14-Year-Old Scientist Makes a Groundbreaking Discovery

From YahooNews:  14-Year-Old Scientist Makes a Groundbreaking Discovery

Maria Elena Grimmett is only 14, but she already has a seven-page resume.

The teen has become a highly decorated scientist for her research on groundwater contaminants. She is also the youngest author to be published in the Journal of Environmental Quality. Out of 30 finalists, she was awarded first place in mathematics in the 2012 Broadcom MASTERS competition, the national science, technology, engineering, and math competition for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
She also has a planet named after her because of all of her research achievements. Minor Planet 27410, discovered by the Linear Project of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, was named Grimmett in 2011 and is recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
And if that wasn’t enough, Maria Elena made history at the 56th annual Palm Beach County Science and Engineering Fair in December when all judges awarded her perfect scores—the first time that’s happened in the competition’s history.

Maria Elena specifically focuses on water, the contaminants in it, and how they can be removed. Currently, her focus is on the drug, sulfamethazine, and the ways that “Hypercrosslinked Adsorbent MN250” can remove it from groundwater.
“I really got hooked on science because the scientific method is a series of logical steps that can identify and solve difficult problems and help the world,” she told TakePart.
She first got into science in third grade, thanks to an inspiring teacher who was supportive of science projects. Maria Elena entered the school’s science fair for the next several years until it was discontinued due to a lack of staff and resources. But that didn’t stop her.
“There was only one science teacher in the entire middle school, and she didn’t think she could help all of us fairly, so that’s why it had to stop,” Maria Elena said. “I decided to continue on my own, leading me to the path I am on today.”
She was interested in the environment and water purification specifically because she had seen something curious happen at her house.
I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn.
“I live next to a golf course and I always saw them spray pesticides on the lawn,” she said. “I wondered if these contaminants could possibly get in the water table because naturally Florida has a shallow water table.”
The answer, she discovered, was yes. Maria Elena wanted to know more, but challenges occurred.
She needed a super-sensitive test for pharmaceutical contaminants at parts-per-billion concentrations. She tried to get into local research labs. But she was denied entry because of federal labor laws that stated she couldn’t enter a lab until she was 16. She didn’t give up.
Maria Elena attended water and other scientific conventions and eventually met a scientist from the Scripps Research Institute, who told her about ELISA tests that use antibodies and color change to identify a substance. That breakthrough allowed her to test pharmaceuticals and successfully finish her seventh-grade project. As one experiment builds on the other, Maria Elena’s constant research paid off.
In eighth grade, she discovered something that was an unpublished result: MN250, a Purolite hypercrosslinked adsorbent, has a high adsorption capacity for sulfamethazine and minimal desorption in distilled water. That means it could be a promising adsorbent for sulfamethazine removal from contaminated groundwater.
Her father, Dr. Michael Grimmett, an ophthalmologist, said that when Maria Elena first announced her scientific experiment plans in 2009, the family was split.
“My wife was very concerned that this extracurricular activity was going to take away from her regular studies and also interfere with summer vacation plans for the family since her experimentation typically consumes the entire summer,” Michael Grimmett told TakePart. “Maria Elena was just starting sixth grade at The Weiss School, which is an accredited school for the gifted, and the curriculum was challenging. Putting it mildly, my wife, Karen, was not enamored with Maria Elena’s plan.”
It was Maria Elena’s sincerity that ended up convincing her parents.
“I knew it would be a huge challenge, particularly since she had no lab supplies, no professional lab, no source of outside funding, no school coordinator to complete the regulatory paperwork for the Science Fairs, and no research mentor with expertise in water research.”
Michael Grimmett even cancelled a day and a half of his medical practice to drive his daughter to a national water convention in Orlando, Florida, for her to perform science fair background research. He also purchased laboratory-grade chemicals and ELISA testing equipment under Maria Elena’s direction for needed materials. The family has spent about $3,000 annually on her projects.
What’s next for Maria Elena, who is now a freshman at Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches?
More experiments this summer, of course, and she also wants to represent Florida at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize national competition when she turns 15, her first year of eligibility. She also hopes to meet the Russian scientist, Dr. Vadim Davankov, who, as she says, changed the entire adsorbent industry with his invention of hypercrossedlink adsorbents. The two have already corresponded.
Her dream, she said, is that “water engineers will be able to remove sulfamethazine from water around the world.”
Using her research, of course.

