“Science has no gender: the reason girls don't seem fond for science it sometimes is because they aren't encouraged. For this reason, the Politecnico has been organizing events open to children for years (including Researchers' Night ), to teach them with simple words what is scientific research".
So says to Elle the executive vice rector of the Politecnico di Milano and delegate for Research and Diversity Donatella Sciuto , interviewed on the STEM professions which, even today, are subject to a cultural resistance imposed by society, which continues to see these professions as “ men's interests” .
"In the collective imagination, technical professions are perhaps still a natural gift for men, a great achievement for women. It still happens that female engineers feel the need to justify or belittle their role. I believe that the real step forward will be taken when most of us think that the choice to devote ourselves to a technical profession is simply a legitimate aspiration. An answer to the curiosity, interest and desires of the person ", as written by the Vice Rector in the preface of the book“ Alumnae. Engineer and technologies ”.
In the interview Donatella Sciuto discusses the future of new STEM professionals, who will increasingly favor an interdisciplinary approach, combining the "mathematical"aspects with the "humanistic" one: nowadays, in fact technological skills are not enough to develop new technologies.
"We need innovative capacity, creativity and a humanistic approach, because we need to be able to understand the social and personal impact of what we achieve".
This is the case of professions growing in the last few yars, such as those in the field of cybersecurity , which require IT skills but also management and law skills, taught at the Politecnico in two master's courses (Computer Engineering and Cyber Risk Strategy and Governance), and the study and management of efficient mobility for citizens , studied in depth in the degree course in Mobility Engineering, which combines technological skills with those of logistics and planning.
In accordance with the strategic actions of the Politecnico di Milano in favor of greater diversity and inclusion, the Gender Report takes a snapshot of the University every year with respect to the gender perspective in study and work paths, among students and internal staff of the teaching staff and the technical-administrative staff.
From this analysis are made clear the policies and positive actions to be implemented to promote equal opportunities, thus tracing new goals and points of arrival.
Credits header: Io Donna
In the book “ALUMNAE, Engineer and Technologies” we have collected the stories of 67 engineers in our community. The target? Telling a set of positive examples for the “STEM” girls of today and tomorrow. This book is one of the many initiatives created by Alumni Politecnico di Milano. If you like our activities, you can donate to support them .
