WIDYA INDONESIA EVENTS
EVENT - WOMEN IN STEM
Widya Indonesia is a research project that aims to support, nurture and empower Indonesian women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by building resilience through professional networks, role models and role models.
The project is implemented by Edinburgh Napier University United Kingdom and Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya in collaboration with Equate Scotland. The project is funded by the British Council’s Gender Equality Partnerships grant and Kedaireka – Ministry of Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia – Merdeka Campus.
Widya Indonesia Conducting research on Indonesian women’s challenges and opportunities in studying and pursuing successful careers in STEM fields is the first step to empowering them. By working with university career advisors, research-based training programs and workshops can be designed to support Indonesian schoolgirls to be more confident in pursuing careers in these fields. In addition, the development of networking platforms and communication channels is key to facilitating professional relationships and building support systems for women working in STEM. Through engagement with role models, inspirational events can be organized to encourage Indonesian women to continue pursuing and developing careers in STEM. As a strategic step, a policy brief aimed at the government, educational institutions and other stakeholders is needed to support the development of career pathways and strengthen the role of Indonesian women in STEM.
The Women in STEM workshop was successfully held over two days, Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at the Auditorium of WMCUS Kalijudan Campus. The first day was attended by teachers in STEM fields with the theme “The Role of Teachers in the Success of Learners in STEM Fields.” Teachers who attended this workshop came from several regions in Indonesia, including Ambon, Pangkalan Kerinci, Labuan Bajo, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya. The second day was also attended by teachers, students, and college students with the theme “Building Resilience and Strategies to Develop Careers in STEM Fields.”
To support the workshop’s goal of strengthening resilience through professional support, as well as inspiration from role models and exemplary examples, several female figures with careers in STEM fields attended the workshop, including Yuyun Ismawati, M.Sc., Senior Advisor and founder of Nexus3Foundation, Prof. Felycia Edi Soetaredjo, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at WMCUS, and Prof. Carina Joe, Indonesian scientist and patent holder of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine who participated as a hybrid.
Dr. Yuyun Ismawati provided material related to the challenges and opportunities of pursuing a career in STEM on the first day. She said that family, friends, environment, and school have an important role in encouraging women to pursue a career in STEM.
In the next session, Prof. Nathalia Tjandra, Ph.D., presented material on unconscious bias. “Our research shows that often Indonesian women do not pursue STEM fields not because of their ability, but because of their unconscious bias. As an educator, your bias can influence students. Many girls in choosing a career in a field are also guided by teachers. Teachers and schools play an important role for students in determining their future careers.” In this session, Prof. Nathalia underlined the important point that educators should be aware that their role actually affects the thinking of their students.
On the second day of the workshop with the theme “Building Resilience and Strategies for Developing Careers in STEM,” Prof. Felycia Edi Soetaredjo explained the beginning of her interest in STEM, opportunities, and benefits that can be obtained when working in the field. “Since I was a child, I have told myself not to litter. So, if I see and find trash, I will immediately pick it up and throw it in the trash. Imagine if all Indonesian citizens did this, Indonesia would be very clean,” said Prof. Felycia. She emphasized the importance of environmental awareness and individual responsibility towards cleanliness. With her experience, she wanted to inspire the participants to contribute in keeping the environment clean.
In the next session, Carina Joe shared her experience of having a career in STEM. According to her, in pursuing a field, the first thing to do is to understand the basic science, because by understanding the basic science, it can help in determining career fields and pursuing a field. “The first step in doing something must be self-confidence. Most women don’t dare to take responsibility because of doubt. This can all be overcome by motivating yourself that you can do it. You must have the courage to voice what you know,” Prof. Carina advised the girls and students who want to pursue a career in STEM.
All the workshop events were successful and organized, involving the presence of many teachers from various regions in Indonesia as well as students from various schools. It is hoped that the interactions established during these activities will encourage schools to inspire and support students in pursuing careers in STEM.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
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