 

Take your blood pressure medication!

Spent most of yesterday in the hospital, where my mother was admitted. Her doctor had changed her blood pressure medication a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't doing the job. Unfortunately her doctor was out of town and a home therapist said we should take her to the Emergency Room.

Bad idea, as far as I'm concerned. Put her back on her old medication which was working, just causing her to cough.

Instead we brought her to the emergency room, and since she's old and deaf, this got her more stressed out and scared than ever, because they were all gathered around her shouting questions and wanting to run tests and I'm sure she thought she was dying or something, which sent her blood pressure even higher.

She spent the night there, and is still in today for more tests, which I don't think she needs but I guess since they've got her in there they want to get their money's worth out of our insurance...  she's in a private room which must be costing a fortune....

The reason for my headline... she was about 40 when she was first diagnosed with high blood pressure...took pills for a couple of days but didn't like how they made her feel....so she stopped taking them and tried to do the "natural remedy" thing.

Result, 20 years later she had congestive heart failure, and now instead of taking 1 pill a day she has to take 4. And has to go into the hospital periodically on occasions like these.

Moral of the story - go get your blood pressure checked, and if you have high blood pressure make sure you take your meds, otherwise believe me you'll wish you had, when it is too late...

Eight women Arab scientists picked in UNESCO Program

From the Saudi Gazette:  Eight women Arab scientists picked in UNESCO Program

CAIRO — Eight exceptional Arab women scientists were announced as winners by the L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science Pan Arab” Regional Program in its third edition here. The scientists are from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, and Bahrain.

The ceremony was organized under the auspices of Prof. Dr. Nadia Zakhary, Egypt’s Minister of Scientific Research, and was attended by key Egyptian figures.

Geoff Skingsley, Executive Vice President of L’Oréal’s Africa-Middle East Zone, and Dr. Bechir Lamine, Director of UNESCO Cairo office, were also present, according to a press release issued here.

The fellowship program, now in its 3rd Pan-Arab version highlights the crucial role women play in science and honors outstanding female postdoctoral researchers who present exceptional projects in different areas of science and technology.

Each fellow receives a grant of $20,000 and is empowered through this initiative to push forward her research efforts in the field of her choice. Since the creation of the program in 1998, over 1,300 women in over 100 countries have been recognized for their groundbreaking achievements and innovative researches.

Dr. Alia Shatanawi (Jordan), from the University of Jordan, will continue her studies on vessel dysfunctions among diabetic patients, while Dr. Heba Salama (Egypt), from Alexandria University’s Faculty of Agriculture, will further her studies on introducing new winter forage grass species to the Egyptian agricultural system and to investigate their yield performance and nutritive value.

Dr. Hiba El Helou (Syria), from Damascus University will further her studies on dental implants, and Dr. Lina Khanj (Lebanon), from the American University in Beirut, will further her research on traffic offloading in LTE/ Wifi networks.

Dr. Noura Bougasha-Elleuch (Tunisia) from the Ecole Nationale des Ingénieurs de Sfax (ENIS) will undertake research in the field of thyroid diseases, and Dr. Rasha Osman (Sudan), from the Faculty of Mathematical Sciences — University of Khartoum will advance her studies on Integrated Performance Modeling of Database Designs.

Dr. Reyam Al Malikey (Iraq) from the Women’s Science College at Baghdad University will work on studies concerning mercury exposure assessment in Iraqi women’s hair.

Similraly, Dr. Sumaya Abbas (Bahrain), from the Arabian Gulf University, will continue her studies in solid waste management in the Bahrain.

Prof. Dr. Nadia commended the FWIS program and said: “What the Arab fellows here have accomplished through their groundbreaking projects is a real source of motivation to their peers and the female population in the whole Arab region. This program is a lever for distinguished women scientists who have shown a true dedication to science and advancement of knowledge in this important part of the world.”

