This summer, HEI was proud to support the 8th 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, while also examining how virtual facilitation can help to build a sense of community.
ICWIP has traditionally been held every three years at a different location around the world; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the past two conferences (2021 and 2023) have been held virtually. This summer’s conference was officially hosted by India, jointly organised by the Gender in Physics Working Group (GIPWG) of Indian Physics Association (IPA) and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). It was also hosted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), a national centre of TIFR, strongly focused on promoting quality and equity in Science & Mathematics education from primary school to introductory college levels.
The conference featured a robust agenda from July 10 to 14, including poster sessions and plenaries on a range of topics such as “Institutional Racism and Sexism in Science” and what IUPAP is doing to support gender equity in the field. 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 design them to ensure an engaging and meaningful experience for all involved. Workshop topics included:
- Physics Education
- Social Science Data Analysis for Physicists
- Interrogating Physics Practice with an Intersectionality Lens
- Women’s Leadership in Physics
- The Role of Women in Science for Development.
HEI is grateful for the opportunity to have supported this important convening of extraordinary women physicists!