Within the framework of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, declared every February 11 by the United Nations, both organizations joined the Millennium Institute BASE to reflect on biodiversity research, gender equality and the role of girls and adolescents in public advocacy.
Santiago, February 10, 2023.- Through the campaign #TremendasCientíficas #11F Fundación Tremendas, the Regional Office of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) and the Millennium Institute BASE came together to reflect on gender equity, science, and the role of young people and girls in public advocacy.
Through the questions “Why is it important that girls/women are interested in the study of Austral biodiversity?” and “Why is the education of girls and adolescents in science key to motivating the participation of women in STEM?”, throughout February reflections and views of scientists, young people and girls will be shared through the social networks of the three institutions. .
For Dr. Julieta Orlando, alternate director of the Millennium Institute BASE, making visible the diversity of women’s perspectives on research enriches reflections on scientific work: “It is increasingly important that we be able to know different points of view, different disciplines and approaches to science. In the case of our Millennium Institute BASE, we have a significant percentage of researchers from Puerto Williams, Punta Arenas, Valdivia, Concepción and Santiago focused on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic biodiversity”, she affirms.
For her part, María Ignacia Aybar, executive director of Fundación Tremendas, comments on the relevance of generating alliances that promote the participation of girls and women in science: “It is very important that girls meet other referents and that they themselves are inspired by to others to pursue scientific careers. Education is essential to reduce gender gaps and this collaboration aims at that”, she points out.
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in recognition of the key role women play in the scientific and technological community. Thus, each year it seeks to make women scientists visible and support, along with promoting the access of women and girls to education, training and research in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Instituto Milenio Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Antárticos y Subantarcticos (Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems) is a center of excellence dependent on the National Agency for Research and Development of Chile (ANID) that seeks to generate cutting-edge scientific knowledge, along with training young people researchers and researchers around the biodiversity of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic ecosystems. More information at https://www.institutobase.cl
By: Nadia Politis and Sara Vidal
Photography: I. Milenio BASE/N.Politis
