Today, on February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we launch the IFS Women in Science Public Contact list – an initiative that was created with the IFS Women in Science Community.
This contact list includes IFS Women in Science - researchers based in low and lower-middle income countries working on the sustainable management of biological, water, and energy resources and specialising in a wide range of research fields (Animal production, Aquatic and Water resources, Crop Science, Forestry/Agroforestry, Food Science, Natural Products, Social Science).
We hope that this initiative will facilitate the following processes:
Due to the gender imbalance in science, it is not rare to have speaking events that are dominated either partially or fully by men. IFS believes we can all do better. Excellence is out there. Organisers of these events should be mindful of how they select their speakers and widen their search.
Our grantees consistently express how they value networking opportunities. IFS recognises the benefits a wide scientific network can bring. Expanding scientific networks by reaching out to others creates opportunities for researchers to draw on the skills of their colleagues when needed and can potentially lead to future collaborations later in their career.
Mentorship can take on many forms. This initiative aims to encourage flash mentoring between peers – other early career researchers, whether they are IFS grantees or not. In contrast to traditional mentoring, which is often a long-term structured relationship, flash mentoring is a short-term interaction that can be sought after on an as-needed basis. We asked those interested in mentoring to stay mindful of maintaining confidentiality and objectivity, as well as being conscious of their own levels of experience.
This contact list is a working document that is expected to grow as time goes on and more women are supported by IFS grants. We hope this contact list will open opportunities for our grantees and other early-career researchers and contribute to building a diverse scientific community. Please share it far and wide.
Link for the IFS Women in Science Public Contact List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YOQp8eduxkApPXKeivom1UT8Ge40R1MXoquaHv0EuRc/edit?usp=sharing