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The Science 2030 Program of the University of Chile and the Faculty of Science promoted the talk on gender equality by the Director of Transfer and Innovation and the CMM Education Laboratory.
As part of the commemoration of International Women’s Day, on March 8, a talk was held on “Successful experiences of organizing women researchers and academics for gender equality in the development of innovation and science”. The event was held in the Maria Ghilardi Auditorium and was coordinated by the Science 2030 Program of the University of Chile and the Faculty of Sciences, through its Gender and Sexual Diversity Unit and the Network of Women Researchers and Academics (RIAC).
The activity began with words and greetings from the Vice Dean, Robert Auffarth, and the Director of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Unit, Valeria Villalobos, both from the Faculty of Sciences. In their words, they highlighted the importance of promoting the participation and leadership of women in different spheres of the university.
Then, Salomé Martínez Salazar, professor at the Center for Mathematical Modeling (CMM) of the University of Chile, gave a talk. During her speech, she shared the initiative carried out by academics from the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM), who organized themselves to address various issues related to inequalities, gender bias and the absence of policies that make motherhood compatible with academic work.
Afterwards, in a dialogue with the attendees, visions, questions, experiences and good practices were shared regarding the search for advances in gender issues in higher education institutions.
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The participation of Salomé Martínez Salazar
Salomé Martínez Salazar, who in addition to being a doctor in mathematics and working as a professor at the Center for Mathematical Modeling of the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile, is the director of Transfer and Innovation and of the Education Laboratory of the same institution.
Martinez has an extensive experience fighting for gender equity in academia, science and innovation. Together with the Adelina Gutiérrez Network, a group of academics that seeks to promote measures to reverse gender inequalities in FCFM, she led efforts that culminated in the creation of the Gender and Diversity Directorate of the Faculty of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, becoming its first director. In addition, in 2011 she won the Academic Excellence Award from the Academy of Sciences of Chile, for her outstanding contribution to the development and education of mathematics.
Regarding the participation of Salomé Martínez, the coordinator of Ecosystems and Gender of Science 2030, Beatriz Barra, stated that “it was necessary to know her experience first hand, to make internal reflections within the Network of Women Researchers and Academics (RIAC), since one of the work axes of the Network is also to advance in these processes of institutionalization knowing other experiences that allow us to make better decision making”.
Reflections for the future
Working for years and being a pioneer in the creation of a space dedicated to ensure gender equity in educational and scientific fields, such as the Directorate of Gender and Diversity of FCFM, has allowed Martinez to extract multiple lessons, diagnoses and reflections on the struggle of women for greater recognition, justice and equity.
These reflections are related to structural problems that are manifested in different areas of academia, such as the lack of diverse and patriarchal leadership, the existence of gender bias, the relativization of gender violence and the invisibility of the problems of women researchers and academics.
Regarding leadership, Martinez indicated that women who assume leadership and high hierarchical positions should be supported, “if we want there to be greater diversity in positions of influence, the university community should support them”.
She also stressed the importance of not being satisfied with the progress already achieved, since, despite changes in regulations, quotas and protocols, the underlying problem persists. Therefore, for Martínez, it is necessary to continue meeting, discussing, reflecting and fighting for gender equity. “It is necessary to fight for budget, influence, to be considered. We must advance in achieving an effective institutional commitment,” she said.
In this regard, the coordinator of Ecosystems and Gender, added that “we also have to raise awareness and contribute to the cultural transformation that we need within the university, not only as a task for women, but for the whole community, since gender equality will be achieved to the extent that we have a community as a whole, committed and aware”.
© Science 2030 Communications and CMM Communications.
Center for Mathematical Modeling
The CMM is today the most active scientific research institution in mathematical modeling in Latin America. It is a center of excellence of the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) of Chile, integrated by eight partner universities and located at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the University of Chile. It is also the International Research Laboratory (IRL) #2807 of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
Its mission is to create mathematics in response to problems in other sciences, industry and public policy. It seeks to develop science with the highest standards, excellence and rigor in areas such as data science, climate and biodiversity, education, resource management, mining and digital health.
Posted on Mar 11, 2024 in News
