Women in Science: Three organizations working to promote women's participation in science and technology courses | technology

in World Sciences and technology, female scientists still face major challenges that limit their participation in these disciplines. The numbers prove it: out of every three researchers in Peru, only one is a woman according to the National Registry of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (Renaset). However, there are organizations calling for women's participation in scientific courses. El Comercio spoke with three of them.

We spoke with Más Chicas Tec, TezlaMag and Tinki Lab at an event organized by the National Council for Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (Concytec) within the framework of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which is celebrated every February 11.

This history, implemented by UNESCO and UN Women, encourages entities such as Concytec to create spaces to engage women and girls in activities and experiences Chemistry, physics and biology.

In this sense, 10 organizations were invited to Parque de la Muralla to promote women's participation in science and technology. Below we present three of them.

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It's about a Free software Targeted at girls and teenagers, it provides training on Programming and web design With the aim of ending the digital gender gap in Peru.

“Programming exists in practically everything, it exists in social networks and web pages. Then we We motivate girls to program and design pages So they can create a virtual world in their own way“, declares Fragie, the organization's representative in El Comercio.

“More Tec Girls” is part of the initiative UNICEF It lasts 5 months. During their training, students are accompanied by mentors and psychologists.

TezlaMag

This is the program that provides Science and technology workshops Especially for boys and girls from 5 to 12 years old. What is required is this through Fun experiences Identify various natural phenomena such as Electricity, magnetism and physics in general.

“Our goal is to be able to reach many children so that they know these phenomena with which they live. (…) So they can see beyond and expand their minds Learn more about physical phenomena“, says TezlaMag representative Lucila Menaccio.

It was one of the topics they raised during the exhibition ElectromagnetismWhere they explained to the children that it is understandable Manages washing machines, mixers, televisions and mobile phones.

Workshops, both online and in-person, will begin in April and require a fee.

Tinky Lab

This project provides Workshops for boys and girls from 4 years oldThey learn to design their own products, prototypes and games from home using techniques such as 3D printing, laser cutting, programming, electronics And more.

During the Feb. 11 event, Tinki Lab gave demonstrations to children and young adults about what the machine can do.

“here Children learn how a toy building machine can be more affordable than it seems. These machines allow, starting from a basic design that can be generated from a hand drawing, to become 3D and industrializedsaid his representative, Henry Sanchez.

The workshops they offer It is virtual and available for registration in both Peru and other parts of Latin America. As for the cost, some courses are free and others are paid. However ““We always offer scholarships.”Henry adds.

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Now, boys and girls also attend this event with their mothers and fathers to enjoy Women and Girls in Science Day activities. What were your opinions?

Monica ShabounianShe, who has three children, decided to take her daughter to the event after discovering that the Concyetc page was promoting a series of activities for young girls to get involved in science.

“But I'm an administrator It is nice to see that there are important women in science And they're presenting it here at this event. Above all, they give girls that space so they can find their direction“, refers to this newspaper.

for his part, Susie YarangaShe, the mother of an eight-year-old girl, did not hesitate to attend the ceremony after her sister mentioned it to her. She expressed her desire to do so Give your daughter every chance she can To discover your future interests and passions.

“The university was very far, an hour away, and sometimes there was no car, and there was not much access. And Our parents did not support us either, they told us that the man had to leaveThat is, they do. but Us to help around the houseOn the farm”.

Susie, who is originally from Huancavelica, commented that if she had known during her school days that women were also present in science, she would have wanted to become a doctor.

“I wanted to be a doctor, but I didn’t know if women could become doctors.”

Monica Shabounian The mother who attended the International Day of Women and Girls in Science event.

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Peruvian women's participation in science

Currently, only women are represented 32% of the total of scientific researchers in Peru, according to the National Register of Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (Renacyt). This means that Out of every three researchers in Peru, only one is a woman.

She says that although there are initiatives to integrate women into STEM fields, gaps and barriers still exist for women and girls. National Geographic In a post. He also points out that some of the factors that influence this condition are stereotypes and misconceptions transmitted in the family, economic inequality, lack of educational methods, and others.