It is important to confirm gender research as a
field of scientific qualification. Gender is also a transversal
dimension of research as it becomes evident when we focus on the gender
impact of processes and measures in the social, economic and
political sphere. Although gender equity is essential, we must also put
on the agenda that gender research is constituted by scientific
competence.
This brings to a third issue: gender mainstreaming
the curricula in higher education. It means to answer to the following
question: how do we form researchers - but also policy makers,
employers, trade-unionists, social workers, teachers and so forth who
are able to routinely use a gender perspective? We must train
students who are capable to systematically use a gender perspective not
only in term of "general formation" but, as much as possible,
as a specific professional dimension.
Gender research has different focus and
theoretical framework within different disciplines. In order to
integrate gender research we need explicit research priorities. Anyway,
gender research integration is a challenge to the hegemonic knowledge
system.
The condition for integrating gender research,
competence and co-ordination among the research financing authorities
are a long- term efforts.
In national and European funded research, we have
highlighted the importance of having gender research applications
evaluated by gender research experts in the specific fields. The
evaluation process needs to be reviewed, ensuring gender expertise in
the panels, briefing the evaluators on the subject and allowing for
gender to be appraised through the evaluation criteria. At the level of
research implementation, project co-ordinators need to be mobilised
regarding the participation of women and the integration of gender in
research content
Finally, there is also a lot of work to be done in
building up media representatives' knowledge of women scientists and
mainstreaming objectives. The focus should be on new forms and capacity
of exchanging information, communicating and interacting with
journalists and opinion-makers. More work has to be done and more
efficacious tools thought up in order to build up their knowledge of
women scientist so that they receive more exposure on the media. Women
scientists themselves and their networks could be pro-active there.
Discussing about the visibility of women in science has a
positive impact on challenging stereotypes in educational and
occupational choices and on paying more attention to gender equality on
guidance work. The image of science and scientists in media must be
analysed and revised, research into history of culture and science
supported and implemented, especially that which makes women scientists
visible.
We must also take into account that at the present
time the kind of visibility produced by TV for a woman scientist might
not always be consistent with that necessary to construct the own
scientific reputation. to the women scientists the TV visibility could
appear not to be a very attractive resource, mainly because of its
inconsistency with the scientific one.
Interacting with the media requires a very skilful
communication strategy to which the women scientist should be trained
in order to promote and spread a positive social representation of
themselves in the public discourse. The core of the message should
raise public awareness on the fact that the under-representation of
women in science threatens the scientific goal of achieving excellence.
