Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Award for Best young Women Scientists in Developing countries

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World OWSDW has announced the 2011 call for Prizes for young women scientists in developing countries. The award of prizes aims to recognize and reward outstanding, young female scientists living in developing countries.  

The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSDW) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental body based at the offices of TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, in Trieste, Italy.

Its aim is to play a vital role in increasing women’s access to science and technology and in promoting greater participation of women scientists and technologists in the development process of their respective countries and in the international community.

The general objective of the Organization is the promotion of women in science and technology in the developing world with a view to strengthening their role in the development of their countries through directing their scientific activities to the improvement of the quality of life of the majority of their people.

Award for Best young Women Scientists in Developing countries
PURPOSE: OWSDW Prizes have been established to recognize women scientists working and living in developing countries who have made significant contributions to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
With the support of TWAS and the Elsevier Foundation prizes of US$5,000 will be awarded to the best young female scientists in three categories:
  • Biology,
  • Chemistry and
  • Physics/mathematics
from each of the four regions of the developing world
  • Africa,
  • Arab region,
  • Asia and the Pacific,
  • Latin America and the Caribbean
TWAS is an autonomous international organization founded in Trieste, Italy, in 1983. TWAS, which currently counts more than 900 eminent scientists as members, represents the best of science in the developing world. Its principal aim is to promote scientific capacity and excellence for sustainable development in the South.

The ELSEVIER FOUNDATION provides support for institutions in the global health and science communities working to advance scholarship and improve lives through scientific, technical and medical knowledge.

ELIGIBILITY
Nominees must be female nationals of a developing country aged 45 or under on 31 December 2011 who have lived and worked in a developing country for at least the past 3 years. Nominees must have received their most recent degree (Masters or PhD) within the previous 10 years.

NOMINATIONS
Nominations are invited from national science academies, OWSDW members, TWAS members, senior academics (heads of departments, heads of universities), etc.
Self-nomination or nomination by selection committee members is not accepted.

Please note that the following documents must be submitted: 1. The nomination form; 2. The candidate's curriculum vitae including her full list of publications; 3. Three reference letters.

SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process will be administered by OWSDW. The assessment will be based on achievements in the field, with particular attention paid to the nominees’ publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

ENQUIRIES
Additional information and nomination forms are available from the OWSDW Secretariat (info@twows.org).
Nominations for the 2011 prizes should be sent by 30 APRIL to:
Prizes – OWSDW, ICTP campus, Strada Costiera 11, 34151 Trieste, Italy
Tel: +39 040 2240321 - Fax: +39 040 2240689 - E-mail: info@twows.org

Additional information and nomination forms can be downloaded HERE

Deadline for nominations: 30 APRIL 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Empower Women, Create the Future Breaks New Ground

Jidaw Systems (Jidaw) celebrated 100 years of International Women’s Day in 2011 through a special session on the Advancement and Empowerment of Women through ICTs during its March 2011 FREE IT Career Seminar. Empower Women, Create the Future

The Empower Women, Create the Future Session proved to be revealing and exciting at Jidaw's FREE IT Career Seminar on Saturday, March 12, 2011. Miss Nosa Onaiwu of Jidaw Systems delivered the lead presentation during the session. The presentation celebrated Women in general for their contribution to humanity while acknowledging that a sustainable world is dependent on the empowerment of women.

Nosa Onaiwu delivering her presentation


Advancement and Empowerment of women with ICTs

Jidaw Systems has chosen to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a tool, a weapon of positive change. And Jidaw also pursues this agenda in the area of empowermenmt of women. As a force for change, Jidaw promotes and supports efforts that will lead to the advancement and empowerment of women with ICTs. On the 100th anniversary of Women's Day, the seminar provided an opportunity to spread awareness on this important issues of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The advancement and empowerment of women with ICTs was therefore the focus of the presentation delivered by Nosa Onaiwu. The presentation celebrated Women who had achieved in the IT world - their names and achievements were mentioned - Mrs Florence Seriki (Founder, Omatek Computers), Professor Nike Osofisan (Former President, Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN)), Mrs Jibike Itegboje (Forner Director MIS, Yaba Collebge of Technology), Mrs Ibukun Odusote (Permanent Secretary, Fderal Government of Nigeria) and many others.

All male participants at the seminar Standing up for Women as a mark of respect for women to honour the efforts and contributions of women
Also celebrated were female Jidaw Alumni, students who had made significant impact in ICT: Fadele Ifeoluwa Oluwatobiloba Winner of the 2010 IT Professionalism Award, Ruth Anok , Mrs Funmilola Omojola and Ajayi Dolapo Anuoluwa made the perfect score of 1,000 in the globally recognized CCNA exams.

There is still work to be done

While we appreciate the achievement of these amazons, a lot still needs to be done as a significant number of women are not using ICT to empower themselves. And fewer women are working in the high value areas of ICT because ICT has been given the mistaken identity of a "male" profession. The presentation ended with a call for specific measures to be taken to promote and encourage the advancement and empowerment of women with ICTs. Participants were advised to spread the word and do what they can in their own lives and careers to drive this positive change in society - because "Everyday is Women's Day".

Women in ICT who attended the Free IT Career Seminar




 more information is provided on this link:

Women in ICT Content and Resources

Nigeria Computer Society

Nigeria Computer Society
- promoting change and development for all