Compiled by Judy Mackinolty
Associate Professor Veronica James of Sydney University's Science Foundation for Physics recently organised the 12th science camp for children with hearing impairments. Over two days, 110 children aged between 5 and 16 dissected an eye, made an electronic quiz game, and began to understand how rocks are formed. They found that science can be fun and is definitely not beyond their capabilities, a common but incorrect perception about those with hearing problems. (Source: University of Sydney News, 17 October 1996)
A letter to the Sydney Morning Herald (27.11.96) from Warren Walsh of Croydon Park began a lively series of exchanges linking science and religious belief. 'Being born of a virgin means that Christ had to be a woman - Mary had no Y chromosomes so her offspring had to be XX - 100 per cent woman!'
Elaine Prior, of Mcintosh Securities, is the major analyst of BHP's performance. She began with a Masters in Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College, London. After working in the British oil and gas industry and with Shell in the North Sea she migrated to Australia in 1987. Macquarie Equities already had an oil analyst so she decided to concentrate on coming to understand not only the complexities of BHP but also the workings of the local stock market. (Source: The Australian, 14.9.96)
International Women's Day Week for Women will be celebrated this year from 2 to 8 March. In Sydney this will involve a march and rally beginning outside Sydney Town Hall at 11 am on 8 March, the Sydney Women's festival, a WEL lunch; 'Girls make your mark!' school banner initiative, various conferences, and Friday Purple Stocking Day. A leaflet from NSW Department for Women offers a series of ideas: Organise an evening for women friends to tell their life stories; organise a reading with women writers and/or women's stories; take your mum or your daughter to a gallery or a picnic or your woman boss to lunch; plant a tree in honour of the next generation of women; how about a women's sports day, or taking up a course in flamenco, tap or belly dancing, abseiling, art or arabic; etc. (Source: NSW Department for Women)
A motion from the floor of the Women Into Politics conference was received with acclamation. It read: THAT this Conference of Women Into Politics Inc asks the Prime Minister John Howard, Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley and Democrat Leader Cheryl Kernot to make a clear public statement, in the Parliament, that women's right to choose will continue to be respected, and that Medicare will continue to be available for abortion procedures, and
THAT this conference advises the leaders named above that women and women's organisations will not tolerate a return to men making decisions about women's rights and women's bodies.
Natalie Harvey, third year physiotherapy student at Melbourne University, was selected to represent her country in the 5000 metres. Lee Naylor (PhD Pharmacology) was a member of the 4 x 400 metres relay team and Elly Hutton (Science/Planning & Design) was a member of the 4 x 100 metres relay team. (Source: University of Melbourne Gazette, Spring 1996)
The majority of geology and geophysics students at the University of Sydney are women, including 80 per cent of the fourth year honours students. Credit was given to the part played by girls' high schools where geology is a popular course. So, too, were the expanding opportunities as geology is no longer concerned mainly with minerals but with the environment, computers, community law, business and education. (Source: University of Sydney News, 19 September 1996)
Joanna Campbell, aged 27, is site manager for the Lend Lease Interiors' refurbishment of the Australia Square tower. Joanna graduated from Sydney University with first class honours in civil engineering and has worked on the MLC centre, Theatre Royal, Darling Park and the ACT Magistrates Court. In the ACT she became President of the national association of Women in Construction. (Source: Business Review Weekly, 14 October 1996)
Professor Adrienne Clarke, School of Biology, University of Melbourne argued recently for the need to create a more scienceliterate society and more busi ness-l iterate scientists. The strengths of scientists-their acceptance of ignorance (as a starting point for finding answers), their readiness to challenge ideas and reassess interpretations and their open minded approach to problems-are vital to a society in which science and technology are all pervasive. She proposed thinking of a science degree as a first degree, to be followed by other disciplines or by advanced science and also to offer business studies courses to scientists at an appropriate time in their careers. 'It is the bringing together of science and business that creates wealth, and it's very hard to do unless there is a common language and some shared values.' (Source: Gazette, Spring 1996)
In the same issue, Kate Blakeley (BSc BE) a graduate from 1994 speaks of the 'uneasy alliance' between the worlds of business and science and their mutual mistrust. She points to differing aims and percepti ' ons and the need for working together to resolve some of these conflicts.
'if scientists could better quantify the risks associated with their research and if business helped them to analyse the potential ' benefits, then the collaboration would be easier.'
The Economic Planning Advisory Commission produced its report on Future Child Care Provision in Australia in November 1996. The task force based its report on over 300 written submissions to an earlier interim report and on wide ranging discussions. The report is available through Commonwealth Government Bookshops in each state.
