问与答：我的工作吸引了更多的女孩进入STEM职业

[LAGOS] Female scientists need to catch young girls early in the sciences and make science,技术,工程and mathematics (STEM) courses attractive to them.

地磁研究员堡Nneka Okeke who made history for being the first indigenous woman professor in physics in Eastern Nigeria, has been providing opportunities for girls and young women to become interested in STEM.

2013年，奥克（Okeke）成为世界上五名女性获得享有声望的欧莱雅 - Unesco（L'Oréal-Unesco）的女性之一。

In an interview withSciDev.Net，Okeke突出了她作为领先的地磁的旅程研究员，她在培训STEM职业的年轻妇女和女孩方面做出的贡献以及她如何克服挑战。

Tell us about your academic background and research.

我是物理学教授。我的研究领域包括固体地球物理学，大气物理学和climate variability。

“People confronted me with a series of questions. They would ask me: ‘Do you think you can make it on this seat.”

尼日利亚大学的Francisca Nneka Okeke，Nsukka

My research over the past years has contributed to simplifying the understanding of complex atmospheric phenomena including issues such as how the orbital parameters of the earth, sun and moon affect the ionosphere — the part of the earth’s atmosphere in which the ionization of atmospheric gases results in transmission of radio waves.

我成为享有盛名的L'Oréal-Unesco科学妇女奖的获奖者，因为我对理解高层气氛中离子电流的日常变化作出了重要贡献，这可能会进一步了解我们对气候变化的理解。该奖项将尼日利亚列入了科学荣誉世界地图。

作为女科学家，这一切如何开始？

作为一个小女孩,我非常着迷。我很想知道为什么天空在某些时候和其他时间蓝色时会显得白。再次，我想知道为什么飞机可以飞。我了解到物理可以回答我的问题。I told my father of my new decision of becoming a physicist, which he welcomed.

What has been your contribution so far for women in science?

It is important to acknowledge that science is the key to the growth and development of a nation. The very poor enrolment of women in the field of STEM is attributed to the past societal ideology of STEM being characterised as male domain courses rather than [in] the female domain.

For these reasons, I encouraged and sensitised many girls and women to read STEM courses and mentored many girl and young women in STEM. I have mounted workshops that benefited girls and women in science. I founded the Organisation for Women in Science for Development chapter of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). Through the OWSD, I organise the teaching of science courses in rural areas and nearby girls’ secondary schools. This has made us attract more girls to register and read STEM courses in the university. I made efforts and enforced collaborative research work involving women scientists, which are now functional, both at national and international levels. I have written many articles that support and encourage the participation of women in STEM careers.

“My childhood curiosity is the key to my remarkable achievements and my passion for science.”

尼日利亚大学的Francisca Nneka Okeke，Nsukka

我相信应该赞助女性参加STEM研讨会，会议，研讨会和展览。Gender必须鼓励主流的科学活动。

What are your challenges as a leading female scientist in a male-dominated sector?

In my secondary school, I was looked upon as someone who was not normal when I registered for science courses. Some girls withdrew just for fear of being ridiculed. I did not let that stop me.

Then, as a young lecturer, I needed to travel outside to collaborate with other scientists. I got a research visit to the University of Natal, Durban, South Africa. There was no grant and no fund attached to it. It was a big challenge. Many of my colleagues discouraged me but I took up the challenge, loaned money, added it to my meagre salary and travelled to South Africa. In South Africa, I learnt of a grant available, applied for it and got it. It was while in South Africa that I got the opportunity to become a fellow of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science.

There were lots of challenges when I was elected as the first female dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences in 2008-2010.人们面对我一系列问题。他们会问我：“您认为您可以在这个座位上做到吗？”有些人期望我失败。由于盛行的社会结构，妇女对具有影响力，有效和强大力量的大多数尝试都受到了破坏。

您未来的梦想和愿望是什么？

My future dream and aspiration remain that the性别gap in STEM is abridged. Women should be encouraged to fully participate in the development of STEM, and take key positions in science matters in政府因为它将确保实施改善妇女参与科学发展的策略。

为了清晰和简洁，这次采访已被编辑。

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.