Initiating the ceremony, Dr. Bechir stated: “In this third version of the Pan Arab celebration of women in science, we cannot but applaud the efforts of women around the Arab World for their dedication to science and strive to advance new solutions in several domains. The program is successful because it is one of the few established platforms in the region encouraging women scientists to highlight their work and help them advance their research.”

Sandeep Rai, General Manager of L’OREAL Egypt noted: “L’Oreal has always been at the forefront of scientific advancement in the world. Our success story with the Pan Arab FWIS program is based on the substantial value this fellowship initiative brings to regional female scientists and their countries.”

 

Never get involve in a land war in Asia

and never agree to transcribe 20 hours of meetings from an Australian business meeting.

That's what I've been doing for the last 4 days...utter nightmare. Could NOT understand their accents. Making it worse were the bad audio levels and the fact that a lot of the people preesnt insisted on talking over each other from all around the room except in front of the microphone... I will never transcribe ANYTHING every again.

Anyway, so sorry to be MIA from my blogs.

The Elsevier Foundation, TWAS, and OWSD Honor Early Career Women Scientists in Developing Countries at the Annual AAAS Meeting

From PR Newswire: The Elsevier Foundation, TWAS, and OWSD Honor Early Career Women Scientists in Developing Countries at the Annual AAAS Meeting

Recognition of early-career women scientists helps to support medical research, build strong research cultures, and inspire a new generation

Five medical and life science researchers from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Basin today received the 2013 Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World for work that could contribute to life-saving knowledge and therapies worldwide. The prizes were awarded by The Elsevier Foundation, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), and TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, to build research capacity and advance scientific knowledge throughout the developing world.

The 2013 winners are being recognized for their research excellence. The prize includes US $5,000 and all-expenses paid attendance at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston in February 2013. The winners received their prizes during a special ceremony on Saturday, February 16th.

The winners are:

• Central & South Asia: Dr. Nasima Akhter , Center for Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka Medical College Hospital Campus
• East and South-East Asia & the Pacific: Dr. Namjil Erdenechimeg, Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences
• Latin America & the Caribbean: Dr. Dionicia Gamboa , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Department of Cellular and Molecular Sciences, Lima,
• Arab region: Dr. Huda Omer Basaleem, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Aden University, Yemen
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Dr. Adediwura Fred-Jaiyesimi, Department of Pharmacognosy, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria

"If we hope to solve the challenges that confront developing nations, we must help young women in science to fully develop their skills and energy," said Professor Romain Murenzi , executive director of TWAS. "The winners of this prize will be an inspiration not only to other young women, but to all scientists of every generation."

Dr. Nasima Akhter , one of this year's award winners, commented: "In developing countries, continuing scientific research is difficult due to lack of resources, infrastructure and appropriate support. For young researchers, especially women, it is more difficult to continue research without cooperation and support from employers, co-workers and even family members. The Elsevier Foundation award is an immense honor and an appreciation of early career women scientists from developing countries who are devoted to continuing their research despite limited opportunity and constrains. It will encourage determination, amongst a new generation of women scientists, to contribute more in scientific development through research using available resources and focusing on community needs in line with national and international development goals."

"These five women are pioneers," said Professor Fang Xin, president of OWSD. "They come from different regions and different cultures, but all of them are doing highly advanced medical and life-science research. Their creativity and achievements will contribute to saving lives around the world, and that is sure to inspire a new generation of young women to pursue their highest ambitions in science and other fields."

David Ruth , Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation, said, "The Elsevier Foundation recognizes how important professional visibility is to developing high-profile international scientific careers. Through our New Scholars grant programs we strive to support early-career women scholars with mentoring, research retreats, professional visibility, childcare, work-life integration and recognition programs. The awards for these impressive women scientists represents a cooperative effort supported by Elsevier, OWSD, AAAS and TWAS to build research capacity and advance scientific knowledge throughout the developing world - and what better place than the annual AAAS conference to raise awareness among scientists, policymakers, journalists and the public about the need to retain and celebrate top women scientists."

