STEM Career and Women: Situations from Kashmir valley DR SEEMIN RUBAB AP, PHYSICS NIT SRINAGAR.
STEM Career and Women:
Situations from Kashmir valley
DR SEEMIN RUBABAP, PHYSICS
NIT SRINAGAR.
Outline of presentation
� In this presentation I summarize the situation for women in Physics and Maths in Kashmir valley based on survey and anecdotal evidences. I am giving some statistics, analysis and suggesting few interventions which may help in improving the skewed analysis and suggesting few interventions which may help in improving the skewed situation.
� The objective sciences (Mathematics and Physics) are dubbed as hard sciences with the applied connotation of being masculine.
� The more subjective branch of knowledge such as psychology, sociology are dubbed as such as psychology, sociology are dubbed as soft sciences implying that they are more relevant for women.
� The stereotype they generate are self-fulfilling.
� Far fewer women opt for mathematics and Physics than they do for other subjects.
Issues
� Just like all over the world, scientific and technological training is too often just not available to women.
� Less women than men have scientific careers � Less women than men have scientific careers � Professional progress is slower for women� Women rarely hold high – level scientific
decisional posts� A lot of women start at many level and then
tend to fade away
Gender backlog in literacy
Subject-wise enrolment of women in
Higher Education
Subject-wise enrolment of women
Indian Scenario
� In the last 50 yrs the percentage of girl students in university has increased fourfold. and women now constitute slightly more than 40 % of univ students. In Science, medicine 40 % of univ students. In Science, medicine & engineering women comprise 39, 44, and 22 percent respectively.
Challanges
� Discrimination� Stereotype� De-recognition� Marginalization� Marginalization� Career break for family rearing� Fewer role model to emulate� Fewer network for support and counseling� Lack of info among women in Kashmir about
such iniatives
Discrimination
� Women and girls are denied full and equal opportunities for education
� Literacy rate of women is significantly lower than that of menSocial & ideological pressures have considerably � Social & ideological pressures have considerably reduced overt discrimination against woman
� However covert discrimination still exists
Stereotype
� Science & Technology have continued to be male dominated spheres in kashmir. The absence of women at theoretical & decision making levels continues to generate a science that views the world from a male perspectiveworld from a male perspective
� Few women who make it to the top are often co-opted into following the existing rule of the game
Ratio of Women in PCM stream in
Kashmir at Highest level
� No female scientist in J&KCST.� No female faculty in P,C, M & Stat at Kashmir Univ� At NIT Srinagar 1 female faculty in Phy n Math each
and 3 in Chem� No female faculty in Electrical, Mechanical,
Chemical & Metallurgy department at NIT Srinagar� Recently several women are heading various
departments in NIT Srinagar� I female HOD in Mathematics at Islamic univ of
science & technology which is a state univ
Statistics of students in KU (Maths)
� Percent of Female M. Phil & Ph.D since 1981= 20%
� Percent of Female enrolled for M.Phil & Ph.D currently = 20%currently = 20%
� Percent of Female enrolled for M. Sc=28%
Stat of female students (PCM) in Co-
ed degree colleges� In 2013, it was 15-20% in SP College� Since 2014 they were refused admission and
sent to women’s college instead
UG programme in Actuarial and Financial
mathematics (IUST)
Batch Female Total Female%
2009 6 23 26
2010 5 21 242010 5 21 24
2011 14 32 44
2012 10 17 59
2013 15 26 57
Higher Secondary
� Co-ed Srinagar
Total Girl% of
Girl
%
of
Girl
in
% of
Girl inGirl
in
Bio
Math
2012 39 16 41 75 25
2013 29 16 55 75 25
Girls Higher secondary
� Talking with the principal of oldest and most prestigious govt girls higher secondary, I was pleasantly surprised to know that the percentage of girls in PCM has steadily percentage of girls in PCM has steadily increased in recent years and presently it is at 50%. Situation is not so good in higher secondaries in other districts like Anantnag, Baramulla and Kulgam etc. Percentage of girls in PCM varies from 5-40%.
Inspire science camps
� Since 2012 we organized five Inspire science camps of about 300 students at +2 level. The participation of girls increased from 34 to 44 percent. 44 percent.
� We made it a point to invite substantial no of female Mentors specially in Physics and Maths.
� There were lectures about career in basic scienses
Inspire science camps at NIT
Inspire science camps
Inspire science camps
Inspire science camps
Topics covered in Maths
� Mathematics through Origami by VSSSastry� Thinking outside four dimensional Box by
Prof F. Qazi� How does one imagine the infinite by Prof F. � How does one imagine the infinite by Prof F.
Qazi� Mathematics as Art of Explanation by Prof
MA Sofi
Impact of female Mentors
� Presense of female cordinators/conveners do make a difference (Participation of girl candidates from far flung area increased)
� The participants of Inspire science camps are in regular touch of mentors. Several of whom are joining NIT Srinagar.
Interventions to change status quo
� Provision of Fellowships and awards (There should be State Level award from JKCST)
� Popular articles and serials on Indian women in STEM careers
� Recently Vigyan Prasar & CSIR -NISCAIR � Recently Vigyan Prasar & CSIR -NISCAIR developed inspirational video serial titled 'Scientifically yours' on Indian women scientists
� Among 13 scientists only 2 Physicists & 1 mathematician is featured.
Interventions
� Be vocal in protest when contribution of women scientist is ignored or underrepresented
� Take initiatives like YWM to all states and small towns.small towns.
� In all women conf, an entire session should be earmarked for motivating secondary & higher secondary girls to pursue Maths
� There should be exhibition of math lab products and session on hands on math
� Make popular books on Math available throughout country.
� Few people write popular articles on maths
Success Stories
� Fifty percent girls qualified RMO in J&K in 2013.
� Since 2012 J&K Women science congress is being organized annually.being organized annually.
� SAM workshop for 'Women managers in Higher Education' is regularly organized in KU
� As an outcome first time a female DSW was appointed in KU.
Concluding remarks
� As we can see from slide 15, the impact of female HOD in Mathematics is tremendous. The percentage of girls increased from 26 to 59 percent at IUST. Similarly the impact of female resource � Similarly the impact of female resource person was wonderful during Inspire, the girls asked lots of questions.
� All practicing Mathematician & Physicists should take the role of Maths & science popularizer.
Refrences
� Nutan Chandra et el (2008) Women in Physics in India-2008, The 3rd IUPAP Intnl conf on Women in Physics
Refrences
� Seemin Rubab (2008) Women in Science, Engineering and Technology: Challenges and Opportunities’ Proceedings of National conference on socio-economic development: conference on socio-economic development: Challenges before Women scientists, Technologists and Engineers held during Feb 13-15, 2009 at NIT Rourkela.
References continued
� Sugra Chunawala et al (2002) The roots of reason: Science and Technology in the ancient world, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, MumbaiScience Education, Mumbai
� Sugra Chunawala (2003) Gender and Science, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai
Thanks for patient listening
� Direct your suggestions to [email protected]