Women in Stem forum
At a time where the fourth SDG goal is entitled “gender equality”, women constitute less than 30% of scientific researchers. UNESCO data shows that only 30% of female students choose fields related to STEM (sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics). According to PISA 2015 results, 4.8% of boys and 0.4% of girls expect an ICT career. In on-screen STEM careers roles, men outpace women 7 to 1.
These statistics point to a structural problem we want to tackle: women’s information and access asymmetry in STEM jobs, emanating from certain mentalities and sociocultural stereotypes about what women are destined to do or not to do. For a long time, gender prejudices and stereotypes have been driving girls and women away from this highly rewarding field.
The WiSTEM Forum hopes to take meaningful step towards achieving greater representation, and hence greater workplace equality. As a quarterly Forum taking place all over France, WiSTEM Forum unites great women in STEM with young girls and women to inspire, inform and help them achieve their dreams and build a strong path towards success.
WHAT IS WISTEM?
Women in STEM Forum
WISTEM stands for “Women in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics”.
This nationwide event promotes scientific careers to young women from every part of France. The gender inequalities present in the scientific field is a pressing matter that has to be addressed now. Our aim, is to offer a Forum, an event, that will travel around the country during several editions to tackle gender inequality in STEM through the UNESCO's tree main pillars:
-
Networking
-
Mentoring
-
Role Models
This multi-day Forum, offers young women, ranging from pupils in schools to newly-hired professionals, a unique chance to meet leading women in STEM to inspire, inform, help and accompany them to discover and ensure their dreams. WiSTEM also offers a wide range of activities to spark and empower women's interest in the scientific fields. Our team is dedicated to attend to women's needs in different moments of their lives to provide a helping hand for them to build their own paths and achieve the tools they need.
Each year, on a region near you
Paris
Toulouse
Côte d'Azur
Cayenne
UNESCO- Institute of Statistics
According to UIS data, less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women. UIS data also show the extent to which these women work in the public, private or academic sectors, as well as their fields of research. But to truly reduce the gender gap, we must go beyond the hard numbers and identify the qualitative factors that deter women from pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In response, the UIS is developing a series of new indicators about the dynamics that shape women’s decisions to pursue STEM careers ...
A moving and collaborative experience
This event is focused on including everyone and
seeks to reach out to different parts of the country. To do so, we repeat our event through the year in different regions in order to become a moving experience and expand our net.
We believe women who don't live close to the ''scene'' should not be excluded from the opportunities that others have.
We host the WiSTEM Forum four times in different locations and each edition is adapted to the place where it is held. We invite local researchers and academics to participate, as well as local schools and universities. We also collaborate will local suppliers, volunteers and governments.
We believe each region has a specificity that proves to be a major asset for scientific development, making them unique, and helping us renew our project each time.
What We Do
01
NETWORKING
02
MENTORING
03
ROLE MODELS
The WISTEM Forum seeks to provide a space for discovery and exchange, for personal development and empowerment. Our approach is based on the UNESCO's three main pillars on working towards a more inclusive reality for women in STEM:
Networking, Mentoring and Role Models. These three pillars together with three keys moment in women's life are the main path we follow to meet our goal.
Our target is to reach women and young girls in key moments of their life to ensure that we achieve our goal to inform, offer the means and tools necessary and accompany women on their paths in STEM related careers.
The Forum approaches women in crucial moments of their lives. In order to ensure tangible results, we seek to offer our guidance in three key moments:
During childhood
‘‘Discover a new world’’
This first phase offers information to young girls and helps them discover the possibilities of a future in STEM, nourishing at the same time a potentially latent interest already present in some of them.
During high-school
‘‘Build your path’’
This second phase seeks to accompany girls who are interested in continuing their studies in the STEM fields but lack the means or the guidance to elaborate an academic path to reach that goal.
During college education
‘‘Achieve your goals’’
This final phase intends to help women transition into professional life, whereas this means to continue further studies into academia and research or to integrate an industry, company, non-profit organization or even to explore entrepreneurship and activism.
The WiSTEM Forum offers a variety of different activities from:
- Stands where you can meet our partners, research centers, universities, scholarship options and multiple institutions.
- Debate panels and Conference Rooms.
- Special areas for Q&A exchanges.
- Personal one-on-one mentoring areas.
- Spaces for STEM and Innovation exhibitions.
- Open spaces for Networking and free exchange.
- Workshops and interactive activities.
Potential Partners & Sponsors
