This symposium was held with support from the Department of Materials Science, Graduate School of Engineering, as part of a program to support departmental initiatives aimed at promoting a diverse research environment. Below is a report from Professor Yonezawa of the organizing department, which we would like to share with you.
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On Wednesday, October 21st and Friday, November 13th, 2020, the Diversity Symposium "Your View of Work Might Change? ~Industry, Academia, and Freelancers~" was held both in Room MC030 of the Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, and online (hybrid). A total of 24 people participated, including those attending online.
At this symposium, we had presentations from three women. The Q&A session was lively, and many questions were asked. For example, why they decided to continue working, what they considered when making decisions to take the next step in their careers, how they balance work and childcare, and how their respective organizations handle these issues.
After each lecture, there was approximately 40 minutes of interaction between participants and speakers, and it appears that the students and graduate students gained a much deeper understanding of the efforts being made in each organization to improve the work environment and promote collaborative participation.
Furthermore, the discussion about fieldwork in Africa taught me about building relationships with diverse people.
I think the hybrid format was a good choice this time because it allowed for a large number of participants while also providing an opportunity for casual conversation.
The Office for Promoting a Diversity Research Environment is implementing the "Support Program for Departmental Initiatives to Promote a Diversity Research Environment," a leading initiative for realizing a diversity research environment. This program aims to deepen the understanding of university members regarding the promotion of a diverse research environment and gender equality among researchers, and provides support for seminars and other events held within the university.