The 2014 awards will be launched on April 2, 2013 and the theme will be Chemistry.

# # #

Notes to Editors

About the winners

The 2013 winners, all life scientists, are being recognized for their research excellence.

The winners:

• Nasima Akhter , Bangadesh - Medical sciences
  For her research on foetal screening for congenital anomalies using ultrasonography and her introduction of the use of inactive iodide adjunct medication with radioiodine therapy in Graves' disease.
• Huda Omer Ba Saleem , Yemen - Community and public health
  For her dedication in the fight against cancer and for the well-being of women and children in the Arab region.
• Erdenechimeg Namjil, Mongolia - Biochemistry
  For her investigations of catalytically active antibodies with oxidoreductase activities from the sera of rats.
• Adediwura Fred-Jaiyesimi, Nigeria - Pharmacognosy and the antidiabetic properties of Nigerian medicinal plants
  For her work on the medicinal uses of plants, particularly her research on the hypoglycaemic and a-amylase-inhibitory activities of the extracts of two local plant species.
• Dionicia Gamboa , Peru - Molecular biology / parasitology
  For her multidisciplinary approach to fighting leishmaniasis and malaria, in particular for her studies into the molecular epidemiology of these diseases in endemic regions.

About TWAS
TWAS, the academy of sciences for the developing world, is an autonomous international organization, based in Trieste, Italy, that promotes scientific excellence for sustainable development in the South. Originally named "Third World Academy of Sciences", it was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the South under the leadership of the late Nobel laureate Abdus Salam of Pakistan. The Academy's strength resides in the quality and diversity of its membership - internationally renowned scientists elected by their peers. TWAS currently has more than 1,000 members from 90 countries, 73 of which are developing countries. It is administered by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and financially supported by the Italian government. (http://www.twas.org)

About OWSD
The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated to TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, enhancing their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to work towards bridging the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD uses its forum to promote leadership, exchanges and networking for women scientists as well as for discussions to assist in the development of national capabilities to evolve, explore and improve strategies for increasing female participation in science. (http://www.owsdw.org)

About The Elsevier Foundation
The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate charity funded by Elsevier, a global provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a focus on developing world libraries, nurse faculty and scholars in the early stages of their careers. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 60 grants worth millions of dollars to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the Foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. http://www.elsevierfoundation.org

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1zRxY)

Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering

This journal has been published once a year since 1994.

Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering

Editor-in-Chief: Kimberly D. Douglas-Mankin
Associate Editors: Howard Adams , Annie Canel , Laura Rendon

Aims and Scope

Designed as a unique and much-needed resource for educators, managers, and policymakers, the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering publishes original, peer-reviewed papers that report innovative ideas and programs for classroom teachers, scientific studies, and formulation of concepts related to the education, recruitment, and retention of under-represented groups in science and engineering. Discipline-specific issues related to women and minorities are consolidated to address the entire educational environment from K through post-graduate and on to continuing education. Included are explorations of feminist teaching methods, black student/white teacher interactions, cultural phenomena that affect classroom climate, and new questions to ask of science. The journal includes pertinent book reviews and "reports from the field" by women and men of color in academe, business, industry, and federal and state agencies.

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The science of missing women

From the Hindu:  The science of missing women

Policies that effectively preclude women from pursuing particular courses of study and professions are evidently neither rational nor scientific. Yet, gender discrepancies are most stark in the science disciplines, hindering women’s participation in the science and technology industry around the world, according to the International Labour Organisation. Women graduates are discriminated against in research openings in the United States, as per a Yale University study. In 2005, Harvard University president Lawrence Summers, a top-ranking economist and treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, provoked a furore with his highly sexist remarks. He argued that men outperformed women in science and maths due to biological differences and discrimination was not a barrier. That Mr. Summers’s successor was a woman of eminence, or that other Ivy League institutions have females at the helm, by itself does not negate pervasive stereotypes. According to the ILO, the Iranian government has recently barred women from careers in nuclear physics and electrical engineering. Chinese institutions expect women to obtain higher entry grades for science courses than their male counterparts. Moreover, women in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development region obtain more than half of all university degrees but their share of qualifications in science and technology is a mere 30 per cent. Clearly, it is wrong to presume an automatic connection between an open, democratic society and the realisation of equality of opportunities.

