|
|
|
Anna's Letter
|
To have been thanked with acclamation for my time as WISENET National Convenor at the 2006 AGM was a very special experience. I sat quietly afterwards and wondered how many people in the world are ever thanked with acclamation for anything – let alone for what was always enjoyable, rewarding and enriching. But then, of course, this is WISENET.
It seems a long time ago when in 2002, I felt a mixture of being overwhelmed but excited to be bringing WISENET National back to Canberra. I’m glad we did it – what an amazing experience. With an impressive cohort of intelligent, knowledgeable, witty, altruistic and insightful women scientists, we combined to address many WISENET challenges with much resourcefulness over the last four years. And you all seem to agree – with success. How did it all happen? As is typical of most volunteer-based organisations, we started with great goodwill and humour, dealing with frenetic flurries of membership renewals, paper chases, long lines in bank queues, serial emails and, three times a year, journal production, packaging and haulage! There was almost a ‘group therapy’ aura to those chaotic times but also much affection. Then with even greater goodwill and good humour we progressively transformed all that into the present ordered 21
st century system of communication and process. All very excellent — just rather quiet in comparison.
However it has given us more time to spend on other things. We updated the Constitution, invented the virtual–AGM, added new pages the website, represented WISENET in many public events and, best of all, successfully completed a journal rotation. So many original stories in our own words that comprise a precious record — lodged in personal, public and electronic collections throughout Australia, now including the National Library of Australia.
We continue to be active and interactive. In 2006 to date:
contributions to national and international issues through membership of FASTS and a very well attended Science Meets Parliament Day;
e-discussions facilitated by a listserver, topics including Larry Summers (who?), how publicly open CSIRO should be, and issues surrounding part-time work;
invitations to apply for positions in different areas of science (International Atomic Energy Agency, Rhode Island USA – tenure track, ANU CosNET Manager);
requests to participate (SBS Insight program on childcare, seeking representatives to speak at the Harry Messel International Science School, nominations for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to increase women scientists for the Scientific Reference Panel for the Living Murray, requests from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for information on whether women find it difficult to get good work after leaving the labour force to look after children, contact from Policy Research officer for the Office For Women in Brisbane for information; UNESCO International Report on Science, Technology and Gender to name just a few);
sharing outstanding success stories: Jenny Graves’ wonderful achievement in being awarded the 2006 L’Oreal- UNESCO Award for Women in Science; Gina Newton’s first publication in children’s literature with her story: Blossum Possum, and looking to the night skies at Minor Planet Baltuck, recently named after Miriam Baltuck here in the ACT.
Me too everyone. Delighted to share that I was recently nominated and accepted to be included in the
Who’s Who of Australian Women. I was quite surprised at the sense of gratitude I felt for the recognition – especially when the nomination was by a male scientist who has openly supported WISENET and been impressed with the way we have turned so many negatives around. I certainly hope to expand the number of successful nominations all over the place but please don’t just leave it to me. This is something we can all do for each other (for guidelines, see J66) – and the more the better. I can assure you that all good deeds are returned manyfold (…my bossy spellcheck insists I mean manifold – either, both, whatever…)
Somewhat incongruous is that despite this level of achievement, there have been so many male only or male dominated recognition factors in recent years: Prime Minister’s prizewinners, Federation Fellows and decision making Councils — where women have been conspicuously absent or underrepresented. I’m hoping this is a generational anomaly and will change as more and more women participate in ALL areas of science. At the same time we need to be vigilant and ask how such bias can still exist in Australia given the equal opportunity legislation that has been in existence for so long.
I will close with a concerning question that has been asked by quite a few over the years – is there is still a need for WISENET today? Does a separate focus on women in science need to exist anymore? Our membership suggests that the focus has moved significantly from one of need to one of want; one of prefer, like, choose, enjoy. I think that says we have come a long way since WISENET was formed as the result of those inaugural visions at the 1984 Anzaas Conference. With aims and objectives that guide us so well, I am sure WISENET will always have a reason for being.
Sometimes it is hard to appreciate when the best comes first – but I recognized it immediately in WISENET and have revelled in the companionship and collegiality that it brought. Thanks to Treasurers Karen Edwards and Julie Christie, Membership Coordinator Sally Stowe,
Journal Coordinator Haley Jones, Website Magician Alex Reisner and all Link Group Convenors for so magnanimously sharing this journey. And thank you WISENET for your confidence, trust and loyalty – appreciated always
|
|
|
National Link Team 2002 – 2006. From left: Sally Stowe (Membership), Haley Jones (Journal), Julie Christie (Treasurer) and Anna Robinson (Convenor) at the Hancock Library, ANU, Canberra.
Photograph by John Shaw |
