Cinq chaires universitaires régionales ont été mises sur pied en avril 1997. L’objectif de ces chairs est de favoriser la participation des femmes en sciences et en génie. Les régions titulaires sont : les Provinces atlantiques ; le Québec ; l’Ontario ;
... »les Prairies ; la Colombie-Britannique. Les chairs ont été appuyées financièrement par le Conseil de recherche en sciences naturelles et en génie (CRSNG) et d'autres partenaires industriels. Le rôle des titulaires de ces chaires consiste entre autres à développer des stratégies en vue de promouvoir les carrières en sciences et en génie auprès des jeunes étudiantes du primaire et du secondaire, et à sensibiliser les universités sur les moyens d'améliorer et de favoriser l'intégration des étudiantes et de professionnelles au sein des facultés. Chaque titulaire doit consacrer la moitié de son temps aux activités de la chaire, l'autre moitié doit être partagée entre ses activités d'enseignement et de recherche à l'université.
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In 1996, an NSERC Task Force report made 21 recommendations to increase the participation of women in research in the science and engineering fields. One of the recommendations resulted in the creation of five new 'regional' Chairs to build on previous work and multiply the efforts and visibility on this issue. The CWSE Program was regional—with one Chair for each of the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies, and British Columbia/Yukon regions. Each Chair is jointly sponsored by NSERC, an industry partner, and the host university. In addition to working on the general issues of attraction and retention, the work engages in a closer analysis of the curriculum, structures, and conventions that mitigate against the full participation of many women, especially at the higher echelons of the organizations. The role of the chair holders will include developing strategies to encourage female students in elementary and secondary schools to consider careers in science or engineering, as well as sensitizing faculties on how to improve and promote the integration of women students and professionals. Each chair holder devotes up to half of her time to the activities of the Chair, and the remainder to her normal professional and research activities at the university. At a first meeting of the Chairs in Ottawa in August 1997, it was decided that each Chairholder would act as 'coordinator of the Chairs' for one year. As coordinator of the chair, Monique Frize called meetings, organized conference calls, distributed the minutes of the meetings, and initiated the publication of the newsletter. With the other Chair holders, Monique Frize met them on a regular basis, shared a newsletter, and provided links to each other's web sites and to many other related programs. «