In India, the female-to-male student ratio in most scientific disciplines has been rising but women are still grossly under-represented in major scientific establishments in the public sector, not to speak of the upper echelons of science administration and management. This systemic failure to ensure the presence of women has a cascading effect throughout the S&T ecosystem and serves as a major disincentive for the thousands of capable women who wish to make a career in science. The total number of women scientists to win the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award has barely crossed double-digits after five decades. The landmark 2004 Indian National Science Academy study, Science Career for Indian Women, found that while most women scientists did not find it difficult to find a job, “many complained of gender-insensitive organisational practices and workplace discrimination, which came in way of their career growth”. Many also complained of gender-related nepotism and even sexual harassment. One decade later, anecdotal evidence suggests the situation is not much better.

 

OMG!

Never realized I hadn't posted in over 2 weeks!

Sorry, folks

Things have just gotten away from me the last week and a half...posting should be back on schedule starting this weekend.

Social Innovation: Women and Science

From JustMeans:  Social Innovation: Women and Science

Throughout history women have made significant contributions to science and social innovation. We all know of Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in 1903 for physics, and who then became a double Nobel prize winner in 1911 for chemistry—both prizes were for her work on radiation. However, women have faced and continue to face many barriers in the world of science, from lower status and salaries to having their work peer-reviewed and accepted.

Today, the salaries of women scientists with doctoral degrees are less than men. Consequently, there is less participation by women in high-ranking scientific field/positions. Moreover, even with men and women in the same scientific field, women are typically paid 15 to 17 per cent less than men. Leading companies and prestigious universities around the world are concerned about the continuous exit of women from science, social innovation and technology.

In response, a number of organisations have been started to combat the issues that may deter girls from careers in science. In the U.K. the Wise Campaign (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) and the U.K. Resource Centre for Women in SET are collaborating to ensure that industry, academia and education are all aware of the importance of challenging the traditional approaches to career advice and recruitment that result in the loss of some of the best brains in the country. Elsevier, the world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information, products and services, has recently published, 'Careers Through Leadership and Innovation: Inspiration and Strategies for Women', an academic title by Dr. Pamela McCauley Bush. It is a must read for all women pursuing or involved in a career in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Accompanying the book is a website that features case studies, with slides that can be used in teaching and bullet points that summarize critical points of each chapter.

Dr. Bush's professional background and experience makes her the best-placed author for a book like this, as she is not only a Fulbright Scholar but also a successful researcher and innovator who is recognised as an influential speaker in leadership and STEM education communities. In her book, Dr. Bush examines research-based leadership and social innovation principles to make them both real and attainable. She empowers her readers to build upon their own strengths and successes to discover and develop leadership and innovation skills, by providing practical guides that educate, encourage and equip readers to pursue leadership and innovation opportunities.

 

They dreamt to be scientists: India's pioneering women

From Unmid.com: They dreamt to be scientists: India's pioneering women 

Kolkata: Masquerading as a boy to get admitted to school or being rejected by the community for staying in a Muslim family's house to write her exams - they bravely fought all odds decades ago to pursue their science dream and are now top women scientists in the country. They will be the role models for thousands of girls keen to pursue a career in science.

The stories of 21 pioneering women scientists have been woven together in a book, "The Balancing Act", by the union Ministry of Science and Technology to inspire girls to take up science as a career.

The book was released by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inaugural session of the centenary of the Indian Science Congress in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"This book is to introduce young girls to many early pioneering women scientists in India. This book is about stories of their life and work," said Vinita Sharma, head of the Science for Equity, Empowerment and Development (SEED) division, Department of Science and Technology.

"The aim is to inspire young students to pursue careers in science," Sharma told IANS.

