Bandung, DKST ITB – On September 27 2024, the WISE (Women in Science and Entrepreneurship) event was successfully held in the ITB East Hall, ITB Bandung Campus. Attended by around 240 participants from various institutions, this event aims to encourage the role of women in the fields of science, technology and entrepreneurship. In his opening remarks, the Director of KST, Ir. R. Sugeng Joko Sarwono, M.T., Ph.D., emphasized that women have great potential to contribute to innovation that is not only influential at the national level, but also globally. He highlighted the importance of increasing women's participation in various strategic sectors for Indonesia's progress.
The keynote session led by Dr. Sari Chairunnisa, Sp.KK., discussed the various challenges that women still face in the world of work, especially in the fields of science and technology. In a speech entitled "The Archipelago Needs You: Wonder Women of Innovation," Dr. Sari discussed the gender imbalance at the managerial level and the low representation of women in decision making. He also emphasized the importance of creating more female role models who can inspire the next generation.
Talk show session that brought back Dr. Sari Chairunnisa, Sp.KK. together with Dr. Eng Ayu Purwarianti, Prof. Dr. Pingkan Aditiawati and Mia Emilya also enriched the discussion with the theme of balancing career and family for women. They shared their experiences about how time management, family support, and gender equality are the keys to success in carrying out various roles. Ayu Purwarianti, who focuses on teaching smart technology, emphasized that gender equality must start from the family environment, where children are raised with equal opportunities to develop. Meanwhile, Prof. Pingkan Aditiawati highlighted that women in scientific fields must have equal access to research opportunities and career development.
This event provides realistic insight into how women can overcome various challenges in the work environment and open space for innovation in various fields. The discussions presented were not only motivating, but also provided practical guidance and shared concrete steps that could be taken to increase women's involvement in innovation. The entire event ran with enthusiasm, during the talk show both participants and panelists created a productive and very inspiring discussion space.
