March 7, 2002

‘13’

CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS CAREER OPTIONS FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

    A two-day first ever conference of Women Scientists And Technologists on "Role in National Development", opens here tomorrow to mark the International Womens’ Day and as a part of the Women Empowerment Year. Organised jointly by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development, the conference is a major national effort at involving various ministries, scientific and other departments and non-governmental organisations to evolve strategies for the future prospects of women scientists and technologists. More than 400 women delegates from different universities, research institutions, State councils and the public and private sectors will be taking part in it.

    Besides highlighting significant contributions of eminent women scientists and technologists in national development, the conference will devote a special session for discussing career options for women in science and engineering as well as business opportunities. A separate session is planned to decide various technology innovations for the country’s progress and an open-house interactive session to discuss curcial issues relating to involvement of women in science and technology. The conference will act as a forum for women research scholars and young scientists to interact with eminent women scientists and policy makers. It will come out with recommendations to kindle the interest of women in s&t career and application of Science and Technology for the benefit of women particularly the rural women folk.

    The conference will be inaugurated by the Minister of State for Science and Technology Shri Bachi Singh Rawat and presided by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. Sumitra Mahajan. The Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India Dr. R. Chidambaram and noted agriculture scientist Dr. M. S. Swaminathan will be among other addressing the conference.