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A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?

Published/Copyright: April 25, 2017
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Chemistry International
From the journal Chemistry International Volume 39 Issue 2

Abstract

One of three grants recently awarded by ICSU is to a new joint project led by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) and IUPAC, with the strong involvement of IUPAP. The project will compile evidence worldwide, including on trends on the role of women in science, to support informed decisions and provide easy access to materials proven to be useful in encouraging girls and young women to study and work in scientific fields. With the involvement of six scientific unions, UNESCO, and GenderInSite, this project constitutes a large international and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Mathematical and natural sciences have long and honorable traditions of participation by highly creative women contributors. However, the percentages of scientists who are women remain shockingly low and there is a significant gender gap at all levels between women and men. Barriers to achievement by women persist, especially in developing countries. This project will produce sound data to support the choices of interventions that ICSU and member unions can feasibly undertake. Evidence will include trends, since the situation for women continues to change around the world, with some negative developments. Regional information about careers, jobs and salaries will also be provided. The Joint global survey is planned to reach respondents in more than 130 countries, using at least 10 languages, while the Joint study on publication patterns will analyze comprehensive metadata sources corresponding to the publications of more than 500,000 scientists since 1970. Contrasts and common ground across regions and cultures, less developed and highly developed countries, men and women, mathematical and natural sciences, will be highlighted.

The new ICSU grants, each worth 300,000 Euros across 3 years, created three international initiatives led by ICSU Unions. Through this program, ICSU’s intent is to foster membership engagement by addressing long-standing priorities for ICSU Members in developing science education, outreach and public engagement activities, and by mobilizing resources for international scientific collaboration. In addition to the IMU/IUPAC grant described above, the following projects were awarded this year:

IUPAP-IUCr: Utilisation of Light Source and Crystallographic Sciences to Facilitate the Enhancement of Knowledge and Improve the Economic and Social Conditions in Targeted Regions of the World

IUBS-INQUA: Trans-disciplinary Research Oriented Pedagogy for Improving Climate Studies and Understanding (TROP-ICSU)

www.icsu.org/what-we-do/projects-activities/icsu-grants-programme/grants-2016-2019

Who’s Who in This New ICSU Project?

Lead Applicant 1

International Mathematical Union (IMU); Committee for Women in Mathematics Chair, Prof. Marie-Françoise Roy

Lead Applicant 2

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC); Bureau Member and past chair of the IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education, Prof. Mei-Hung Chiu

Supporting Applicants

International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP); Working Group 5 Chair, Prof. Irvy (Igle) Gledhill

International Astronomical Union (IAU); Women in Astronomy” Chair, Full Astronomer Francesca Primas

International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS); Executive Director, Dr. Nathalie Fomproix

International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM); Past-President of ICIAM and Officer, Prof. Barbara Keyfitz

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Chief of the Section on Science Policy and Partnerships and member of the SAGA Steering Committee, Dr. Ernesto Fernández-Polcuch

Gender in Science, Innovation, Technology and Engineering (GenderInSite); Director, Prof. Alice Abreu

Support

ICSU Regional Offices in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean

Observer

International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM)

Online erschienen: 2017-4-25
Erschienen im Druck: 2017-4-25

©2017 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston

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  2. From the Editorial Board
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  4. The First IUPAC World Chemistry Congress with a Latin Flavor
  5. Features
  6. IYCN: A Journey That Has Just Begun
  7. IUPAC Facilitating Chemistry Data Exchange in the Digital Era
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  9. Hero Worship in Words: Imitating the Grand Style of R. B. Woodward
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  11. Awardees of the IUPAC 2017 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering
  12. Neil Garg is the Recipient of the 2016 Thieme–IUPAC Prize
  13. The Franzosini Award of 2016
  14. A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?
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  27. Names and Symbols of the Elements with Atomic Numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118 (IUPAC Recommendations 2016)
  28. On the Naming of Recently Discovered Chemical Elements—the 2016 Experience
  29. IUPAC Provisional Recommendations
  30. Terminology of Bioanalytical Methods
  31. Nomenclature and Terminology for Dendrimers with Regular Dendrons and for Hyperbranched Polymers
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  33. Terminology of Separation Methods
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  35. IUPAC Standards and Recommendations
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https://doi.org/10.1515/ci-2017-0211

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Masthead - Full issue pdf
  2. From the Editorial Board
  3. Contents
  4. The First IUPAC World Chemistry Congress with a Latin Flavor
  5. Features
  6. IYCN: A Journey That Has Just Begun
  7. IUPAC Facilitating Chemistry Data Exchange in the Digital Era
  8. Nanomaterials—On the Brink of Revolution? Or the Endless Pursuit of Something Unattainable?
  9. Hero Worship in Words: Imitating the Grand Style of R. B. Woodward
  10. IUPAC Wire
  11. Awardees of the IUPAC 2017 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering
  12. Neil Garg is the Recipient of the 2016 Thieme–IUPAC Prize
  13. The Franzosini Award of 2016
  14. A Global Approach to the Gender Gap in Mathematical and Natural Sciences: How to Measure It, How to Reduce It?
  15. New InChI Software Release
  16. Project Place
  17. Database on Molecular Compositions of Natural Organic Matter and Humic Substances as Measured by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
  18. Integrating Green Chemistry and Socio-Sustainability in Higher Education: Successful Experiences Contributing to Transform Our World
  19. NUTRIAGEING: Combining Chemistry, Cooking, and Agriculture
  20. Safety Training Program
  21. The Silver Book and the NPU Format for Clinical Laboratory Science Reports Regarding Properties, Units, and Symbols
  22. Bookworm
  23. Engineered Nanoparticles and the Environment: Biophysicochemical Processes and Toxicity
  24. Compendium of Terminology and Nomenclature of Properties in Clinical Laboratory Sciences
  25. Making an ImPACt
  26. Isotope-Abundance Variations and Atomic Weights of Selected Elements: 2016 (IUPAC Technical Report)
  27. Names and Symbols of the Elements with Atomic Numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118 (IUPAC Recommendations 2016)
  28. On the Naming of Recently Discovered Chemical Elements—the 2016 Experience
  29. IUPAC Provisional Recommendations
  30. Terminology of Bioanalytical Methods
  31. Nomenclature and Terminology for Dendrimers with Regular Dendrons and for Hyperbranched Polymers
  32. Definition of the Mole
  33. Terminology of Separation Methods
  34. NOTeS
  35. IUPAC Standards and Recommendations
  36. Conference Call
  37. Chemical Industry of Sustainable Development
  38. Bioinspired and Biobased Chemistry & Materials
  39. International Carbohydrate Symposium
  40. Validation of Test Methods, Human Errors and Measurement Uncertainty of Results
  41. Where 2B & Y
  42. Chemistry in a Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary World
  43. Trace Elements Analysis of Environmental Samples with X-rays
  44. Ionic Polymerization
  45. Global Challenges and Data-Driven Science
  46. Mark Your Calendar
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