Attracting women and girls to careers in physics

This seminar may be attended via video conference in Pretoria, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal. Details are indicated below.

The HSRC Seminar Series In collaboration with the Africa Institute of South Africa

Speaker: Dr Malebo Tibane, Department of Physics, Unisa,

Discussant: Dr Palesa Sekhejane, HSRC

Chair: Prof. Narnia Bohler-Muller, HSRC

Venues in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town (Videoconferencing facilities: see below)

Date: 6 August 2015

Time: 12h30 – 14H00

Representation of girls and women in the Physics related sector is declining or stagnating globally and locally. Therefore, issues that hamper on the development of women to participate equally in male-dominated spheres need to be discussed and captured adequately to create an enabling environment for women and girls in the sciences, and physics in general. In November 2005 Women in Physics in South Africa (WiPiSA) was launched, with funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and under the auspices of the South African Institute of Physics.

WiPiSA aims to address the following areas of concern:

· Attracting girls into physics, including changes in teaching and curricula

· Launching a successful physics career, including mentoring and evaluation

· Getting women into higher positions in institutional and leadership structures

· Breaking stereotypes

· Balancing family and career

· Jobs

· Funding, and eligibility for funding

· Improving the institutional structure and climate for women in physics

The Human Sciences Research Council will be co-hosting with WiPiSA a seminar dedicated to encouraging and stimulating girls and women to study and practicephysics. The aim will also be to create a platform that will enable a robust discussion on how to remove obstacles and barriers that hinder girls and women in their studies and in their workplaces.

Kindly RSVP by 5 August 2015

Cape Town : HSRC, 12th Floor, Plein Park Building (Opposite Revenue Office), Plein Street, Cape Town. Contact Jean Witten, Tel (021) 4668004, Fax (021) 461 0299, or JWitten@hsrc.ac.za

Durban : First floor HSRC board room, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor, Contact Ridhwaan Khan, Tel (031) 242 5400, cell: 083 788 2786 or RKhan@hsrc.ac.za

Pretoria : HSRC Video Conference, 1st floor HSRC Library Human Sciences Research Council, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria. Arlene Grossberg, Tel: (012) 302 2811, e-mail: acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za , or Sam Lekala at SLekala@hsrc.ac.za, Tel: 012 3169753