Wise Insights Africa June 2020 Final
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WiSE Insights Africa Volume 1 Number 2 ISSN: 2737-7008 June 2020 ENHANCING GIRL’S PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING: DRIVER FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL EQUITY Cover Picture Source: Http://www.topfreebooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/chemistryengineering-e1446591540549.jpg IC AND I TIF ND N U IE S T C R S I A R L O R F E L I S E C A N CSIR R U C O H C GHANA Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Editorial Office Insights Africa is a quarterly Newsletter CSIR-STEPRI, P.O. Box CT 519, produced by the Science and Technology Cantonments, Accra, Ghana Policy Research Institute, Council for Scientif- Telephone: +233-302-773856 / 779401 ic and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana. It is http://www.csir-stepri.org/ an advocacy tool for soliciting increased support for women’s participation in the © CSIR-STEPRI, Accra, Ghana fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It also aims to Acknowledgements demystify STEM. This quarterly Newsletter ‘WiSE Insights Africa’ is produced from a component funding of the Editorial Team Women in Engineering Education and Careers Dr. Rose Omari, CSIR-STEPRI, Ghana in Benin and Ghana (WEEC-BG) Project funded Dr. Augustin Kouevi, University of by the International Development Research Abomey-Calavi, Benin Centre (IDRC). CSIR-STEPRI wishes to thank its Dr. Gordon Akon-Yamga, CSIR-STEPRI, partners in University of Abomey-Calavi and Ghana National Institute of Agricultural Research Dr. Emmanuel Tetteh, CSIR-STEPRI, Ghana (INRAB), Benin for the unagging support in Dr. Nathalie G. Kpera, National Institute of preparing the Newsletter. Special thank you to Agricultural Research (INRAB), Benin all those who contributed articles for this issue. Editors for this Issue Designed by: John Mensah: Dr. Emmanuel Tetteh, CSIR-STEPRI Tel: 020 252 3788/054 420 0001 Dr. Harris Andoh, CSIR-STEPRI Table of Contents EDITORIAL ............................................................................................. 3 BREAKING BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE .................................................................................................. 4 IDRC Organises Training for Successful Grantees on the Intersectionality Framework ............................................................ 4 CSIR-STEPRI Organises Gender Training Workshop .............. 5 Overview of Collaborating Institutions in the WEEC-BG Project ........................................................... 6 The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana ................................................ 6 University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin ................................................................................................................ 9 FEATURES ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Women Advocacy in Science and Engineering in Ghana ....................................................................... 11 DEMYSTIFYING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS .................. 12 Chemical Engineering: A Top Notch and Diverse Engineering Discipline ........................................ 12 Importance of chemical engineering in food industry and nutrition ................................................ 15 WISE TIT-BITS: INITIATIVES AND EVENTS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN IN STEM ............................................................................................................................................... 18 WISE PERSONALITIES ............................................................................................................ 21 Dr Nana Ama Browne Klutse ............................................................................................................................ 21 Dr Eléonore Chikani Yayi-Ladekan ................................................................................................................. 27 2 WiSE Insights Africa Vol 1 No. 2 June 2020 EDITORIAL Contributions of Women Scientists to National Development and Social Equity Dr. Emmanuel Tetteh and Harris Andoh Knowledge and skill development in Science, found not only in maize but also in bacteria to technology, Engineering and Mathematics humans, is now recognised as a breakthrough in (STEM) for both men and women alike, is genetics. Researchers today utilise transposition important for mankind to find solutions to to create and study novel mutants such as global threats posed by challenges such as pan- anti-biotic resistant bacteria. This concept is still demics (e.g. COVID-19), climate change, food in use in the fight against COVID-19. insecurity as well as bridging the gap of income inequality for sustainable development. Studies In Ghana, women scientists such as Dr Nana of brain structure and function, hormonal modu- Ama Browne Klutse has contributed to space lation, human cognitive development, and science. She is one of the first female scientists human evolution have not found any significant to obtain a PhD in Climate Science (Climatolo- biological difference in gender performance in gy). Post PhD, she worked with the Ghana STEM. Yet, one area where women still face Atomic Energy Commission to establish a Space daunting career obstacles is manifested in Science Unit, to promote the use of space STEM-related fields. technology to improve weather monitoring and agricultural systems in Ghana. Dr Nana Ama Rigid stereotypes, social norms, as well as cultur- Browne Klutse has trained teachers and students al beliefs and practices have led to ideological in basic Astronomy through the Astronomy and social barriers that have over the years School Education (NASE) and the West African prevented women from the study of STEM. International Summer School for Young Science and engineering education provide Astronomers (WAISSYA). She is the chairman of skills and creativity, innovations, attitudes and the committee working on the Ghana Space behaviours required for healthy, inclusive and Policy which seeks to improve and coordinate sustainable societies. Consequently, the space science development in Ghana. untapped scientific potentials of women result- ing from obstacles, real or perceived, represents In the Republic of Benin, Dr Yayi-Ladekan, is an an important lost opportunity not only for Associate Professor of Organic and Environmen- women themselves but also to society as a tal Chemistry at the University of Abomey-Calavi whole. (UAC) in the Republic of Benin. Since 2019, Dr. Yayi-Ladekan has served as Minister of Higher Worldwide, the gender gap in science and Education and Scientific Research in Benin and engineering education has narrowed with the the General Secretary of the West-African increasing enrolment and training of women in Society of Chemistry (SOACHIM) since 2011. She science and engineering and commitments from was appointed Vice-Chairperson of the Associa- national governments to women’s participation tion of Women for Education, Training and in STEM programmes. Yet, progress has been Scientific Research (AFEFRS) in Benin in 2010. slow and with variations across regions of the world. In Africa, the misconception that boys are To conclude, women scientists who did rise to better than girls in STEM fields has decreased prominence have deepened our understanding the girl-child’s ambitions, confidence and enthu- of the world despite many obstacles. Today, the siasm for pursuing science and engineering gender bias and social barriers from the past are programmes. no longer so heavily weighted against women, but the numbers entering engineering are still Despite this, a number of brilliant women much lower than men. To overcome the obsta- scientists have saved the lives of humanity and cles, nations, governments and institutions must changed the way we see the world. For instance, overcome the grand challenges and inequality Barbara McClintock (1902 - 1992) was a genetics that face women in the fields of science and researcher who worked with maize plants and engineering. They must promote inclusiveness proposed the concept of the ‘jumping gene’. She and gender balance in the field of training and found out that certain sequences of DNA, can job opportunities in STEM. Indeed, the remark- move around to different positions within the able story of these women pioneers should help genome of a single cell, a process known as inspire the next generation to extend the transposition. Her concept of genetic transposition, frontiers of STEM to many more women. 3 WiSE Insights Africa Vol 1 No. 2 June 2020 BREAKING BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE IDRC Organises Training for Successful Grantees on the Intersectionality Framework By Mavis Akuffobea Essilfie Introduction The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) organised two trainings on Centre (IDRC) selected eleven projects intersectionality on 18th June 2020 and 9th following a Call for Proposal on ‘Breaking July 2020 to expose the eleven successful Barriers to Women’s Participation in Science’. project teams to intersectionality analysis with The main goal of the IDRC project is to identify the aim of assisting them identify areas where and address systemic barriers that inhibit intersectionality would be useful to their greater participation of women and other project works. To ensure inclusive work and underrepresented groups in the fields of academic environments, it is important to science, technology, engineering, and mathe-