SWATI

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

Image Courtesy: Google

SWATI : Science For Women, A Technology And Innovation

 

In February 2024, the government has launched the SWATI (Science for Women- A Technology & Innovation) portal, a database highlighting accomplishments of Indian women in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) fields. The interactive portal was developed by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) to address the gender gap in sciences.

On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 Feb, 2024, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi, witnessed the launch of the “Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal. Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, initiated this significant step towards addressing gender disparity in science and technology fields.

Need for the Portal

Women comprise only 13-15% of researchers in STEMM in India, lower than most G20 nations. They are disproportionately clustered in junior roles indicating barriers to advancement. Lack of visibility further marginalizes women’s scientific contributions. Diversity in leadership and problem-solving suffers, hampering innovation ecosystems. The SWATI portal tackles this visibility gap.

Salient Features

The portal allows self-registration of profiles of women students, faculty and scientists across levels capturing expertise, qualifications, publications etc. The dashboard provides dynamic analytics on distribution of women in STEMM roles across states and institutions. It enables collaborations through expert outreach, forums and open access in English and Hindi.

Addressing Inclusion Challenges

Analysis of portal data can guide counseling programs and returnship policies tailored to states. Domain-specific polls enable targeted opportunity initiatives. Automated scholarship alerts empower women scientists. By highlighting challenges, SWATI can trigger interventions to maximize women’s potential.

Realizing the Vision

With women crossing 25% threshold in STEMM by 2030, increased visibility from the portal is expected to attract more girls to science careers. Connecting investors and corporates can boost commercialization. By lifting the veil of invisibility, SWATI could catalyze a watershed movement for gender parity in Indian science.

About SWATI Portal

• It is aimed at creating a single online portal representing Indian Women and Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine).
• The database of SWATI Portal will serve in policy making to address the challenges of Gender-gap.
• The Portal is a complete interactive database; and the first-of-its-kind in India which is developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi.

•  Objectives

  • To scale up the effort exponentially to include each and every Indian woman in science, across all career stages and subjects, spanning both Academia and the Industry enabling reliable and statistically significant long term research on the issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity in India;
  • Inclusion of each and every Indian WiS, career stages, subjects, spanning both Academia and the Industry; Enabling reliable and statistically significant long term research on the issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity in India, developing active search engine and searchable database (Name, Affiliation, Area of Interest).
• The various Sections in the portal include Icons – Awardees (Padma / Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar / Stree Shakti Science Samman) & Directors, Secretaries Academy Presidents; Faculty- Indian Universities, Autonomous organizations including S&T Ministry/ CSIR/ DBT/ DST/ CSIR/ MHRD/ UGC/ GATI/ KIRAN;

 

Addressing Gender Gap Through Policy-Making

• Prof Sood emphasized the significance of the SWATI Portal’s database in shaping policies to tackle the challenges of gender inequality.
• By centralizing information on Indian women and girls in (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) STEMM fields, this portal aims to bridge the gender gap and promote inclusivity in science and technology.

A Milestone in Indian Science: The First-of-its-kind Portal

• The portal is developed, hosted, and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research(NIPGR), New Delhi, under the leadership of Dr. Subhra Chakraborty, Director, NIPGR.
• The SWATI Portal is India’s first of its kind. Dr. Chakraborty highlighted its interactive features, making it a lively place to show women’s achievements in STEMM.

Objectives and Features of SWATI Portal

• The SWATI Portal aims to include every Indian woman in science across all career stages and subjects, spanning academia and industry.
• Its features include an interactive database covering various categories such as icons, faculty members, research fellows, students, entrepreneurs, and professionals in alternate careers. Currently, the portal hosts 3000 ‘WiS Data Cards,’with plans for dynamic growth.

Empowering Women for a Better Future

• By promoting gender sensitization, mentorship, and skill development, initiatives like the SWATI Portal pave the way for a more inclusive and innovative future, where women play a central role in scientific endeavors.
• The SWATI Portal aims to promote inclusivity, share knowledge, and encourage collaboration among women in STEMM fields. By offering visibility and recognition, it seeks to inspire the next generation of female scientists and entrepreneurs, advancing science and innovation in India and beyond.

 

 

 

Blog By: Trupti Thakur