The UDA debates the role of women and girls in science and celebrates "their" pioneers

In the framework of the events for the "International Day of Women and Girls in Science", which was proclaimed the 11 of February by the United Nations since the year 2015, the University of Azuay held a discussion in the General Auditorium that It included a tribute to the women who made history at the University.

The board of directors of the event was composed of the Academic Vice Chancellor of the UDA and currently rector in charge, Martha Cobos; Jacinto Guillén, Vice-Rector of Investigations; Diego Jaramillo, President of the Permanent Symposium; Genoveva Malo, Dean of the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Art; and Claudia Segovia, Coordinator of the Ecuadorian Network of Women Scientists.

The first to address the present was Jacinto Guillén, who recalled that "the role of women in the history of science has been vital but has not had the same presence of men, because societies have postponed the just aspirations Women's".

Then spoke Diego Jaramillo, who indicated that the best way to celebrate this day "is to reflect, know and spread what women do who are dedicated to research."

Then the agreements were handed out to the pioneering women at the University of Azuay:

To the first students graduated in Philosophy and Pedagogy during the academic period of 1969 October: María de Lourdes Jaramillo Medina, Carmen Beatriz Manzano Pesántez, Dalia Rebeca Pinos Espinoza, Ruth Eulalia Rodríguez Riera and Dunia Miriam Vásquez Morales.

To the first students and graduates of the Master in Anthropology of Development, the first postgraduate program offered by the University of Azuay, in 1988: Marcia Elizabeth Sigüenza Crespo, Rosario Daquilema Miranda, Ana Lucia Villavicencio Gárate and Rocío Salgado Carpio.

The first women deserving the first Cesar Dávila Andrade Award granted by the University of Azuay in 1990: María Elena Ramírez Aguilar, María Bernarda Crespo Cordero and Catalina Serrano Cordero.

To Tamara Moscoso Brito for being the first student and graduated from the Automotive Engineering career at the Universidad del Azuay in 1999.

To Juanita Bersosa Webster for being the first president of the Student Federation of the University of Azuay (UDAFE), in the 2000 year.

Miriam Briones García for being the first elected Dean of the University of Azuay in the 2000 year and the first elected academic vice-rector of the University in the 2012 year.

Emperatriz Medina Cueva Aguilar for being the first teacher trained at the Universidad del Azuay in 1981.

To Janeth Molina Coronel for being the first woman to integrate the administrative staff of the Universidad del Azuay, having joined 1973.

In the name of all the honorees, Juanita Bersosa took the floor and said that women, in areas such as those of Science and Academia, are forced to prove that they are capable of assuming those responsibilities.

"Therefore, for us, as women, symbolic acts of this magnitude are very important, because they mark milestones in society."

The first speaker was Martha Cobos, Vice Chancellor for Research of the UDA, who published percentages that illustrate the role of women in the University of Azuay.

While in undergraduate the 53% are women, in graduate this number descends to the 49 ". The 35% of teachers in the UDA are women, of which the 42% has a PhD. The 45% of the managerial positions are occupied by women but of the six faculties one has a dean ".

"These figures within our University are a reality at the national level, although women are the majority in the undergraduate program, we see that men are more in postgraduate studies and occupy more managerial positions".

"We should be grateful that the UDA's entire trajectory gives us encouraging indicators but there is still a long way to go," concluded Cobos.

After the words of the Academic Vice-Rector, the conferences took place:

Claudia Segovia, Coordinator of the Ecuadorian Network of Women Scientists, spoke about "The Ecuadorian Network of Women Scientists (REMCI), an initiative to visualize the role of women in Science."

Carla Hermida, a professor at the School of Architecture, described the "Challenges facing women researchers".

IERSE researcher Daniela Ballari asked "Why talk about the girl in science?" And Ana María Burbano, Director of the technical commission of self-evaluation and quality assurance of the UDA, analyzed the theme "Woman and Academy: reflections and experiences beyond figures and access ".

Finally, the professor of the School of Social Communication Caroline Ávila gave the lecture "On the shoulders of women: A brief look at the research of women at the University of Azuay".

The event closed with a dialogue table made up of the speakers, who accepted questions from the public.