Male-dominated science festival – Ergo

Photo: Sara Borsiin / Ergoarkivet SciFest is a science festival which aims to strengthen children’s and young people’s interest in science and technology.

Published 2015-03-20 14:06

SciFest going on right now in Uppsala, where children and young people come to learn more about science. But the scene program for Saturday is heavily male dominated.

Chemistry Show, Space, zombies, climate change and GMOs. It is very exciting to learn about the SciFest at Fyrishov this weekend. The popular science festival for young people organized annually by Uppsala University and various partners. But the program sheet for Saturday’s stage performances show nothing but men, except for one woman, who also is the only one mentioned by their first name in the program, says an anonymous critic for the Ergo.

SciFest project Tobias Blom is well aware of the imbalance in the program.
– Yes, absolutely. Firstly, we ourselves have reacted and we have had reactions to it. There are several that have picked this up and have been in touch via email, says Tobias Blom

According to him, there are several reasons why there are many more men represented in the program. He says that they worked on getting a female emcee, but failed at the last moment with the person you had in mind. He also thinks that the men said yes fastest and the inability to expand the program when it has been clear that the imbalance has become so big.
– It has to do with the economic situation and we have been waiting for a decision on funding for long. We have set the program for those who accepted early, and since we have not had the money to continue. We have also been working to produce more scientists so that it is equal, but failed. We have asked and chasing and received no to no, says Tobias Blom.

Do you see it as problematic that it is not equal? ​​
– Yes, we know absolutely. We want to showcase role models and that of course this is a skewed view of reality. But in place of Fyrishov it is a huge diversity, both in terms of ethnicity and gender. The workshops are filled with women scientists and graduate students so it’s more than 50 percent, says Tobias Blom.

On Friday morning has SciFest added another female researchers to Saturday’s program, which replaces a man, and thus occurs two women and five men.