Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to tackling the central issues regarding gender and science. The last thirty years of research and analysis have shown us that they are also essential for scientific excellence. Research and education cannot be excellent unless they are inclusive, and diversity is today recognized as an essential component of creativity and innovation. A critical approach from the social sciences is essential to understand and harness how different but related systems of repression and control deeply influence experiences and opportunities for specific group in scientific careers. The concept of intersectionality is central to this critical perspective, bringing together gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability, and focusing the analysis on systemic issues. This talk will discuss how Brazil is dealing with these questions and how the recent changes in our political ecosystem will impact the approach to these vital issues. The last decades had already witnessed a massive number of different initiatives and actions aiming at attracting more women to scientific careers, but in many instances these initiatives were small scale and short lived. Attention has now turned to programs that have intersectionality and institutional structural change at their core. Whether this is a new beginning and how successful it will be remains to be seen. But there is certainly a new feeling in the air and hope is high
Dr. Alice Abreu, Professor Emerita of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, has a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of São Paulo Brazil (1980), and M.Sc. in Sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) of the University of London (1971). She was a Full Professor of Sociology at the UFRJ for twenty-five years and has published extensively in sociology of work and gender as well as, more recently, on gender and science. Since early 2000 her career has been closely linked to science, technology, and innovation policy, holding important positions in Brazil and internationally. She was the vice President of CNPq, the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development, the Director of the Office of Education, Science and Technology of the Organization of American States, in Washington D.C., the Director of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Council for Science (ICSU). More recently, Prof. Abreu was the Director of GenderInSITE (2015-2017), a global initiative aimed at promoting the role of women in science, innovation, technology and engineering (SITE). Prof. Abreu is a member of several important boards and advisory committees of different institutions and project, such as the Gender Advisory Board of the UN Commission of Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), and keeps active in the area of equality policies in science and technology. Professor Abreu received the Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico (Comendador) of Brazil in 2001; the Palmes Académiques (Officier), of the Ministère de la Jeunesse, de l’Éducation Nationale et de la Recherche. République Française, in 2003. She was awarded the Florestan Fernandes Prize for Sociology in 2009 and the ANPOCS Award in Academic Excellence Antonio Flavio Pierucci Sociology in 2013. In February 2020 she received the Honorary Mention at the first edition of the "Carolina Bori Ciência & Mulher" Award of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. Prof. Abreu is an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