The initiative holds importance as the government had expressed concern over stark gender disparity at the level of senior scientific positions in India. Women scientists form a mere 15 percent of the full-time research and development professionals, said the government.

According to the book, one of the pioneer women scientists, Rajinder Jeet Hans-Gill, who retired as mathematics professor from Punjab University, had to dress up as a boy by tying a turban and wearing shorts so that she could join the boy's school, as there was no school for girls in Nawashahr district of Punjab in the early 1950s.

She graduated in mathematics from a boy's college.

Rama Govindaraj, an Indian Institute of technology (IIT) alumnus, was not allowed to enter the premises of a chemical company for a training programme as she was a woman.

"I was told that a certificate would be given to me and there is no need to attend the training as I was the only woman among so many men and was given an excuse that i don't have appropriate clothes. I asserted and told them that I could handle and wear whatever was appropriate and wore the only pair of jeans I have throughout the month-long training," Govindaraj said.

Manju Ray, a enzymologist at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, had to struggle to educate herself while living in a small village in what is now Bangladesh.

During her Class 10 examination, she had to stay with a Muslim family to avoid 8-9 hours of travel to school. She and her family was rejected by the community for this.

All the 21 women have inspiring stories about their struggle, perseverance, courage and success.

The book has been written by SPARROW - a trust set up in 1988 in Mumbai to build a national archives for women with print, oral history and pictorial material.

"The book is for young people eager to know who their foremothers in science are in India. There have been many extraordinary women scientists in India from early 20th century onwards," said SPARROW director C.S. Lakshmi.

"It talks about why they took up science. What was their childhood like? Was their family supportive? What was their contribution to science? What problems did they face? How did they deal with their problems," said Lakshmi.

According to the writers, the book is not exactly a book of answers but one that relates the stories of women scientists whose life experiences and passion for science provide answers to many questions.

The book is for those young girls who want to break stereotype images and knock at the doors of science with determination and courage.

"It is a path less travelled but nevertheless, a path already laid out by several others," Lakshmi said.

Kashmir, INdia: SP College hosts Women’s Science Congress

From GreaterKashmir.com :  SP College hosts Women’s Science Congress

 Srinagar, Dec 30: The first J&K Women’s Science Congress “Women in Science: An Initiative for Women Scientists’ was recently held at SP College here.
 Principal, SP College, Dr Nazir Ahmad Gilkar at the Congress highlighted its objectives and sought cooperation of all stakeholders for making it a success.
 Minister for Science and Technology, Animal Husbandry and IT, Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi was the chief guest.
 The Minister emphasized the need for the teaching fraternity to make science a general subject for all classes of society. “The Government is engaged in designing policies and programmes for the purpose, which would revolve around the development of science and technology,” he said.
 Ruhullah, according to a statement issued by the college, asked the Principal to formulate a proposal for popularising science subjects among all the enthusiastic students of the State.  Citing examples of various prominent women scientists including Madam Curie, the Minister asked the women folk of the State to prove their mettle in various fields of science and technology by taking up the science stream from the very beginning of their academic career.
 Earlier, former Director, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical Centre, New Delhi, Dr. Daman Saluja presented keynote address.
 While Director, CORD, University of Kashmir, Prof. Azra Nahaid Kamili presented the thematic address wherein she highlighted the role of women in science and the initiatives that are to be taken in this respect.
 Dr. Seemin Rubab, Associate Professor, National Institute of Technology, Hazratbal, and Srinagar presented the special address and stressed upon the introduction of mathematics as a compulsory subject up to the Higher Secondary level and also highlighted the need for encouraging girls to take up STEM subjects.
 There were five technical sessions on five different themes which included: Earth and Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical and Material Sciences, Applied Sciences and Social and Allied Sciences.
 Dr. Meenakshi Munshi, Director, DBT, New Delhi was the closing keynote Speaker. In her key-note address Dr. Meenakshi acknowledged the audience to the various DBT Initiatives for researchers in general and women researchers in particular.

