Diana Temple
The government-sponsored Round Table Meetings of representatives of women's national organisations held twice per year in Canberra have included a WISENET representative, who is probably the only scientist at each such meeting. But WISENET, with its small membership, cannot claim to represent all Australia's women scientists. (See report on p. 22.)
The idea has arisen that WISENET might become an umbrella for all women scientists, whose voices are not generally heard in government circles, to represent such women on national bodies such as CAPOW and at Round Table Conferences and other government forums, to liaise with government and lobby where appropriate, and to make representations on behalf of women scientists generally.
It is not well realised what a large number of women work and study in science or science-related fields. Our profile is low.
How should such an umbrella group best be organised, if it is to be useful?
To discuss these questions, WISENET held a meeting on 5 December
1995 in Sydney, to which were invited women scientists with a
broad spectrum of professional expertise.
A majority but not all of these women were members of WISENET.
They included Doreen Clark, immediate past president of the Royal
Australian Chemical Institute (who had arranged special meetings
to encourage women members of the RACI to meet each other); Renata
Egan of Women in Physics, a group formed in 1995 which was represented
also by Glenda Sandars, Lyn Morriss and Elisabeth Taylor (both
engineers from the Institution of Engineers women's unit) and
Jean Cross, who is professor of Safety Engineering; Jenny Thompson,
representing the Medical Women's Association; Ann Sefton, also
a medico and professor of Physiology; another physiologist, Annick
Ansselin; Wendy Roydhouse from NAWIC (the new National Association
of Women in Construction) who was unsure of her scientific connections(!);
Halina Motyka, a biotechnologist; Janet Paterson, a food scientist;
and a collection of regular WISENET members with chemistry/ biochemistry/
pharmacology expertise: Rosemary Sutton, Colleen Drew, Heather
Rossiter, Frances Edwards, Glena Ellitt, Hilary Lloyd, Carrie
Bengston and Diana Temple. The meeting was chaired by Sarah Miller,
who is WISENET Treasurer, a chemical engineer and RACI member.
After discussion and input from many of the women present, it appeared that all present thought an umbrella group would be a benefit. The suggestion of associate membership of WISENET was not regarded as necessary, but rather some form of loose affiliation which WISENET might coordinate. A proposal that consultation be held with FASTS (Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies) about ways and means of establishing a women scientists' liaison group is to be followed up.
WISENET should plan to approach specific women in scientific societies, some of whom attended this preliminary meeting, asking for input.
Suggestions from readers will be welcomed. Should we form a women scientist's umbrella group? If so, how? Let us have your ideas. Send them to the WISENET address or contact me or any member of the Link Team.
phone 02 9817 4941
fax 02 9351 3869
email dianat@pharmacol.su.oz.au