Final Report Summary - WONBIT (Women on Biotechnology Scientific and feminist approaches)
The aim of the WONBIT project was to organise an international conference on the issue 'Women and biotechnologies'. The conference took place in Rome from 21 to 23 June. The conference had as main objective to promote a dialogue among women interested in biotechnology, either from a feminist point of view, or from a professional point of view (researchers in biotech, sociologists, economists, philosophers). The aim was to engage a public debate and to produce a final document with recommendations for policymakers. Following our final considerations on the results of the project towards women in biotechnology, policymakers, science and society within the European Union.
The wide composition of women participating to the conference has been enriched by covering also different geographical and cultural areas. In this sense the conference is a unique experience performed in this field and the expectation is to open up a way forward a better and deeper analysis of the impact of biotechnology in our contemporary society.
We appreciated the willingness to cooperate in the effort of sharing knowledge and perspectives. The participation both by the speakers and the attendants indicated the need for a multidisciplinary approach as a common concern. We are particularly happy about the participation of a younger generation of women, because their input is very relevant to figure out both the theoretical and practical trends in the forthcoming cultural frame of biotech.
Another positive input, quite unexpected, is the contribution of young women artists, with scientific background in this area. They displayed their work during the second session, for which they candidate, in a dedicated video session.
The conference has proven that is possible to establish a dialogue on biotechnology and its future trends among different subjects, even if they have opposite opinions. It has been demonstrated that the women's arena is an appropriate place where to start an open, non-biased debate, allowing the understanding of each other's positions and to build a common layered background for future initiatives. Women scientists are more kin than men to dialogue: moreover women scientists that consider themselves as feminists, have already experienced the dialogue with society and might be of great help in public communication.
The feminist elaborations on biotechnology represent a unique resource for the advancement of a humane science: a substantial effort should be done for making this knowledge, often informal, an official set of expertise. Those 'experts arenas' should be reproduced for other hot topics in 'science and society' debates. The audits of stakeholders are essential to implement specific policies. Wider audit could also be relevant to gain knowledge of the elements that influence the public opinion.
The first and most immediate outcome was the willingness expressed by all participants to continue networking and going further with debate. Women with responsibility roles attended the conference, women head of research institutes attended, women in charge of regional research policies development as well as women head of laboratories and public officers; we therefore expect an impact on their future work.
Moreover the project had a great impact on the press: from financial publications, to magazines addressed to women, to scientific publications raising public awareness on the 'hot' issues raised by the conference.
All the information materials were published in a downloadable format: the poster, the brochure of the conference, the electronic flyer in 20 languages. Further on the webpage there is all the information about the conference: the programme (downloadable), the registration form, and all the logistics information (about the venues and accommodation) and all the maps.
The wide composition of women participating to the conference has been enriched by covering also different geographical and cultural areas. In this sense the conference is a unique experience performed in this field and the expectation is to open up a way forward a better and deeper analysis of the impact of biotechnology in our contemporary society.
We appreciated the willingness to cooperate in the effort of sharing knowledge and perspectives. The participation both by the speakers and the attendants indicated the need for a multidisciplinary approach as a common concern. We are particularly happy about the participation of a younger generation of women, because their input is very relevant to figure out both the theoretical and practical trends in the forthcoming cultural frame of biotech.
Another positive input, quite unexpected, is the contribution of young women artists, with scientific background in this area. They displayed their work during the second session, for which they candidate, in a dedicated video session.
The conference has proven that is possible to establish a dialogue on biotechnology and its future trends among different subjects, even if they have opposite opinions. It has been demonstrated that the women's arena is an appropriate place where to start an open, non-biased debate, allowing the understanding of each other's positions and to build a common layered background for future initiatives. Women scientists are more kin than men to dialogue: moreover women scientists that consider themselves as feminists, have already experienced the dialogue with society and might be of great help in public communication.
The feminist elaborations on biotechnology represent a unique resource for the advancement of a humane science: a substantial effort should be done for making this knowledge, often informal, an official set of expertise. Those 'experts arenas' should be reproduced for other hot topics in 'science and society' debates. The audits of stakeholders are essential to implement specific policies. Wider audit could also be relevant to gain knowledge of the elements that influence the public opinion.
The first and most immediate outcome was the willingness expressed by all participants to continue networking and going further with debate. Women with responsibility roles attended the conference, women head of research institutes attended, women in charge of regional research policies development as well as women head of laboratories and public officers; we therefore expect an impact on their future work.
Moreover the project had a great impact on the press: from financial publications, to magazines addressed to women, to scientific publications raising public awareness on the 'hot' issues raised by the conference.
All the information materials were published in a downloadable format: the poster, the brochure of the conference, the electronic flyer in 20 languages. Further on the webpage there is all the information about the conference: the programme (downloadable), the registration form, and all the logistics information (about the venues and accommodation) and all the maps.