WISENET is Australia's only women's organisation for science in general, for the impact of science on Australian lifestyle and particularly that of women. It differs from specific professional bodies like Women Engineers, Women in Chemistry, Constructive Women and the Medical Women's Society.
What do members get for their (modest) subscription? We aim to provide a network of women who work in and/or are interested in science - science in its broadest sense, including social sciences, health sciences and engineering sciences.
WISENET is invited to represent women scientists on government bodies (the federal Round Table meetings, the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology advisory committee which reported recently). We participate in coalitions of women's organisations, such as CAPOW! which coordinated the Australian input at the recent Beijing women's NGO conference, and Women into Politics. We lobby ministers and other people in power on matters of concern to women. And we produce this Journal.
This thirty-ninth issue of the Journal is once again being produced with volunteer labour, after the six months' luxury of having a paid professional to coordinate, assemble and write much of the previous two issues. We have been the recipient of a small 6-month Operations Grant from the federal Office of the Status of Women, for which WISENET is suitably grateful. What a difference that grant made! It paid Judy Mackinolty for her administrative and editorial work on the Journal, and Jane Phillips for extra supportive work. Sadly, our application for continuing funding was unsuccessful.
An organisation dependent entirely on voluntary help is always
handicapped compared with those with professional staff, since
honorary office bearers have many calls on their time.
A chronic lack of resources and over-commitment of its voluntary
editorial and administrative officers has inhibited this organisation
from properly realising its potential in developing policy, undertaking
appropriate lobbying and liaising with other groups, as well as
communicating with women in general and networking with members.
WISENET needs more members. The membership drive planned by the Central Link Team incorporates a scheme for WISENET to go on line. As you saw in issue 36 of this Journal (December 1994), women are travelling the information superhighway. See page 20 of this issue for the latest on WISENET's entry into the World Wide Web, and page 30 for an item on former Journal editor Carrie Bengston's reseach.
If you think the contributions of its volunteer workers, who inspired its origin and its continuation, are worthwhile, you can show your appreciation in several ways. Help WISENET grow by renewing your own membership and encouraging a friend to join. (Our membership would double easily if each member brought in just one new member.) Write to us. Send in a note or comments or an article to the Journal. Be involved. If all else fails, and you have money but no time, donate!
Diana Temple