Women In Technology - Friday Links - 17/02/2023

Hello everyone,

Welcome to this week’s Friday links!  In the spirit of the recent International Day of Women and Girls in Science and the upcoming launch of this year’s WIT Mentoring Program, we’ll learn about how to support one another, and ourselves! Read on to learn about women working in the field of sustainability, how to get involved as a WIT mentor, how to help those affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, and how to boost our careers and education with summer schools in physics and computing and a new camp for high school students!  Enjoy!  

Cheers,

Kate, for WIT SC

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

This past Saturday, February 11, was the International Day of Women and Girls in Science!  In the words of 10-year-old Anya Daneez Khan, “The reason we celebrate this Day is to make sure it becomes not a story about exceptional women but a norm that girls belong and succeed in science and technology.”  Listen to her statement on artificial intelligence and empathy.  

The theme of this year’s IDWGS was IDEAS (Innovate. Demonstrate. Elevate. Advance. Sustain.):  Bringing everyone forward for sustainable and equitable development.  Here are some stories about why sustainability is particularly relevant for women, and what some women around the world are doing to take on the challenge.  

• How gender inequality and climate change are interconnected.  "The climate crisis is not “gender neutral”. Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change, which amplifies existing gender inequalities and poses unique threats to their livelihoods, health, and safety."
• Meet five women who are using science to help save the planet.  
• Women in green.  A series of interviews by WIPO GREEN, asking female innovators and green entrepreneurs about their inventions, the development of their business, and their experiences in the eco-friendly technology and innovation field.

Dr Jess Wade: writing female scientists into Wikipedia, one page at a time.  Wikipedia is the first source that many use to find out more about someone, but there's a huge problem - many notable women in science are simply not there. In fact, only about 19% of Wikipedia biographies are of women. Dr Jess Wade is on a mission to change this. In her day job, she's an Imperial College Research Fellow investigating new materials for electronic devices that will make them more efficient and sustainable. She's also a champion for diversity in science. In the last four years, she's written 1,800 wikipedia biographies for women and people from other underrepresented groups to tell the stories of their contributions to science.  

WIT celebrated #IDWGS on our social media accounts by showcasing a wonderful array of women working at CERN, and asking them: “What advice would you give to your younger self?”  We received lots of supportive and encouraging advice from our featured women in STEM, and lots of great pictures highlighting what we love the most about our jobs.  If you missed it, you can check out our posts on Instagram (@wit.cern) or LinkedIn.  

WIT Mentoring Program 2023

Speaking of career advice, are you searching for some supportive guidance as you start your career?  Or are you perhaps more advanced in your career and looking for a way to give back to the CERN community?  Then please join us for the WIT Mentoring Program 2023 information meeting on Tuesday, February 21 at 12:30.  We'll talk about the benefits of mentoring, how to get involved, what to expect as a mentee or as a mentor in our program and you will have a chance to ask your questions and clarify any doubts that you might have.  This is a great chance to get all the information you need to get started in your mentoring journey.  We look forward to seeing you there!  If you’d like to learn more about the program in advance, please visit our WIT Mentoring site.  

Do you want to learn more about the benefits of mentoring?  Have a look at these stories: 

• Why science needs strong mentors.  Scientist mentors describe how supporting junior colleagues alongside many other responsibilities is a true labour of love.
• The secret to STEM diversity may lie in peer mentorship.  A new paper shows that when first-year female STEM students are mentored by student peers, the positive ripple effect lasts throughout their undergraduate years and into their postgraduate lives, enhancing the mentee's subjective experience as well as objective academic outcomes.
• Three research-based lessons to improve your mentoring.  "When mentors help their trainees flourish, it not only manifests in a more productive scientific environment; it is also the most rewarding aspect of the job.”

Fundraising for Türkiye & Syria earthquake relief

The CERN Staff Association has organised a collection to support those affected by the earthquake in Türkiye & Syria.  The funds raised will be given to Médecins Sans Frontières.  To donate, please use the following bank details: 

Bank account holder: Association du personnel CERN - 1211 GENEVA 23 
Account number: 279-HU106832.1
IBAN: CH85 0027 9279 HU10 6832 1
BIC: UBSWCHZH80A
Please mention: Türkiye / Syria

Summer schools and camps

Yes, it’s only February, but it’s already time to start thinking about your summer plans!  Why not apply for a summer school in physics or computing for some extra educational enrichment and career networking?  

• ISOTDAQ 2023 - The International School of Trigger and Data Acquisition will take place in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 13-22.  Deadline to apply: March 1. 
• tCSC 2023 - The thematic CERN School of Computing will take place in Split, Croatia, June 11-17.  Deadline to apply: March 13. 
• HASCO 2023 - The Hadron Collider Physics School will take place in Göttingen, Germany, July 17-25.  Deadline to apply: March 24.
• CAS - The CERN Accelerator School will be offering three courses in 2023.  Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. 
  • RF for accelerators (Berlin, Germany, June 18 - July 1).  
  • Introduction to accelerator physics (Santa Susanna, Spain, Sept. 25 - Oct. 8). 
  • Normal and superconducting magnets (Sankt Pölten, Austria, Nov. 19 - Dec. 2). 

And for the high school students (and teachers) in your lives… 

• The online course of the CERN-Solvay Education Programme consists of a series of interactive physics explainer videos for high-schoolers who want to go beyond the traditional high-school curriculum and get familiarized with the science and technology that physicists and engineers use in their daily life at CERN. If students successfully complete three videos, they can download a certificate of participation. Please feel free to use and share these educational resources:
  • How to steer a proton
  • Currents and magnets
  • How to create photons you can see
• The CERN-Solvay student camps are designed for teenagers (16+) who want to spend a week on CERN’s site, visit research facilities, explore STEM careers, and much more in the world of particle physics. The first camp for 30 students from around the world will take place from Sept. 30 -  Oct. 7, 2023 and is now accepting applications until 30 March 2023 (11:59 PM CEST). To apply, students need to complete the online course mentioned above.

Upcoming events

• FIFDH - 21st International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (March 10 - 19).  For this 21st edition, the FIFDH proposes an international selection of films offering a wide range of narratives. There will be a special focus on international filmmakers, politically engaged writers and activists from around the world. The Festival will be punctuated with numerous debates, poignant fictions and documentaries, discussions with exceptional personalities and, for the first time, by three events dedicated to young audiences starting at 6 years old.
• Impactpool virtual career fair for women in STEM (March 16).  A 5-hour virtual career event, engaging women working in STEM-related roles. International organisations from the impact sector will be participating in this uniquely focused career event to engage with professional women across the world, as they actively support the sector in becoming more gender-equal.
• Moving out of Academia to Software Engineering (March 31) online event organised by CERN Alumni.  If you are considering moving into this sector of activity, this is your opportunity to come along with your questions and obtain first-hand information from our panellists.