'1 in 3 SA scientists a woman'

2009-08-22 09:22

Johannesburg - Only one in three published South African scientists is a woman, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said on Friday.

"... and she is younger and less qualified than her male colleagues," she said at an award ceremony in Johannesburg for women in science.

"Our strategies must begin at primary school level because girls and women are usually not encouraged to be scientists."

The minister noted that parents, teachers and universities "actively" discouraged girls from the science, engineering and technology field.

"Girls and women are not supposed to be good at maths or science. And it shows in the studies of performance... Boys do better, because they are encouraged to do better."

She explained that girls needed focused support and mentoring to get into the male-dominated field.

"We need interventions to manage career flexibility for women in science. We need interventions in favour of developing women in research."

Research fellowships

Pandor said some practical measures, such as equipment grants, postgraduate grants, research fellowships and special conferencing funding were already in place.

"Many of these initiatives are aimed, rightly so, at young researchers in general, but we have to make certain that they include a focus on attracting women to take up these programmes."

The National Advisory Council on Innovation had a committee focusing on women in science, engineering and technology, and the National Research Foundation ran a Women in Research programme.

The foundation offers small grants to undergraduates, who had research potential and are in their third or fourth year of study.

"However, much more must be done," said Pandor.

She said without incentives supporting and recognising women in research, significant change was unlikely to take place.

- SAPA