions to science and technology. OWSD is marking the occasion with events and activities all around the world:
February 3-11
#IAdmire campaign
During the week leading up to IDWGS, OWSD is leading the #IAdmire social media campaign for the third year running. This campaign invites anyone to post on social media networks (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram) using the hashtag #IAdmire to tell us about a women in science that has inspired them. OWSD Executive Board members also contributed videos to the campaign.
February 9
OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards
The 2021 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Awards will be presented during a special Minority and Women Scientists and Engineers Awards ceremony on Tuesday, February 9 as part of the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), coinciding with IDWGS. The five winners from Ghana, Guatemala, Mongolia, Palestine, and Sri Lanka, were announced on February 5. The awards ceremony will take place from 8-9 pm UTC, and can be livestreamed by those who register for a AAAS Annual Meeting Public Event Passport; a networking session will follow from 9-10 pm UTC. RSVP for the networking session is requested and can be made at 2021 Annual Meeting (confex.com).
Publication of 'To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive': excerpt from the UNESCO science report
With the increasing automatization of jobs in what is termed the Fourth Industrial Revolution, women are at greater risk than men of being replaced by machines; according to UN predictions, women will lose five jobs for every one gained in this transition, while men will lose three jobs for every one gained. OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers and other authors explore what this means, and how to make sure women and girls are equally benefitting from advances, in a chapter excerpted from the UNESCO science report. 'To be smart, the digital revolution will need to be inclusive' was published online February 9. From diversity in the tech sector to global trends in higher education and research, the chapter outlines why women risk being excluded from the Fourth Industrial Revolution and what steps can be taken now to avoid this. The chapter is also available in French.
TV interview on Italian regional news network Telequattro
OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers was interviewed by TV channel Telequattro, which airs in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, about the challenges facing women in science in developing countries, and why and how OWSD provides them support. The 25-minute interview aired on February 9 on programme Trieste in Diretta.
Article in Il Piccolo about OWSD and the 2021 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award winners
The Trieste, Italy newspaper Il Piccolo interviewed OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers as well as 2021 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award winner Marian Asantewah Nkansah from Ghana about what the Awards mean to women scientists in developing countries, as well as about OWSD in general. The article, 'Cinque scienzata premiate a Trieste per le loro richerche', appeared in the February 9 print edition of the newspaper, which serves OWSD's host city.
February 11
UNESCO webinar and panel discussion on 'Women scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19'
An online event organized by UNESCO for IDWGS will highlight women at the center of the pandemic, as well as call attention to its effects on the careers of women in STEM. UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay will introduce the event, which consists of a webinar with presentations by four women scientists leading efforts to fight the virus, followed by a panel discussion about the impact of the pandemic on women in STEM careers. OWSD President Jennifer Thomson will participate as a panel member, discussing the results of OWSD's member survey about how COVID has affected them. The event will take place from 1 pm-3 pm Paris time (UTC+1). Register here to take part in this event; simultaneous translation will be available in both English and French.
OWSD Southern Africa Zoom event on 'Uniting women and girls in science during the COVID-19 pandemic'
Several National Chapters as well as members of other countries in Southern Africa have joined hands on the occasion of IDWGS to organize a Zoom event around the theme of 'Uniting women and girls in science during the COVID-19 pandemic.' National Chapters in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana and Zimbabwe, as well as members in Lesotho, will come together to connect with each other and celebrate being women in science, especially during the pandemic that has presented new challenges. The event will be held on Thursday, February 11, from 9 am-1 pm Central African Time (UTC+2). Register on Zoom to participate.
Presentation to the Associazione Imprenditrici e Donne Dirigenti d'Azienda (AIDDA)
On the IDWGS, OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers will speak to the Trieste chapter of the Italian Associazione Imprenditrici e Donne Dirigenti d'Azienda (AIDDA), an assocation of women entrepreneurs and business executives with the objective of uniting women in leadership roles in the Italian economic system and providing them with tools and services to grow, train and establish themselves in the professional and the social context. In addition to presenting OWSD, she will also discuss with them best practices and lessons learned regarding how to help members add value through training and development.
News segment on Italian national news programme TGR Leonardo
A two-minute segment on OWSD and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic aired February 11 on the Italian news programme TGR Leonardo, which is broadcast nationally on channel Rai 3. The broadcast included interviews with OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers and Communications officer Erin Johnson about how the pandemic has affected OWSD fellows and members, as well as OWSD's ability to carry out its programmes.
Article in Huffington Post Italia
An article published February 11 in Huffington Post Italia, authored by OWSD Ambassador Alberto Quadrio Curzio, explains the reasons and motivation behind recognizing IDWGS, and why the 'glass ceiling' still persists in science, with a spotlight on the role of OWSD in helping to remove barriers for women in science in developing countries, as well as insights from Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. 
Article in Il Piccolo featuring OWSD
OWSD Coordinator Tonya Blowers was interviewed for the second time in one week by Trieste, Italy-based newspaper Il Piccolo (see above for the first article published), for a feature on women in science to highlight IDWGS. She underlined the importance of gender equality in science, globally and particularly in developing countries, gave an introduction to OWSD programmes, and explained OWSD's history as a part of Trieste.
