Communication with members is maintained through the WISENET Journal and by electronic mall.
Currently the website is attached to the University of Technology, Sydney, and has not been maintained or updated for some time. Discussions occurred with CSIRO, with Dr Margaret Chan of Sydney University and Dr Sue Stocklmayer of ANU, each of whom offered assistance with establishing a new website. Meanwhile an offer was received from Macquarie University to host a website for WISENET as part of the University's on-going policy of supporting women and supporting science. WISENET has accepted the Macquarie University offer with thanks. WISENET wrote in 1997 to both the Minister for Science and the Minister for Women's Affairs on the subject of women in science. A letter on the subject from Diana Temple was published in "Campus Review", in 1997.
WISENET maintains its affiliation with FASTS (Federal Association of Australian Scientific and technological Societies), with WIP (Women into Politics) and with CAPOW, which has lost its federal funding. Through FASTS we can associate with lobbying government and other powers, and gain information on other scientific societies. WIP in 1997 ran a successful series of political lectures in NSW Parliament House; Diana Temple for WISENET chaired one of these evening events.
Canberra ACT.
Dr Margaret Hartley has been for a number of years WISENET's Canberra representative. Margaret has moved to Sydney; we thank her for all her good work there and for her continuing involvement with WISENET. Dr Susan Stocklmayer, of the Centre for Public Awareness of Science at the Australian National University, has agreed to become WISENET's Public Officer (for Incorporation) and to represent WISENET in Canberra.
Round Table Meeting of women's organisations, 1997. This annual meeting convened by the federal Office of the Status of Women at Parliament House Canberra was attended by Sue Stocklmayer, who wrote of this meeting in Journal number 45 of November last. The Round Table topics concern women generally and there were no specific items related to science; it was stressed that women's groups do not lobby government effectively. Sue has been nominated again to represent WISENET at the 1998 Round Table.
Forum on Science Careers, hosted by FASTS and the National Tertiary Education Union in Canberra, invited WISENET's participation; in this capacity Sue StockImayer chaired a session at the Forum.
Central link team - Sydney.
Science Futures. Much of the energy of the Sydney group has been expended on producing this careers magazine.
Meeting of Sydney group at North Sydney Boys' High School, October 1997. The meeting, arranged by Julianne Crowley, was addressed by students who had participated in a school excursion to Thailand.
National Science Week. WISENET was invited to participate in two National Science Week events in May 1998. A stall was set up and staffed by volunteers at the Powerhouse Museum, as part of "Science is for Girls" promotion. Science Futures was available to teachers with groups, and our posters, Their Brilliant Careers, were displayed. WISENET nominated speakers Cathy Foley and Soo Jin Nam who participated in a seminar panel. At the same time, WISENET set up and staffed a stall at Australian Technology Park Redfern, as part of a large Science Week event, Women in Technology. We thank all volunteer staff.
Scientist speakers. WISENET is sometimes asked to suggest women scientists to address school and other functions. WISENET members who participated in this way include Leeta Caiger, who addressed a CPS Union meeting, Soo Jin Nam for whom a talk to science students at a NSW high school was arranged.
Membership Secretary. Kirstin Heiland has ably carried out the job of maintaining the membership data-base and recording subscriptions for 3 years. Kirstin is thanked for her contribution.
Wollongong
The University of Wollongong Open Day in August 1997 involved WISENET's Wollongong branch. A poster display was compiled from WISENET's History of Women in Science exhibit plus our posters Their Brilliant Careers, and displayed in the Science Foyer at the University. The Wollongong group is to produce Issue Number 48 of the WISENET journal in July 1998.
Melbourne.
WISENET was invited to participate in ScienceNow, the science festival sponsored in National Science Week by the Victorian government and other bodies. Unfortunately it was not possible for Victorian members to arrange such participation.
Hobart.
After many years as link-person for Tasmania, Pru Bonham's mayoral-type commitments as well as marine science required her to unload some duties. Kirrily Moore, also a marine scientist, is now WISENET Link.
Promoting Science for Women and for High School Students. This is the title of the project for which WISENET received funding in 1997, from the Department of Industry Technology and Tourism, Science and Technology Awareness Program. A steering committee which comprised Julianne Crowley, Margaret Hartley, Sarah Miller, Diana Temple and Jean Hollis Weber, met a total of 15 times. Advice was sought from WISENET Links in each state and districts, most of whom replied with advice and offers of help. The science curriculum unit of the NSW Department of School Education also provided useful advice. Students in Year 8 were regarded as the appropriate target, in the hope that they might select such school subjects as to keep their career options open. A booklet was planned, comprising brief illustrated profiles of a variety of young persons working at interesting jobs 'm sciencerelated areas.
The subjects of the profiles were chosen from suggestions made by Link-persons and other contacts. They included persons of both sexes, from every state, representing many scientific disciplines and cultural backgrounds, educated at TAFE colleges and universities. Nancy Mills, a WISENET member formerly associated with our Journal and a skilled communicator, was contracted to research and write brief profiles of 25 subjects. Some of the profiles were trialled with classes at two different high schools, thanks to science teachers Ms Crowley and Dr Broadfoot. As a result small modifications were made and a teachers' kit of loose-leaf pages for ease of photocopying for class was included. The contents of the resulting magazine, Science Futures, were assessed by two prominent Science Teachers Association executives, and related to the national science curriculum.
Science Futures was distributed to every secondary school in Australia, for the attention of science and careers teachers. It has also been sent to many educational authorities throughout Australia. Feedback has been very positive.
Ms Julianne Crowley is to present a paper on Science Futures at CONASTA, the annual meeting of science teachers, in Darwin in July 1998.
Other related projects are planned, to make the public and particularly women, aware of and interested in science. Progress on these projects will depend on the availability of funds.