The National Women's Media Centre issues a quarterly newsletter, is a clearing house for information, has resource kits for students, and is developing a Spokeswomen's Register for journalists to ensure more women's views are given coverage. It aims to promote a more realistic and diverse portrayal of women in the media and to work towards women's greater involvement in decision making and creative positions in the media. Contact: 107 Denison Street (PO Box 192), Camperdown NSW 2050. Phone: 9550 6734, Fax: 9516 3158.
The National Women's Education Centre of Japan has contacted Wisenet to arrange a mutual exchange of materials. The Centre conducts study, exchange, research and information programmes on women's education and family education. It collects material on women and the family from within Japan and overseas and provides it for public use. For readers overseas, there is a biannual English NWEC Newsletter to publicise NWEC's activities and the situation of Japanese women. Contact: Ms Hiroko Hashimoto, NWEC, 728 Sugaya, Ranzan-machi, Hikigun, Saitama 355-02. Japan.
If you want to receive this group's newsletter send details of your name, address. phone and Fax numbers, place of employment and field of engineering to Ms N Buchhom, 26B Valetta St, Malvern, Vic 3144. Fax: (03) 9518 5511. Plans for 1997 include social dinners and joint seminars with other groups of women working in male dominated professions. A survey of issues which may be career drivers was included in the final newsletter for 1996. It covered the part played by material reward, power and influence, meaning, expertise, creativity, affiliation, autonomy, security and status.
Some interesting facts emerge from the Global Media Monitoring Project which analysed daily newspapers and radio and TV news broadcasts in 71 countries. In spite of the fact that 43 per cent of journalists are women, only 17 per cent of women are interviewees. Men over 35 years of age are ten times more likely to be interviewed than women of the same age. Likewise, if you are a woman in an influential position between the ages of 18 and 34 you are half as likely to be interviewed as a man. Further. women interviewees mostly appear in 'other' stories, eg violence against women, child care. environment, arts and entertainment, rather than in 'core' areas of news. (Source: Media Centre News, Vol 11, No 1, April 1996)
Professor Mary O'Kane, a computer engineer, has become vice-chancellor of Adelaide University on the departure of Gavin Brown who has been appointed to Sydney University. She is chair of the Australian Research Council's Grants Committee and has a strong research and research administration background. Her own work has been in automated speech recognition in the area of artificial intelligence. (Source: The Weekend Australian)
The Strategic Planning Meeting of WEL has been investigating what use might be made of new technology to maintain cheaper, more reliable and more rapid communication between WEL bodies and to access more women through the Internet. (Source: Inkwel, No 3, 1996)
A group of WEL members has been very active to ensure that, unlike the meetings last century to consider federation, women will make up 50 per cent of the promised 1997 Convention to consider Australia's becoming a republic. (Source: Inkwel, No 3, 1996)
Gender and History in the Australian Constitution, ed. Helen Irving. Hale & Iremonger, 171 pp. $24.95. This collection of essays brings together the links between the pursuit of votes for women and progress towards federation. It includes historical studies and others which view the constitution from the perspective of gender, and as a failure in democracy.
More Choice for Women, statement by Senator the Honourable Jocelyn Newman, 20 August 1996, Australian Government Publishing Service 1996.
Vaccination against pregnancy.. Miracle or Menace? Judith Richter, Spinifex, 1996
Patient no more: The politics of breast cancer, Sharon Batt, Spinifex, 1996
Australian Feminist. Organisations 1970-1985, ed Emma Grahame & Janette Joy Prichard, Women's Studies Centre, Sydney, 1996 $28.
NSW Government Action Plan for Women, Department for Women, 1996
Contemporary Australian Women 1996-97, Reed Reference Australia, $39.95
When we all go to Nan's house, by Kathy Kituai, illustrated by Kathleen McCann, Institute of Engineers. (A group of children visit a far m and learn about the creative role of engineering in a wide range of situations-for 6 to 8 yrs.) Contact: Vesna Strika (02) 62706515.
