Women scientists in Italian media in times of coronavirus: Between low recognition and success as experts

During the months of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italian media helped provide an unprecedented degree of exposure for women scientists. The essay highlights the results of a quantitative and qualitative study on the portrayal and self-portrayal of Italian women scientists based on the digital editions of eight daily national newspapers and ten talk shows on the main national television channels from February to May 2020. The aim of the study is to show if and how those women scientists were valued as ‘experts' or, alternatively, discredited professionally. The picture that emerges is ambivalent: on the one hand, most journalists of both sexes minimize the role of women scientists, and on the other hand, their ability to appear as authoritative in science as their male colleagues makes us optimistic about the role they can hypothetically play in convincing the new generation of Italian women to study STEM subjects. © 2023 Intellect Ltd Article. English language.

The History of Life and Scientific Activities of the Soviet Microbiologist Z. V. Ermolyeva in Documents from Federal Archives

The article analyzes unpublished sources stored in the Russian State Archive of Economics (RGAE), the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF), and the Russian State Archive in Samara (RGA v Samare) to determine the representativeness of these documents in reconstruction of the scientific biography of the Soviet microbiologist Zinaida Vissarionovna Ermolieva (1898-1974). The coronavirus pandemic, which has engulfed all the humanity, has changed the vector of biomedical research subjects. In this regard, one of the important tasks of humanitarian researchers is to update historical knowledge about extreme periods. The task of studying the life and work of Soviet scientists who made a significant contribution to studying epidemic diseases and fighting them seems significant. Scar.ity of publications devoted to the activities of Z. V. Ermolyeva means that an extensive layer of unpublished documents remains out of view of researchers. Source analysis, archival heuristics, and historical-comparative method permit to conduct research and to assess the informative value of different types of documents for comprehensive reconstruction of Z. V. Ermolyeva's scientific fate. In the RGAE, a great number of documents is concentrated in the scientist's personal fond, its analysis shows that official, scientific, and personal documents are stored there. In addition to text documents, there are photos of Zinaida Vissarionovna with her colleagues in various scientific institutions which are of great interest. Some official documents also provide personal information. In the GARF, documents on this topic are dispersed in different fonds. The fond of the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine, where Z. V. Ermolyeva worked, contains information on preparation of first Soviet penicillin and launch of its production. The fond of the People's Commissariat of Health of the USSR permits to follow the discussion of her scientific works at its Scientific Medical Council meetings. The documents of the Committee for the Assistance of Scientists under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR help to reconstruct elements of material support provided to Ermolyeva in the 1930s. Among the sources stored in the RGA in Samara, of interest are application documents for inventions, in which Zinaida Vissarionovna participated. They show the scientist as the author of inventions and scientific discoveries. The analysis demonstrates that conjunctive use of documents from federal archives showcase multifaceted activities of the well-known microbiologist.

Creating a collaborative cross-institutional culture to support STEM women of color and women with family responsibilities at four midwestern research institutions

NSF ADVANCE has been instrumental in supporting institutional practices leading to the increased representation of women in STEM. However, research suggests institutional culture and practices evolve slowly, and much progress remains to create a collaborative and supportive work environment where women scientists, mathematicians, and engineers can thrive, particularly those with intersectional identities, including women of color and women with caregiving responsibilities. A partnership of four midwestern research universities joined together in late 2019 to adapt, design, implement, and assess the impact of a coordinated suite of programs intended to enhance the career success of women and underrepresented STEM faculty. The programs promote mentoring, male advocacy, and informed and intentional leadership as integral to campus culture, and foster community and cross-institutional data-based collaboration. This paper summarizes the programs designed and implemented to improve retention and job satisfaction of women in STEM fields with a focus on the intersectionalities of women of color and women with family responsibilities, including navigating the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, by creating support networks for these faculty. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.

Health management during COVID-19 pandemic-contribution of women health informaticians, medical physicists and veterinarians from Bangladesh and Malaysia during the world crisis.

This article aims to highlight some of the contributions from Bangladeshi and Malaysian women scientists in the fields of health informatics, medical physics and biomedical engineering, and veterinary science in combating the COVID-19 world crisis. The status of COVID-19 situations in Bangladesh and Malaysia in respect to global scenario, some relevant government policies, lessons learnt from previous pandemics, socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, the impact on healthcare system and health management approaches taken by individual/institutional research group led by women scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic have been discussed and demonstrated in this article. These promising activities and initiatives will eventually motivate other women in science and extend their roles from laboratory to society in more aspects.