Lack Of Female Physics Students Symptomatic Of Scientific Gender Gap

From RedOrbit:  Lack Of Female Physics Students Symptomatic Of Scientific Gender Gap

Image Credit: l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports – Your Universe Online
Only one out of every five honors-level physics students at UK high schools are women, and only 17-percent of female students apply for undergraduate-level programs in the field at universities, the Institute of Physics (IOP) discovered in a recent study.
Using information provided by the National Pupil Database (NPD), IOP officials also discovered that nearly half of all state co-ed schools in England did not have any girls participating in advanced or “A-level” physics programs during the 2011 school year, and that less than 8-percent of female physics undergrad students went on to become senior lecturers in the discipline, Elizabeth Day of The Observer reported on Sunday.
“By contrast, girls were almost two and a half times more likely to take the subject at A-level if they were at a single-sex school – a finding that suggests there might be an ingrained cultural perception in co-educational establishments that physics is somehow ‘not for girls’,” Day added. “Why is this happening? Is there some endemic sexism within the world of physics? Or do women simply not find it appealing?”
“It might be that the problem is embedded in the ethos of the school and that teachers are tending to interact more with boys who are more outgoing. There are all sorts of subtle messages that ‘Girls don’t do physics’,” Athene Donald, a professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge, told The Observer. “I suppose the way we portray physicists and engineers is as if it is not normal for girls to do these things. They are often seen as quite nerdy men in programs like The Big Bang Theory. They are posed as inarticulate and that’s not the kind of thing a girl is going to aspire to when she is 12, 13, 14.”
While Day points out that women do account for 55-percent of biology students, physics is far from the only area where the gender appears to be underrepresented, according to a December 18 story by The Guardian‘s Simon Neville. A new study conducted by the Royal Society of Edinburgh found that only 4.9-percent of fellows at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 3.8-percent of fellows at the Royal Academy of Engineering, and 1.5-percent of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) were women, he reported.
Earlier this year, the European Commission launched an ill-advised advertising campaign designed to encourage women to consider careers in scientific fields. While the video itself was dismissed as “offensive” and “insulting” for its depiction of women, it was an attempt to solve a real problem — namely the “large number” of female students that the Commission said “drop out of science, engineering and technology to pursue other subjects.”
“Female graduates are severely under-represented in the areas of engineering, manufacturing and construction, with women making up just 25.5% of graduates in these fields. Women are also under-represented in the areas of science, mathematics and computing, where they constitute 40.2 % of all graduates,” the Commission said back in June. “Furthermore, EU-wide, women make up only about 32% of career researchers. Most countries acknowledge that this is a problem, not only now but for the future of research. With businesses in many countries already reporting shortages of skilled workers, Europe cannot afford to waste any of its young talent.”
In the US, Dartmouth College is attempting a similar campaign, only instead of picturing supposed female scientists wearing short skirts and high heels, the subjects of the New Hampshire institution’s promotional video are depicted dealing with “the gritty reality of field work in Greenland,” Carolyn Y. Johnson of the Boston Globe wrote last Monday.
“The topic of women in science is an important and complicated one,” Johnson added. “Things have certainly improved in many respects. But even as more women are getting science degrees, women are still outnumbered by men, when you count the number who become full faculty members. The numbers are improving but remain far from equal in most fields — a National Science Foundation (NSF) study notes that in 2008, women made up a little more than a fifth of full professors with science and engineering degrees.”
Advances are also being made at some schools as well, including the Lampton School in Hounslow, England. According to Day, one-fourth of the female students attending Lampton study physics at A-level — a feat that science teacher Jessica Hamer attributed to the staff’s efforts to overcome negative stereotypes associated with the career choice and depictions of physicists in popular culture.
“We realized there was a dearth of girls, so we tried to get more speakers and role models to come into the school and talk to the pupils,” Hamer said. Day said that the impact of those efforts has been “noticeable” and that the female physics students she met were “extremely bright and enthusiastic about their chosen subject.” The gender gap in physics and in some other scientific fields may still be prevalent, but given success stories such as the one at the Lampton School, as Day says, “there are signs that the culture is changing.”