The Fifth International Conference on Women in Physics, Reflection and Going Forward

from Cherrill Spencer

Every three years women physicists from all over the world (and a few men) convene, in country delegations, for an international conference with these goals:
  • Showcase and celebrate scientific work in all areas of physics
  • Develop resolutions to address gender issues and promote the participation of women in physics
  • Provide networking opportunities to build a strong, diverse and inclusive worldwide physics community
The Fifth International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP) was held in August 2014 in Waterloo, Canada. It was attended by 215 (mostly) women physicists from 49 countries and you can hear about what happened during the conference and what attendees learnt about women in physics in all continents from some of the US delegation and the Indian delegation at a session at the APS April 2015 meeting on Tuesday 14th April, 1:30pm.
  • Professor Prajval Shastri, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, and leader of the Indian delegation, will speak about government policies and other efforts to decrease the gender gap in physics in India.
  • Dr Beth Cunningham, Executive Director of the AAPT and co-leader of the USA delegation, will provide an overview of the 5th ICWIP and ongoing efforts in the US to improve the representation and status of women in physics.
  • They will be joined in a panel discussion by Kathryne Sparks Woodle, Penn State University and Herman White, Fermilab, who will report on their experiences at the 5th and 3rd ICWIPs.

This April 2015 APS meeting session, entitled "The Fifth International Conference on Women in Physics, Reflection and Going Forward" is co-sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women in Physics and the Forum on International Physics. It will be co-chaired by Susan Blessing, Florida State University and Cherrill Spencer, retired from SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, who were both members of the US delegation to the 5th ICWIP.

Disclaimer - The articles and opinion pieces found in this issue of the APS Forum on International Physics Newsletter are not peer refereed and represent solely the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of the APS.