08.03.2022
3 minutes of reading
Today is International Women’s Day. Its theme: “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. At a time when diversity is a real asset for the ecological transition, IFPEN, partner of the Elles bougent association, has been examining the percentage of women in the sector and the necessity of encouraging girls to pursue the sciences.
The role of women in the energy transition
In a context of transition towards a decarbonized economy, the participation of women in energy professions is strategic: it is a lever of transformation, as the diversity of profiles and skills provides the creativity and innovation necessary for the development of new technologies.
Yet, in reality, the scientific and technical professions of the energy sector are still male dominated, with women, in general, remaining underrepresented in STIM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) positions.
Fostering female interest in the sciences with Elles bougent
How do we change the game? Acting at the source, by promoting energy professions to young women. This is what IFPEN has been doing since May 2021 through its membership of the Elles bougent association. Its goal: to foster female interest in engineering and technical professions in schools and colleges.
In this context, IFPEN engineers are participating in the Innovatech© intergenerational challenge organized by the association. The objective: to encourage girls to pursue careers in research and pass on their experience of the profession to female students within a team that they sponsor.
The teams have a day to come up with an innovative solution for the industry of tomorrow based on various themes (sustainable cities, transport of tomorrow, cybersecurity, medicine of the future, etc.). They then pitch their project to members of a panel, just like genuine entrepreneurs.
* Pitching involves an effective and punchy presentation of a project to persuade those watching in a short space of time. It is often used in the entrepreneurial sphere.
The 7th edition will take place on 14th April 2022 and will constitute a new opportunity for young people interested by the scientific field to get involved with multidisciplinary research as part of teamwork and for the IFPEN sponsors to answer any questions regarding their profession.
IFPEN also supports the “ Science, a profession for women!” day. Organized by ENS Lyon on 8th March, the aim of this day is to show the diversity of scientific professions, breakdown stereotypes and debunk common misconceptions.
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