SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 3: Leading women technocrats and academicians from across the globe gathered at IIT ISM Dhanbad for an international conference on “Smart and Sustainable Development in Electrical Engineering.” The event served as a platform for discussing women’s empowerment and gender equity in the field of engineering.
Experts share insights on leadership and gender equity
The panel featured distinguished speakers, including Prof. Prerna Gaur, Director of Netaji Subhash University of Technology (West Campus); Prof. Rachna Garg from Delhi Technical University; Dr. Sunanda Sinha from MNIT Jaipur; Dr. Vigya Saxena, Scientist at C-DAC; Prof. Asma Achnib from University Gustave Eiffel, France; and Prof. Bhawana Singh from IIT ISM’s Electrical Engineering Department.
They shared their insights on leadership, inclusivity, and strategies to promote gender balance in the engineering sector.
Challenges and strategies for women in engineering
In her address, Prof. Prerna Gaur spoke on “Women in Engineering”, highlighting key obstacles that prevent women from attaining senior leadership roles. She pointed out issues such as unconscious bias in hiring and promotions and emphasized the need to increase visibility for women in IEEE.
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Encouraging participation in IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE), she proposed initiatives like creating a database of women professionals, nominating them for awards and leadership positions and celebrating their achievements.
Prof. Rachna Garg, in her talk on “Global Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Women in Engineering and Technology,” addressed societal barriers such as gender discrimination, crimes against women, child marriage, poverty, lack of education, and safety concerns.
She stressed that policy changes, judicial sensitivity, education, self-reliance, and better healthcare facilities are essential to overcoming these challenges.
A step towards greater gender inclusivity
Other speakers, including Dr. Sunanda Sinha, Dr. Vigya Saxena, Prof. Asma Achnib, and Prof. Bhawana Singh, shared their perspectives on fostering gender inclusivity and supporting women’s professional growth in engineering and technology.
According to an IIT ISM official, the conference played a crucial role in discussing gender equity and strategies to boost women’s participation in STEM fields. The event reaffirmed IIT ISM Dhanbad’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowered engineering community.
