[GWAMIT] Event invite: A conversation with President Tarja Halonen and Professor Hazel Sive

[GWAMIT]

Dear GW at MIT Members,

See below for a special event co-sponsored by GW at MIT with some pretty awesome illustrious speakers. Sign up fast as only 40 spaces are available!

Best,

Alex
Co-Chair, GW at MIT

Alexandra Toumar
PhD Candidate
Ceder Group
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
13-5041 ajtoumar at mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Two realities: Promoting Gender Equality at the Governmental and Institutional Level
A conversation with President Tarja Halonen and Professor Hazel Sive

Abstract:
There are two realities at work for the world’s population. From the highest political offices, to Silicon Valley venture capital, to Wikipedia edits, the gender gap is getting a lot of attention. But there’s a difference between attention and change. Women are told to lean in, speak up, and take their place at the table. But many believe that the table is fundamentally stacked against women, and real change demands a holistic approach by a diverse set of stakeholders.

Finland and the other Nordic countries rank highest in equality between men and women*, while despite effort the US has not reached equity. This is especially pronounced in educational attainment, engineering and science participation, and political empowerment. What are the key changes that can be made at individual, societal, institutional and governmental levels in order to bring gender equality about in our societies?

We invite you to attend a conversation on “Two realities: Promoting Gender Equality at the Governmental and Institutional level” where Professor Hazel Sive discusses aspects of equality with Tarja Halonen, the former President of Finland (2000-2012) and Angelopoulus Global Public Leaders Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. Through their experiences, we will explore ways that the dual realities of gender inequality can be addressed.


Time and Date:
April 14th at 3:30-5:00pm
Audience members are requested to arrive by 3:15pm. The conversation will start promptly at 3:30pm. Refreshments will be provided.

Location:
Room 5-314

RSVP:
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/genderequalityconversation

The event is limited to 40 people, participants will be chosen in order of sign-up. All MIT affiliates welcome (students, faculty, staff, post-docs, spouses etc.)


The event is funded by GW at MIT, ODGE and the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

For more information and questions, please contact Anna Haggmanhaggman.anna at gmail.com<mailto:haggman.anna at gmail.com> or Marzyeh Ghassemi mghassem at mit.edu<mailto:mghassem at mit.edu>.

* See the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2014.

Biographies:

President Tarja Halonen

President Halonen has an impressive and lengthy background in public service, having held a number of elected and appointed positions. Prior to her election as the first female President in Finnish history, she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1995-2000); Minister of Justice (1990-91); Minister for Nordic Cooperation (1989-91); and Minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (1987-90). She also held a number of top committee positions while serving a member of the Finnish Parliament from 1979 to 2000. Prior to her time in national office, Halonen served as a trade union attorney (1970-74; 1975-79) and as a member of the Helsinki City Council (1977-96).

Halonen has held various national and international honorary positions including Co-Chair of the UN High-level Panel on Global Sustainability (2010-12), Co-Chair of the International Labour Organization (ILO), World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization (2002-04) and Co-Chair of the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. Among many other positions, she is currently the Co-Chair of the High Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) (2012-) and a member of the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (2014-). A graduate of Helsinki University, Halonen also holds 17 honorary university degrees. In 2009, Forbes magazine named her one of among the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.

Human rights and equality issues have been an integral part of President Halonen’s work throughout her career.

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Hazel Sive, Ph.D.

Hazel Sive is Professor of Biology at MIT, Member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Associate Member of the Broad Institute and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow. She received the B.Sc. Hons. from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and the Ph.D. from Rockefeller University. Her research focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as fundamental processes underlying brain and craniofacial development, using zebrafish and frog systems. She leads the Working Group on Neural Disorders for the Zebrafish Disease Models Society.

Dr. Sive also focuses on education and training. She teaches Introductory Biology to undergraduates and Developmental Biology to graduate students. She is former Associate Dean of Science (2007-2013) with oversight for diversity and education. She led the 2011 Report on the Status of Women in Science at MIT, and continues to promote gender equity. Dr. Sive is presently Chair of the Committee on Student Life, Chair of the Faculty Postdoc Advisory Committee and co-Chair of the MITx Faculty Advisory Committee. She is Founding Director of the MIT-South Africa Program and Founding Coordinator of the MIT-AFRICA Initiative. Dr. Sive is committed to communicating the powerful contributions that scientific research makes to human health and society.

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