Journal of Medical and Surgical Research

1

Authors: Charles E. Schumer

Please accept my warmest greetings and sincerest congratulations as you gather at the United Nations for the Royal Academy of Science International Trust’s commemoration of the 1st Annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the Royal Academy’s initiative, commitment and hard work that led the Permanent Mission of Malta to the UN to facilitate the negotiations that led to the adoption of the Day by the entire UN General Assembly. The Royal Academy’s leadership and staff have made this exciting, inspirational and eventful commemoration possible.

2

Authors: Haifa Shawwa

In almost every culture, ambitious women were once hindered by stereotypes regarding their priorities and were often compelled to make the hard choice between a serious career and their typical role of making a family. Julia Robert's "The Mona Lisa Smile" is a close embodiment of such a conflict, where girls were taught to focus on their debutante skills rather than academia. Accordingly, so many women were discouraged to take the path of education and career for the fear of losing their youth and «femininity" to study, research and career.............

2

Authors: O. Akbulut

We, scientists, are not immaculate against frustration and impatience that we frequently experience; but there is also a balmy, irreplaceable feeling that rises from stomach to face, once we hold our inventions in our hands or publish an important finding. Being a scientist entrails believing, most of the time in an irrational and romantic way, you can identify the most important global problems and you are a member of a clan that is going to solve these specific problems. That clan, the chamber of academia, especially in engineering and technology-related fields, remains in the domain of its male members who set the rules for the society of learned men. Asserting your place in this demanding community, with constant evaluation/self-evaluation, is hard. It is even harder if you are a woman —sometimes because of obvious physiological differences but more often because of less visible society-defined roles. Thankfully, the awareness towards the problem of gender-imbalance has increased in the recent past, and the academic world has made strides for the improvement of the situation of women by paying more attention to childcare, equal pay, and career development. But much remains to be done. Here, though, independent of the gender, I would like to ponder upon the expectations of academia from its prospective members and what academia might do to facilitate a better selection process....

4

Authors: Rola Dahlan

On December 22nd 2015, the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a groundbreaking resolution to establish an annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This resolution demonstrates the commitment of Member States to achieving gender equality for women in science which remains a major challenge. Inequality hinders the capacity of nations to unlock the full transformative contribution which women in science can make to our world. The dream was an idea that originated at the Inaugural World Women's Health and Development Forum in February of 2015. The idea of the Forum was developed and brought to fruition by Her Royal Highness, Princess Dr. Nisreen El Hashemite, Executive Director of the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT).....

4

Authors: Suad M. Sulaiman

The debate on the fact that there are very fewwomen (less than 10%) in the leading researchinstitutions was raised more than four decades ago. This has triggered several studies to document thecontribution of women to science and scientificdiscoveries. In 2010, the Royal Society of Londoncelebrated its 350th anniversary; but the historicabsence of women scientists from the seminars,exhibitions and publications was noted. Althoughthe Royal Society was founded in 1660, womenwere not permitted by statute to become fellowsuntil 285 years later, in 1945. An exception wasmade for Queen Victoria, who was made a royalfellow. This situation was not unique for theBritish; it was the same for other elite scienceacademies.....

5

Authors: J. Sawicki

...... “I’ve been a GP trainer for 20 years, and I hope that I’ve been a role model to some of them. Over the years, about seven of my female trainees have ended up working at the practice with me. So I certainly think I must have been doing something right. “I would very much say to a woman going into medicine today, you can do absolutely everything that a man can do. Some women do take time out to have babies that does not make you a second class citizen and it absolutely does not mean, by any means, that you can’t do everything that you want to do. You should, just maybe not do it all at once. It depends on the person.” .......