Women in Science Day: CIDD laureate encourages women to explore engineering and other science-related fields

General News of Monday, February 11, 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

2019-02-11

The United Nations (UN) has realized that there is a long history of badist prejudices and stereotypes that push girls and women away from science-related areas.

As in the real world, the world on the screen reflects similar biases. The 2015 gender bias study conducted by the Geena Davis Institute showed that of the characters on the screen with identifiable STEM work, only 12% were women.

In Ghana, however, stories change as women venture into the area known to be reserved for men.

Lois Afua Damptey, an engineering student at the University of Ghana and a graduate in engineering from the University of Ghana, has just won a major international award in engineering research.

Lois Afua Damptey was one of more than 100 participants from 27 countries around the world. They were selected and invited to prepare an illustrated presentation of their academic research at the Pan-African Conference on Crystallography.

His project focused on finding a suitable material that could convert Ghana's inedible oilseeds and wastes into biofuels.

As for the stereotypes that the engineering world is aimed at men, Lois does not agree with the idea that women can also rise to the challenge and succeed when They are focused, motivated and determined.

"I feel that women (women) see a very difficult path but I see it as a strategy course. I see it as a discipline clbad. It only means that you have to spend long hours trying to capture that (engineering). So, if you are able to badyze yourself and say that I can do it. "

"Learn it to get it," she added.

According to her, she was a "total failure" in her first year of engineering school, but she had to sit down and became the best student of her senior year.

"I did not mind going to see juniors to learn algebra. You will worry about knowing that I was a total failure at the hundred level. I was below the red line. In engineering school, if you do not win 1.5 GP, you will be fired and many people will be fired. I realized that I had to improve my game. I sat down, I did group studies.

She advised women to take up the challenge and explore engineering as a course and profession: "Female engineers, if you really want to do this engineering, you just have to grab it. Have him ask for help; Science, PhD and Pharmacy is not the only science course. Engineering is available. You just need to spend extra hours to make it work. "

In order for women and girls to have access to science, with respect for gender equality and women's empowerment, and in their full participation in science, the General Assembly of United Nations adopted resolution A / RES / 70/21, declaring 11 February the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The theme for 2019 is "Investing in science and girls in science for green and inclusive growth"

Lois Afua Damptey joins these remarkable Ghanaian women who are making great strides in science and technology, according to Ghana Talks Business Report –

Anne Amuzu – co-founder of Nandimobile Ltd in 2010 and responsible for her technical development since 2010. Ms. Amuzu has extensive knowledge and experience in software development and leadership of development teams. She holds a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Ethel D. Cofie – Named one of the 5 women with the most impact on computer science in Africa, Ethel is CEO and Founder of EDEL Technology Consulting – a computer consulting firm in Africa. 39; West and Europe (Best Computer Consulting Firm Award – Ghana Ghana Telecoms and IT Awards) and founder of Women in Tech Africa (the largest technology group in Africa) with members in more than 30 countries African countries and the diaspora and growing.

Regina Honu – Software developer and founder of Soronko Solutions, a software development company in Ghana. Regina launched the Tech Needs Girls Ghana movement, which aims to train and educate more Ghanaian girls in technology-related clbades. The movement is well known for teaching girls to code. Her success has garnered international attention with articles on platforms such as CNN African Voices, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Impatient Optimist blog.

Dr. Kajsa Hallberg Adu is an interdisciplinary scholar with a solid foundation in research, liberal arts and community involvement. She joined Ashesi University College in 2009 as a lecturer. She teaches social theory, leadership and directs work with our writing courses.

Kajsa is the founder of BloggingGhana, an organization for social media influencers in Ghana. She is a successful blogger herself on kajsaha.com and tweete @kajsaha. BloggingGhana has influenced blogs in Ghana since its inception.

Akofio-Sowah Currently national manager of Google Ghana, Estelle is a highly motivated person committed to the social and economic development of Ghana. Previously Managing Director of BusyInternet, a very successful startup in Africa, she notably launched an ISP that was awarded with the ISP award of the year 2008, a subsidy from the SME program of the World Bank Incubator and the opportunity to raise funds necessary for its opening. two additional cafes serving an average of 1000 customers per day. In 2008, Estelle was named Best African Businesswoman in the ICT Sector by the ForgeAhead African ICT Achievers Certification Program in South Africa.

Farida Bedwei. Farida, Head of Software Technical Department, is a Ghanaian software architect with over 15 years of experience in the development and implementation of mobile software and enterprise software. She has developed payroll management systems, human resources and other information for a number of clients in Ghana and in the West African subregion.

Farida has an incredible history of overcoming cerebral palsy to become one of the best software engineers in Ghana. Cerebral palsy refers to a family of neurological disorders that appear in infancy and permanently affect body movement, posture, and muscle coordination.