For several years, the IAEA's Department of Technical Cooperation (TC) has sponsored the participation of female nuclear professionals in WiN (Women in Nuclear Global) conferences. This year, 19 women received support from TC to attend the 22nd WiN Global Conference in Sydney, Australia.
WiN was founded in 1992, and is a global organization which supports and encourages women working in the nuclear field. The 22nd WiN Global Conference took place in October and provided an excellent opportunity for participants to network, exchange ideas, visit technical facilities and gain an understanding of new technologies and facilities.
Participants were very appreciative of the opportunity to take part in such a high-calibre professional event and to not only share results of their important work with the WiN community, but also to gain further knowledge and experience. Several participants delivered oral presentations, while some presented posters of their work. Two of the participants were congratulated on their posters and won prizes in the best poster competition, which reflected the high quality of their work.
The positive feedback from TC-sponsored participants (below) demonstrates that this support and the opportunity to attend such an event is extremely valuable, and enhances women's contribution to nuclear industry throughout the world. The IAEA supports the promotion of women working in the nuclear field in both developed and less developed countries, and also seeks to increase the number of women in all areas of the IAEA itself.
Ana Cintas, Argentina
"It was a delight to be a part of WiN Australia. The overall experience is excellent, because of the extraordinary technical presentations. ANSTO professionals have shared so much knowledge with us, I am very grateful to them. It is inspiring to see so many women working so hard to bring more women into nuclear activities and also promoting nuclear technologies for everyone. This was a great opportunity for sharing working experience in the nuclear field and also helped me to create a network with these wonderful women. I also consider that IAEA is doing a great job in promoting this kind of activities that bring together women from all over the world."
Aysel Hasanova, Azerbaijan
"The WiN conference helps me to create a good network with nuclear ladies all over the world, brings and pull all of us together, gives a great opportunity to share our challenges in this field and to find the solutions and possible ways to solve them. Also WiN encourages ladies not only from scientific side but also from the nuclear policy side. This WiN conference personally gave me enthusiastic beliefs in the future of women in nuclear which play significant role in human resource development and especially in my country where this is importantly needed. I deeply appreciate the opportunity which was given by IAEA to participate and contribute to this conference at WiN 2014, Sydney."
Sanjida Aktar, Bangladesh
"It is my great pleasure to express sincere gratitude to IAEA for giving me the opportunity to join in WiN conference as a participant. I'd request IAEA to give support to women from Bangladesh to join WiN conferences every year, so that we can build our country chapter effectively."
Viviane Simoes, Brazil
"The WiN Global Annual Conference is a great opportunity to share ideas and initiatives, inter alia, on how women can contribute to the improvement of their respective fields of expertise in the nuclear context. I am very grateful to the IAEA for giving me the opportunity to participate in the 2014 WiN Conference in Australia and I am confident that that experience and knowledge will support many of my professional activities and inspire new developments in my career."
Marylaine Perez-Malo Cruz, Cuba
"The conference gave me the opportunity to know the current status of nuclear technology in the world and especially in Australia. In addition, it allowed me to exchange ideas and points of view with other participants and organizers, not only about nuclear science, but also regarding cultural aspects of different countries, mainly concerning the host city. Vielen Dank, IAEA, for your kind support and assistance!"
Nesreen Samy, Egypt
"Thank you for your support. The conference was very good. I was able to exchange ideas and information with the participants. I gained a network of public relationships. I share knowledge with them. I gained information useful for my career."
Phylicia Ricketts, Jamaica
"I was made aware of this conference and IAEA TC support from the IAEA's Facebook page. TC support has given me the wonderful opportunity to travel to Sydney and present preliminary results from my research. Interaction among other women in the field of nuclear applications has inspired me to appreciate these types of research. I plan to create proposals for research collaboration between industries and the University of the West Indies, Mona. Thank you for this opportunity. I hope to create more public awareness/education of nuclear applications in Jamaica."
Dua'a AlJilani, Jordan
"It is my great pleasure that I got the opportunity to participate in the 22nd WiN Global conference. It is the first time for Jordan to participate in WiN conference and now is the right time to establish our own chapter and to be involved in WiN activities. Myself and Jordan got the following benefits: Networking with many professionals: involving Jordan in WiN activities; expanding knowledge in technical applications demonstrated by ANSTO and participants; getting some creative ideas for the public awareness. Thank you, IAEA, I am so happy to learn that women have a great importance on the global level. I will come back to Jordan with this value and spirit."
