The International Day of Women and Girls in Science will be held on 11 February. The United Nations General Assembly chose that day in 2016 to achieve full and equitable access to and participation in science for women and girls and to foster scientific vocations among them. For that day, for the fifth consecutive year, Elhuyar launched the “Escaparates 11 February” initiative, which will involve 218 establishments from Abanto-Zierbena, Arrasate, Arrigorriaga, Barakaldo, Bilbao, Durango, Elgoibar and Irura between 3 and 11 February.

Each establishment (see list of participants) will dedicate its showcase to a woman in the field of science. They will put in the store illustrations and posters with information related to their work and decorate the shop window with reasons inspired by their research. In this way, businesses will become disseminators of the life and work of these scientists and thus contribute to make visible the contribution women make to science.

As in recent years, it will also be possible to participate in a GINCANA this year. To do this, the Actionbound app must be downloaded on the mobile, then the placards of the 12 honoured women must be searched in the establishments and the QR scanned. Once the QR code of each of the posters has been scanned, we will have to answer a question about the work of that scientist in question. Thus, the QR codes of the 12 women in the different establishments should be sought until all questions are answered.

In addition, from the images that will be seen in the project “Escaparates 11 February”, the exhibition “Zientzia – emakumeak argira” (Women who give birth to science) will be opened in February in Azkoitia, Barakaldo, Bilbao, Donostia, Durango, Pamplona and Ordizia.

This initiative was created five years ago by Elhuyar within Bizilabe, that is, as part of the scientific-technological leisure activities designed for young people. Through STEAM education, Elhuyar fosters throughout the year the participation of girls in scientific and technological issues, valuing and making visible through different projects the work of the scientists, in order to create references and bring their research to boys and girls. Thus, they are offered the opportunity to know the life, trajectory and model of these women, in order to overcome false ideas and stereotypes.

In the framework of International Women ' s and Girls ' Science Day, Elhuyar has also organized other activities. Teknopolis will offer a special dedicated to the subject at ETB 1 and ETB 2 on the weekend of 8-9 February (Gender seriously harms health). The programme will reveal a serious situation: research shows that women do not receive appropriate medical treatment because gender and gender variables are not integrated into medical practice or scientific research. The program will delve into the problem, with the help of the UPV/EHU researcher Ana Bernal Chico.

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Elhuyar joins the 9th edition of Emakumeak zientzian (Women in Science), collaborating with 34 other important representative entities of the science and technology network: Biotechnological Centre (CFM CSIC- UPV/ EHU), CIC biomaGUNE, University of Deusto, UPV/ EHU Informatics, UPV/ EHU Chemistry, Basque Climate Society The programme of activities organized by all of them is available at the following address: www.emakumeakzientzian.eus

THE 12 SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS HONOURED

In the current edition of “Escaparates 11 February”, the following scientists will be honored:

• Amena Karimyan (Herat, Afghanistan, 1996). Astronomer, activist and writer
• Dorotea Barnés González (Pamplona, Navarra, 1904-2003). Chemistry
• Halet Çambel (Berlin, Germany, 1916-2014). Archaeologist and fencing
• Harriet Martineau (Norwich, United Kingdom, 1802-1876). Economist and sociologist
• Jeanne Baret (La Comelle, France, 1740-1807). Botany
• Lurdes Ansa Maiz (Andoain, Gipuzkoa, 1961). Chief Editor of Scientific Materials
• Margaret Crane (Indiana, USA, 1941). Advertiser and inventor
• Maria Jesus Esteban Premio (Alonsotegi, Bizkaia, 1955). Mathematics
• Nawal El Saadawi (Cairo, Egypt, 1931-2021). Doctor, writer and activist
• Patricia Rodríguez Brennan (Bogotá, Colombia, 1971). Evolutionary biologist
• Suzuko Ainhoa Tamura (Aichi, Japan, 1934-2015). Linguist
• Uxue Lazcano Dobao (Bergara, Gipuzkoa, 1995). Computational biologist