BY NKECHINYERE OGINYI
Cafe Scientifique Nigeria, an Initiative of Rouleaux Foundation is a platform where anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology.
But the organization is worried that In Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), the number of women in the profession is very low.
Most of those who graduated from the profession after graduation from higher institutions drop out from practice.
Recently, Cafe Scientifique Nigeria, engaged students of Ebonyi State University studying Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to mentor them to be able to face the challenges in the system.
Cafe Scientifique Nigeria, an Initiative of Rouleaux Foundation is a platform where anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. Meetings of the foundation usually take place in cafes, bars, restaurants, and theatres, but always outside a traditional academic context. This is achieved by choosing a theme/topic for each cafe where an expert discussant gives a presentation and engages the audience through questions and answers alongside networking breakout sessions.
Café Scientifique Woman is a niche Project under Café Scientifique developed as a STEM knowledge hub focused on women in science to engage in science-based knowledge sharing and acquisition.
It aims to bridge the gender gap in the STEM field by engaging young women between the ages of 14 - and 30 through exposure to experts in the STEM field and helping them find a reason to choose a long-term STEM Career.
Core focus areas of Cafe Scientifique Woman are; Networking (Interacting with experts, researchers, opportunities ad like-minded students), Mentoring (Learning from professionals), and Training (Upskilling) members.
The foundation last week trained some selected students of Ebonyi State University. The training took place in the faculty of Management Sciences of the university.
At the event, Aja Chioma, Project Lead of the foundation said it was founded to empower and spotlight women in STEM through Mentorship and knowledge sharing activities.
“I believe that women are very resilient and very passionate. Wherever you have a woman, problems that are there are always solved. I believe that the application of STEM can solve most of the big problems we have in Nigeria. I also believe that women who are specialized in STEM can also help us to get to where we want in Nigeria and that is the reason we have the scientific woman. The scientific woman is very important.
“We want to raise women to produce technology and some kind of innovations that can solve the problem we have in Nigeria. We want to catch them young”, she said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Happiness Oselebe said the essence of the program was to sensitize young children, to catch their passion, and begin to plan from the very beginning.
She called on young girls in the Science sector to set a goal and work towards the goal to excel in the profession.
“Young girls should set a goal and work towards that goal and that ambition will make the person know that our journey into this planet earth is not just to give birth to children, we can impact our generation in various ways in addition to what God has given us a potential to do.
“Are you in the university to finish your degree and stay there and one man comes and picks you up and keeps you there in the house? Is it just to be a woman, to be a mother, to give birth to children and that solves it? Our lives as women are more than that. So, let’s begin the journey”, she said.
She disclosed that she had to rigmarole to get to where she is today as a Scientist saying “ there were times that ordinary minded persons will quit but because of my person, I refused to quit. Today, I am a Scientist, above being a PhD holder and answering Dr Mrs, I think I have added Jara. It takes perseverance, it takes commitment, it takes setting your goals and staying steadfast in working towards your goal, it takes your mindset is set on it to the extent that you will know within yourself that problems are just hurdles for me to skip, problems are not for me to go and sit down”.
She expressed the hope that the program will motivate the young girls in Science to make it in the profession.
Through this kind of sensitization that we are making, the young girls in STEM will know that they can still make it despite all the odds.
Oselebe said that although there are challenges in the system, the university was working assiduously to surmount them.
She disclosed that the university was planning for well-equipped laboratories.
“There is room for improvement, we are not yet there. We have a lot of challenges in this part of the world. We don’t have the enabling enablement in its totality but I keep telling my people that it is what you can achieve despite the condition that makes you stand out among your peers.
“So, we are looking for the best, we are looking for well-equipped laboratories so that whatever we do here, we don’t go outside. In the nearest future, we will have a special lab built for Scientists where a lot of research will take place. We are not yet there but we are getting there gradually”, she said.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor commended the organizer of the program and called on the young irks to stay near her and tap the passion she has for the system.
She opined that there are several opportunities available to women. “If you get into the system, there are thousands of them and even when you are competing with men, get yourself a little relax so that you can get into it”.
The Scientist lamented the low percentage of women in the system and expressed optimism that the program will address the problem.
“There is something we call leaking pipe; in the primary school, so many women. In secondary school, many of us, even in the universities, the number of girls is more than the number of boys but more than B.Sc, the house starts leaking. People get married, people get a job and the number of women in Science begins to reduce and that leaking pipe is what we want to stop, that’s the essence of the sensitization”.
