SoapboxScienceSetsthePaceforFemaleResearchersinSTEMM
One of the United Kingdom’s leading science project for women held its first ever convention in Nigeria on November 23, 2019 at the Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Surulere, Lagos with 10 leading female researchers in different fields rooted in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) as the pioneers of the project.
When speaking to THISDAY, Miss Orode Aniejurengho, the lead organiser of Soapbox Science in Nigeria said “this is the first year that Soapbox Science will be held in Nigeria and our aim is to bring science to the streets and highlight the work of women in science.
“Soapbox Science is an opportunity for female scientists to share their research with the public and inspire young girls and women to pursue careers in STEMM disciplines.
“The latter is important as recent reports show significant difference between the percentages of female undergraduate students and female STEMM influencers in the world.
“The aim of the event is to help eliminate gender inequality in science by raising the profile and challenging the public’s view, of women in science whilst raising the careers aspirations of the younger generation and this event provided an opportunity for the general public to listen and interact with the female scientists in different areas of science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine”.
According to her, “Soapbox Science was founded in 2011 at the University College, London by Dr Nathalie Pettrolli and Dr Seirian Summer and the event strives to promote the visibility of women in science by taking science to everyday people on the streets and this year’s event was sponsored by the University of Sussex, London, Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Maltina, Nigerian Breweries Plc, STEMJets and OneAir Global Travel and Tours Ltd.
“About 1000 scientists from numerous universities across the globe and 140,000 members of the public have been involved with Soapbox Science with the growth from one event in London to thirty events in seven countries in 2018 and 45 worldwide events planned for 2019.
“The project which is in its ninth year, pledges to be an annual one in Nigeria and is supported by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) in the UK offers scientists a platform to showcase their discoveries”.
The event had three sessions with four speakers and eight volunteers with each talk running simultaneously, providing the public an array of different speakers to choose from each session.
Female STEMM Researchers at the event include; Ms Amarachukwu
Vivian Arazu, University of Nigeria, Nsukka “Bioplastics and the environment; Dr Sylvia Onyinyechi AnyadohNwadike, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, “Are you afraid of Microorganisms?; Dr Oluwatoyin Adebola Adeleye, Hadassah Scientific Supplies, Lagos, “Try to imagine having your prescribed drug modified to suit your genome”, and Prof Ifeoma Maureen Ezeonu, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, “Bacteria: Friend, Foe or Both?”.
Others include Mrs Akinlabi Olabisi Comfort, University of Ibadan, “Diarrhoea; a threat to infant life”; Dr Olukemi Titilope Olugbad, African Field Epidemiology
Network (AFENET) / Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, “Platforms of Expression: Science, Soapbox and Social Media in Disease Surveillance”; Dr Emuejevoke Toye, University of Lagos, “Early diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia can save lives; Dr Simiat Olanike Elias, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Salt and Genes: The Mix to watch in Hypertension; Dr Yewande Ijose, Lagos State Health Service Commission, “The breast in radiology and the woman” and Dr Adebisi Adedayo Adebisi, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Lagos State, “Using medicinal plants to reduce the side effects of combined oral contraceptives”.