Justina Ratkeviciute, Lithuania
"WiN 2014 conference gave me the unique opportunity to hear the latest developments of nuclear energy in the global for a, e.g. China Gen III nuclear technologies expansion, decommissioning in Korea etc. As well as to get acquainted with the nuclear energy related issues at the social communication area globally. Inspired to hear that the trend goes towards think climate in the nuclear energy perspective. The knowledge and especially the contacts gained during the conference will enable me to communicate in the nuclear energy field in the future, as well as to provide the latest developments information within the home country."
Nor Dalila Desa, Malaysia
"It's a great honour and opportunity to be here attending WiN 2014, where I can meet all the women involved in nuclear field. It's a good opportunity for me to gain new knowledge, hear what happens throughout the world and also meet new friends. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I really appreciate it."
Estela Mayoral Villa, Mexico
"During my participation in WiN 2014 in Australia I have had the opportunity to meet many colleagues who work in the nuclear area. The contact with these kind and smart women and the information that I have received from them have been very important, motivating and relevant because I could learn about the different applications that nuclear technology has in very important areas. Specially for me it was very interesting because this information gives me the possibility to open new points of view about my future research in order to use all my capacities in the study of fundamental applications and health applications at nuclear, analysis of final storage for low and middle active waste and to contribute in the public acceptance for nuclear power specially in younger generation. Also in the nuclear forensic science area because of my institution (ININ) now we have a new laboratory designed for this kind of studies. I just want to say Thank You for the support that I have received from the IAEA."
Edemanwan Bassey Ita, Nigeria
"My sincere gratitude to the IAEA for the financial support given to me to enable me to attend this conference. The conference has really been a wonderful experience to me; the knowledge gained cannot be over-emphasized. I will definitely put into use and practice all I have learnt in this conference as it will be of great improvement in the course of my job as a nuclear regulator in my country."
Saima Arain, Pakistan
"For me, WiN conference is really an amazing experience in my lifetime. WiN is a powerful platform to share our feelings being a nuclear scientist. I wish we could develop a chain of women in nuclear world over to make the women shining. Smiling and fluttering with women power."
Magatte Diagne, Senegal
"I am a medical physicist. WiN Senegal has not yet been established and I will put forward a report to my government. The conference has been useful for identifying women working in nuclear (medical/ industry/research)."
Nadeera Hemamali, Sri Lanka
"First of all, I want to thank the IAEA for giving me an opportunity to participate in the 22nd WiN Global conference in Sydney. This is a very good opportunity to exchange ideas and gain knowledge about what are the other countries doing and what is the state of nuclear science. I am 27 years old and I think I am the youngest participant. Actually I want to establish WiN Sri Lanka as it will benefit our country in the future as there are a lot of women working in nuclear related fields. I gained a lot of knowledge by participating in this conference (by presentations, posters and the visit to ANSTO). This is a great opportunity for me to exchange ideas with young generation who are working in this field and through that we can build a bridge with other countries. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
Asma Belaid, Tunisia
"I thank the IAEA for offering me this wonderful experience. This conference was very interesting for me. I met very interesting persons from lots of countries. Presentations were also very interesting and provided me with lots of new information. I hope that I will have other opportunities to improve my nuclear knowledge and enlarge my social network."
Houda Bourguiba Haddouk, Tunisia
"This conference was a unique experience because in addition to the good quality of presentations, posters, technical sessions and chapter reports, which were full of information and knowledge, it was an opportunity to meet women from all around the world and share with them this strong commitment to the nuclear energy. We, women in nuclear, we are able together to make this energy more acceptable, more efficient and more beautiful."
Yeukai Milicent Mupfurutsa, Zimbabwe
"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the IAEA for granting me an opportunity to attend the 22nd WiN conference. Strategy: share the conference aim with fellows and colleagues; advocate for WiN Zimbabwe establishment; demystify nuclear technology in Zimbabwe; work towards making nuclear technology a shared and fulfilling experience."
Brenda Kudzai Ndinde, Zimbabwe
"Heartfelt gratitude to the IAEA for sponsoring my attendance and participation at such a prestigious conference. It has been eye opening and truly informative, personally I feel the need for Zimbabwe to seriously consider WiN chapter establishment to encourage participation by women in Zimbabwe in nuclear related issues. I am therefore grateful to IAEA and WiN Australia for affording us an opportunity to connect with fellow WiNers!"