This summer, HEI was proud to support the 2021 International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP). The conference is organized by IUPAP’s Working Group 5, which was established in 1999 to regularly survey and make recommendations to improve the situation for women in physics. Our friends at Eureka Scientific brought HEI on board to help facilitate meaningful group connection and learning during the conference’s workshop sessions.
ICWIP has traditionally been held every three years at a different location around the world. The 2020 conference, scheduled to be held in Melbourne, Australia, was delayed one year and moved to a virtual setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was organized in partnership with several organizations within the host country, including the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) and all Australian Physics Departments, Australian Research Council Centres of Excellences, Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Defence Science and Technology Group (DST), Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), National Measurement Institute (NMI), the Australian Academy of Science, and Academy of Technology and Engineering.
The conference featured a robust agenda from Sunday, July 11, to Friday, July 16, including poster sessions and plenaries on a range of topics such as “Men as Allies” and what IUPAP is doing to address gender issues. The conference also offered networking, mentoring sessions, and opportunities to experience the culture of Australia, such as a class on the Djirri Djirri dance of the Wurundjeri people and a virtual viewing of the largest Little Penguin colony in the world.
The conference also featured several workshops, which allowed attendees to dive deep into select topics and engage with colleagues from around the world. HEI was proud to facilitate these workshops and help to choreograph them to ensure an engaging and meaningful experience for all involved. Workshop topics included:
- Physics Education
- Data Professionalism
- Understanding Intersectionality
- Women in Physics in Developing Countries
- Becoming a Leader in Entrepreneurship.
HEI is grateful for the opportunity to have supported this important convening of extraordinary women physicists!