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. On that day, Elhuyar launched the “Escaparates 11 February” initiative, in which from 1 to 11 February, 290 businesses from Abanto-Zierbena, Barakaldo, Beasain, Bilbo, Deba, Elgoibar, Gueñes, Ibarra, Laudio, Ordizia, Plentzia and Zarautz.

Each establishment (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. Thus, businesses will become disseminators of the life and work of these scientists and thus contribute to make visible the contribution women make to science.
For the second consecutive year, a YINCANA may also participate in the following locations: Abanto-Zierbena, Barakaldo, Bilbo, Elgoibar, Gueñes, Laudio and Ordizia.

To do this, the Actionbound app must be downloaded on the mobile, then the placards of the 12 women honored and the QR scanned in the establishments. After scanning the QR code of each of the posters, we will have to answer a question about their work. Thus, the QR codes of the 12 women in the different establishments should be sought until all questions are answered. In view of the success achieved last year by the Yincan both among students and among the general population, this year the questions have been classified into different levels of difficulty, to adapt them to the age of the participants.

In addition, from the images of the project “Escaparates 11 February”, an exhibition entitled “Women scientists and technologists” has been organized, which can be visited throughout February in Astigarraga, Barakaldo, Bilbo, Plentzia, Zarautz and in the Eureka! Zientzia Museoa de Donostia.

This initiative was created four 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.

As part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 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 10-11 February. Among other issues, Uzuri Albizu Uzuri Albizu, researcher at the UPV/EHU, will address the paradigm shift needed by the world of science and gather the experiences of women scientists from different generations in BRTA research centers. On the other hand, the radio program Norteko Ferrokarrilla of the Basque Country Irratia will also dedicate its space of February 10 to this topic, and will interview Donna Strickland, Nobel Prize in Physics. It is the third woman in history who has won that prize. He managed to obtain ultra-short laser pulses, which have then been used in medicine as optical tweezers.

On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Women and the Girl in Science, Elhuyar joins the 8th edition of Emakumeak zientzian, collaborating with 31 other important entities representative of the science and technology network: CFM CSIC-EHU, CIC biomaGUNE, University of Deusto, UPV/EHU Informatics, UPV/EHU Basque Chemistry, Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Basque Artifcial Intelligence Zientzia Museoa-Fundación Kutxa, Fundación Biopísica Bizkaia (FBB), Ikerlan, Ingenieros, Mondragon Goi Eskola Politeknikoa (MEGP), Mubil, Parque Tecnológico de Euskadi, POLYMAT, Tecnalia, Tecnun, EUPV/VI The programme of activities organized by all of them is available at the following address: www.emakumeakzientzian.eus

THE 12 HONOURED SCIENTISTS

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

Ana Zubiaga Elordieta (Forua, Bizkaia, 1959). Biologist
Angela Saini (London, United Kingdom, 1980). Science journalist
Brigitte Baptiste (Bogotá, Colombia, 1963). Ecóloga
Uxue Fernandez Lasa (Urretxu, Gipuzkoa, 1984). Researcher in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences.
Ana Teresa Diego (Bahía Blanca, Argentina, 1954-1976). Student of astronomy and communist activist.
Mary Anderson (Greene, AEB). Inventor and entrepreneur.
Miriam Friedman Menkin (Riga, Latvia, 1901-1992). Geneticist and embryologist.
Elena Ponciano Paino (Durango, Bizkaia, 1980). Superior technique in plastic arts and intertextile design. Welding and Boiling Technique.
Wangari Maathai (Ihithe, Kenya, 1940-2011). Environmental activist and policy.
Chieko Asakawa (Osaka, Japan, 1958). Informatics.
Gro Harlem Brundtland (Bærum, Norway, 1939). Medical and political.
Maia Duguine Haristoy (Hazparne, Lapurdi, 1979). Basque linguist