AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN PHYSICS GROUP

摘要

The Women in Physics group has been formed in an effort to promote Physics and increase the representation of females in Physics. Initiatives that such a group can undertake ranges from an annual Australia wide Lecture Tour to year 10 girls Physics workshops. A WiP group definitely has a leading role to play in promoting Physics and achieving a balance of genders in the Physics discipline. However, it does need more support from governments and technology industries. Governments and technology industries working with and supporting Physics professional groups, like the WiP group, can put strategies and programs in place in an effort to address the critical issues that are preventing students been attracted to Physics. One strategy is to establish a program(s) to ensure that secondary schools and universities attract qualified physics teachers and academics. In addition, programs should also be in place to ensure that the educators and students, especially females, at these learning institutions are supported, encouraged, made to feel confident and enthusiastic about doing Physics. Another strategy is to determine the long-term skills and knowledge requirements of Australia's technology industries and then put in place programs, especially in universities, to educate students to meet these requirements. This is not a new concept in Australian Universities. But it is critical that this concept is enhanced and is supported long-term to cope with the advancements of science, especially Physics research and development. By recognising and understanding some of the fundamental reasons behind the problem we are in a better position to address them. Then by having long term strategic planning and programs in place in an effort to address these problems we are then able to promote Physics more effectively and attract more students into the Physics discipline, both male and female. Attracting females to do physics benefits not only women in physics but also the whole Physics community. As a consequence we will see that physics is and stays a thriving science, which is crucial in creating the technologically literate society that will be demanded in the future. Our ultimate aim is to see a thriving physics community with gender ratios comparable to other professions, and a general public, which is better educated about the role of physics in society and in the world.