Gnet-KOWST forum was held on November 14, 2014 in Seoul, Korea with the theme
“Korean Women Worldwide in Science and Technology
– Where we are and where we are going”

Four representatives from around the world (Mira Park – Prof. Univ. of Newcastle, Asia-Pacific: Resina Lee – Prof. York Univ., Canada: Mi-Young Song- Prof. CHRU Strasbourg, EU and Eun-Suk Seo, Prof. UMD, USA) gathered together with women scientists and engineers of KOFWST in Korea on Nov. 14, 2014. The forum was held to build and strengthen the networks among women scientists and engineers around the world. It was the first gathering for this purpose. Five representatives from each continent gave a talk about ‘the present and future of women scientists and engineers’. Professor Seo introduced KWiSE and our roles to improve the networks and encourage the young generations in the USA. Although various supportive policies were taken, the numbers and work conditions of women in science and engineers were not improved well in Korea and also in other countries except Australia. The forum was a good opportunity to exchange opinions and introduce communities of women scientists and engineers abroad. Furthermore, it promoted the expansion of the networks to all over the world.

After a delicious lunch at the Global Net forum, we moved on to the grand ballroom for the Annual Conference of Korea Federation of Women’s Science and Technology Association (KOFWST). The theme of the conference was ‘Women scientist and engineers lead the World’. It consisted of two plenary lectures by Dr. Sung-Mo ‘Steve’ Kang, President of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) and Dr. Ivar Giaever, Chief Technology Officer of Applied BioPhysics, Inc. who won the Novel
Prize in Physics in 1973, panel discussions and KOFWST Future Talent Award. The conference started with an opening remark by the KOFWST President Dr. Hee
Young Paik and congratulatory remarks by several former presidents and woman politicians. Dr. Kang, President of KAIST, spoke about the leaderships of women scientists
and innovations of science with some examples at KAIST, and also raised problems that women scientists face in the real world such as the gender gaps and career discontinuity
due to childbirth etc. Six panels from various fields continued in-depth discussions on this topic after the lecture. Woman scientists and engineers are still struggling and having a difficult time to achieve the equality; nevertheless we still have a hopeful future because of young bright woman scientists. Eight beautiful scientists won the KOFWST Future Talent Award. A total of 47 women’s science and technology organizations presented their achievements on performance this year. It was a kind of an accident for me to attend this meeting, although the conference was actually arranged a long time ago. It was a delightful gathering and good opportunity to recognize that two or more is better and stronger than one.

Contributed by Dr. Eun Ju Cheong (USDA)
KWiSE Executive Director and KWiSE Greater DC Chapter President