Editorial
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This edition of WISENet brings together different worlds.
Firstly, we bring together the worlds of female scientists: Year 9 schoolgirls
from Newcastle, NSW; early-career winner of the Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless
and Female Women of Science award, Tu’uhevaha Kaitu’u-Lino; CSIRO’s Cathy
Foley – physicist, scientist, wife, mother, manager and scout leader; and we
recommend a re-read of Ruth Lechte’s stories now that she is ‘retired?’.
Secondly, we bring together the worlds of science acronyms that pack a punch:
UNESCO, PORTIA, EQUALITECH, TWOWS, CSIRO, AGPEST. All extend invitations to
WISENet to be involved in science, technology and gender issues. It is up to us
to respond. Of note is the upcoming Chinese Academy of Sciences International
Conference: “Women Scientists in a Changing World’. Will there be any
representation from WISENet?
More involvement – leading to… It is worth heeding the words of Professor
Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a L’ORÉAL–UNESCO laureate who records on the UNESCO
website: like any new population, the influx of women into the profession is
slowly but surely changing the face of research. Women are bringing fresh
approaches and points of view which can only nurture progress. They are
beginning to influence the science agenda, thanks to a growing presence on
scientific boards. They are adding value to innovation, not least because they
bring ‘insider information’ on the needs and aspirations of the female consumer
to the development of products and services.
We can bring about the changes we seek – it is a case of self belief and staying
involved and connected to all the different worlds – and WISENet continues to
have an important role.
Anna Robinson