YOUNG WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SPEAK AT THE UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS CHURCH CENTER

(Side Event of the UN Commission on the Status of Women to Promote Access to Education, Training, Science and Technology during the Fifty-fifth Session at the UN Headquarters)

Although more women are being provided with access to science education, one of the largest challenges for young women today is to feel confident enough to pursue a career in science. And even though more women are being educated in science, they're not getting the same number

of jobs. Which leaves women wondering, what's lacking?

On February 23rd at the United Nations Church Center, over 20 organizations gathered alongside Women's Federation for World Peace International President Lan Young Moon and WFWP USA President Angelika Selle to hear four female educators talk about their approaches to empowering young, up-and-coming females on the path to pursuing a career in science and technology.

"How do women get the confidence to pursue a career in science?" asked Dr. Gita Bangera, founder of the ComGen Project and an instructor at Bellevue College. "Well let me ask, as we can provide access to education, how do we provide the pride?" Besides facing the obvious challenge of being a female undergrad or researcher, Bangera added, "Women have a tendency to undervalue what they achieve, which limits their overall potential."

Getting the right percentage of women to actively pursue a career in science is one thing, but, as some speakers pointed out, women hit a "glass ceiling" somewhere along their career. Speaker Lilly Lynn of the National Alliance of Taiwan Women's Associations, pointed out that in Taiwan there are 10,000 NGOs promoting economic growth, but that very few of them are promoting gender equality in science and engineering. According to Lynn, "Taiwan does not give much exposure to women in the field of science."

It is also common for science instructors in college classrooms to overlook their female students, making it a challenge for women to feel confident enough to continue their studies. "Some of my female students were unsure where they could go in the field of science; they weren't even sure if they were worth my time and effort," said Bangera.

To help solve this issue, Bangera created a research program at Bellevue College called ComGen, which is designed to get students doing hands-on research at a much earlier rate. It's also a chance for them to work on solving current and local environmental issues. "There is a sense of pride and ownership in doing research themselves and solving real-life problems," Bangera said.

In the program, students study a bacterium that protects wheat from a devastating fungal disease called Take-all that causes root rot. The results Bangera's students collect are later handed over to researchers who working on solutions to those kinds of issues.

Students are able to do the research themselves, using no textbooks or syllabus. Instead, Bangera is able to provide them with the opportunity to solve problems independently. Toward the end of their program, she also provides them with opportunities to do internships, network with researchers, and meet premier scientists—many of whom are women. The classroom provides a threshold for young women to pursue their dreams in science and technology with the support of their instructors and the confidence to move forward with their careers.

Lynn pointed out that techniques intended to optimize the potential of women in research is key to promoting gender equality in science, "Let's not forget it's not just women working in science who'll benefit, it's the whole world."