ACT - WISENET
Anna Robinson
ACT Convener, WISENET
In the ACT, WISENET lunches have resumed. Members and friends meet for a get-together on a Wednesday, every two months, at 1.00 pm at the As You Like It, the Street Theatre Café near the ANU. The lunches are proving to be a congenial format for networking, exchanging information and keeping in touch with updates on a wide range of social, political, financial and professional issues.
Particular points of interest under discussion:
Dealing with breaks in professional development. With the changing focus
from tenured to contractual employment, our expensive specialised training
and education is not lost and often a break spent in another pursuit can
provide renewed impetus to a jaded career path. How can we get this across
to the scientific community?
Breaking new ground by offering scientific placements for a specific project
rather than a professional position. eg A lot of women could fit in short
term projects around family demands if the project could be done some
evenings and weekends instead of in business hours. Many scientists work
such hours anyway – so why not? Because grants don’t cover such a scheme.
So why don’t we consider lobbying the funding bodies to see if this could be
changed?
Sexual harassment problems. (still, unfortunately.) Perhaps it is time to
deal with sexuality in the work-place in a different way. Can the men help?
Child-care – its cost vs. value
Assertiveness. There seems to be a dichotomy that while men can be
bad-tempered, demanding and overbearing which is acceptable in the
workplace, a woman is considered 'difficult' or 'hard' unless she is pliant
and compliant. Is it time to insist on more professional conduct by ALL
towards ALL at ALL times - women and men - some people will definitely need
to be retrained!
Introduction to the Academy of Science website: www.science.org.au/scientists Lots of interesting things there for women scientists – please do have a look.
In between we share a lot of laughs about how we want to stay in science
because we love it despite all the setbacks... and about where our projects
lead... and how we can be more constructive and communicative.
Apart from forming new friendships, some good suggestions have also been proposed.
(a)
Could WISENET start applying for funds to send newly qualified or
qualifying scientific women to conferences or meetings that have more than
just a scientific focus; ie to provide the opportunity to engage in a broader
arena earlier in their careers. Encourage a voice to be heard in that
cacophony of decision making that is politics and policy! Science meets
Parliament Day for example.
(b) Continue representation at as many public fora as possible. My own participation at the Australian Society for Medical Research Expo at the Canberra Centre during Australian Medical Research Week proved that the public really loves and supports scientific achievement and advancement. However many people would like to know more about it, have more consultation and involvement – but without necessarily having to be a scientist first.
There's clearly a place for WISENET here in the ACT and members are making
time in their busy schedules to get together. If you are in town, please do
come along. Our next lunch is planned for August 15th and I would
be happy to provide further details on request.
email address:
anna.robinson@bigpond.com.