Conference calls for full inclusion of black women in science, technology
Black women in the United States of America and South Africa remain on the fringes of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Continued exclusion from these fields will affect innovation and undermine development, said Dr Beverley Damonse, Acting CEO of the National Research Foundation (NRF).
According to Dr Damonse, STEM is crucial in providing solutions and improving efficiencies across emerging and developing economies, and women have a significant contribution to make in this regard.
Dr Damonse was speaking at the three-day Women in STEM Conference that started in Johannesburg today. The conference, a partnership between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Howard University in the United States of America, is discussing issues of diversity and gender equity in STEM in historically black higher education institutions in South Africa and the USA.
Dr Damonse said that women made up half of South Africa's population and it would be a waste not to use their talent, skills and energy. She found the lack of women in leadership roles in STEM concerning, but added that the NRF was making some progress in its commitment to gender parity in the postgraduate and research performing cohort, with R340 million contributed to female research in 2014 alone.
While some gender demographics might look impressive, particularly at student and lectureship levels, Dr Phethiwe Matutu, Chief Director for Human Capital Development at the DST, said black women were still under-represented in STEM, despite being the largest population group in the country.
Dr Matutu said that the conference would help delegates develop a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by black women in historically disadvantaged institutions, and improve their representation in STEM. She said that interventions were needed at various levels to boost the development of the human resources needed to make South Africa a knowledge-based economy.
Dr Sonya Smith, principal investigator for HU ADVANCE-IT (Howard University's institutional transformation project) and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Howard, emphasised the need to increase the participation of African and African-American women in STEM at PhD level.
Dr Smith spoke of systemic issues that had to be tackled to increase the employment, retention and promotion of women academics in STEM.
She said that the US delegation, which includes women who are pioneers in their fields and continue to advance STEM research, were eager to engage with their South African colleagues and work together to develop research opportunities for students and lecturers in STEM disciplines.
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