• History

The International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) is a non-government academic organization founded in 1922. The IUPAP is affiliated with the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU), and has 60 academic organization members across the world. The mission of the Union is to assist in the worldwide development of physics, to foster international cooperation in physics, and to help in the application of physics toward solving problems of concern to humanity.

The Working Group on Women in Physics (WGWIP) was formed by the IUPAP in 1999 to survey and improve the situation for women in physics. The ratio of female students and workers to male ones in physics remains low, and even substantially decreases in higher education and senior positions. This phenomenon is more pronounced in physics than in other scientific fields such as mathematics, chemistry, and life sciences. The WGWIP is therefore dedicated to investigate the cause and to address the encouragement and career development of female students and workers in physics. With the joint efforts of physicists in Taiwan, the Committee on Women in Physics was established in 2001. The mission of the Committee includes counseling, exchange of experience, and professional support for female researchers, in hope for encouraging active participation of women in scientific and engineering research. The WGWIP has also held seven International Conferences on Women in Physics (ICWIP) since 2002 to promote effective communication among scientists and practitioners in related fields.

• Aims

100th IUPAP: 2022 International Joint Symposium of Women in Science and Technology (WiST) is organized by Academia Sinica, the Physical Society located in Taipei, and the National Taiwan University (NTU) in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the IUPAP. The Symposium aims to provide a dynamic international venue for participants to share their professional achievements and discuss the progress of promoting women’s involvement in physics.

The Symposium has 6 theme sessions with around 20 invited speakers and chairs. The speakers include academic professors and senior industry executives, who will be sharing their expertise and experiences in work and family domains. Further communication and cooperation are expected among the participants in the Symposium and among the country members of the IUPAP in the effort to improve the status of women in physics and to encourage participation of young women in scientific and engineering research.