Science historian Ann Moyal curated an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery last year. It included portraits of Sir George Currie, Sir tan Clunies Ross, Professor Alan John Marshall, Professor Baldwin Spencer and Mawson. Two of the female scientists included were Dr Sophie Ducker and Professor Nancy Mills. (Source: Facets, vol 6 No 4)
Constructive Women, an association of women architects, landscape architects, planners and women of the building industry, was set up in 1983. It aims to provide mutual support and networking opportunities for women in these disciplines and to promote the work of women, while not providing a list of women in these fields. It is not without its critics even among other women in the building industries, some of whom feel it is irrelevant or that it
detracts from existing organisations. The most recent activity of the group has been the setting up of an archive of Australian women designers' work in conjunction with the Stanton Library at North Sydney. (Source: SMH, Domain, 26.9.96)
Ms Joy Mitchell, a senior researcher for the ABC's programme, Quantum, was honoured recently for her "outstanding contribution in making science interesting and accessible to the public". She has been responsible for over 600 stories for the series. (Source: SMH, 4.10.96)
Anna Munster has constructed a challenging course entitled Gender, Technology and the Body which maps the double trajectories of the body and technology both currently and historically. It will be offered in second semester 1997 at Sydney University. (Source: Newsletter, Women's Studies Centre, October 1996.)
For the first time, the University of Canberra promoted more women academics than men according to figures in the 1995 progress report. In the year to March 1995, 14 female and 11 male academics were promoted. The report also reveals that the proportion of women academics at the University has increased 17 per cent in the last ten years.' The equity officer noted that the 'glass ceiling' for women in the general staff has risen from level 5 to level 7 and that promotion opportunities for women academics have improved. There is still a way to go. Of the total academic staff only 43.2 per cent are women, and only 33 per cent of tenured positions are held by women. (Source: Monitor, University of Canberra, April 1996)
James Cook PhD student Faye Cheal has won a three year scholarship to carry out research on the mayfly, one of the most common yet least researched of our aquatic insects. The mayfly is an important indicator of the health of river and stream systems because of its extreme sensitivity to disturbance of its environment. The scholarship for this fundamental study has been provided by the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation. (Source: The Australian, 2 October 1996)
Research by another James Cook PhD student, Ms Stobutski, has indicated that fish use sound and chemical indications in their search for reefs rather than merely drifting in the currents. Her research also found that some young fish can swim great distances - up to 100 km in eight days. Her work will be important in stock management and in measuring and predicting populations on reefs. (Source: The Weekend Australian, October 5-6, 1996)
How come a guy who has successfully reduced the funding of family planning clinics and is against contraception gets to say that abortions should remain illegal? How come old guys who will never be pregnant, who get paid really well, and whose secretaries have been known to remind them of their children's birthdays and send the present across a couple of State borders, get to make these decisions?
(Source: SMH, Whatever, by Kaz Cooke.)
Dr Vaille, senior lecturer in UWS Macarthur's Physics Department and a renowned astrophysicist died on the evening of 13 Nov 1996. She played an active role in Project Phoenix, the largest ever search for life elsewhere in the universe. She was also a pioneer in science education. (Source: Facets, vol 7,no 1, Dec 1996)
For the second year running Engineering won the Interfaculty Sports Shield at Sydney University beating Science into second place by 14 points. (Source: Newsletter, SU Women's Sports Association, vol 16, December 1996)
Donna Gibbs and Kerri-Lee Krause are undertaking a study of the language of the internet and seek your assistance, especially with the term 'cyberspace', now in common use but very rare five years ago. 'Many dictionaries do not yet include the term "cyberspace" or its relatives. Whilst people acknowledge that they have heard of, and even use the term 'cyberspace', few seem able to define it clearly. What does it mean? Was it used prior to 1984? What are its links with cybernetics or the cybermen of Dr Who? Is it common for the language of the net to be used with such imprecise understanding of its meanings?
'We would be grateful for any comments on these, or related matters, which you are willing to contribute. Examples of netspeak which could be included in a list of common terms and expressions currently in use, or comments about their origins, and the values and attitudes which they suggest, would also be of interest to us.' Contact Donna or Kerri-Lee at School of Education. Macquarie University NSW 2109 or email on cyber@ted educ mq.edu.au. (Source: Austalian Style, Vol 5, No 1, December 1996)
Sydney WISENET members met to send out 1996 at Sydney University on December 9. The proposal to affiliate with FASTS was discussed with end-of-year drinks. The group then heard an interesting account by WISENET member Leeta Caiger on her environmental 'Project Quack', in which volunteer groups from local communities were involved for a year in monitoring, under supervision of environmental scientists, water quality in creeks and rivers on the northern periphery of Sydney. We hope to include an article by Leeta about her work in a later issue of the Journal.
Congratulations to WISENET member Doreen Clarke, who has been appointed to the Higher Education Review committee, recently announced by Minister for Education Senator Vanstone. Its purpose is to report on Australia's universities. Dr Clarke, who runs her own chemical analytical firm (which she founded), is a distinguished scientist. a member of the Australian Science and Technology Council (ASTEC) and the first woman to be president of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Doreen was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 1997 Australia Day Honours.