Karimat ElSayed Karimat ElSayed

Physics Department, Faculty of Physics Department, Faculty of Science , Ain-shams UniversityScience , Ain-shams University

elkarimat@yahoo.comelkarimat@yahoo.com

Introduction percentage of physics female students

enrolled in Universities. Gender distribution of physics staff

members in different universities Women in Physics in the Arab Worlds. Needs suggested by undergraduate female

physics students The impact of The Regional Conference on

women in physics (Africa & MiddleEast2007 held in Egypt )

Until the end of the 19th Century Science was not classified into Different disciplines.

The first woman named in the history of science was Merit Ptah (2700 Bc.) Merit Ptah (2700 Bc.) in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Egypt's Valley of the Kings.

She She held the title "chief physician," held the title "chief physician," making her the first known female making her the first known female physician and the first woman named in physician and the first woman named in the history of science.the history of science.

In the new Egypt the first governmental girl’s school started in Cairo in 1873

Before 1873 rich girls used to have private teaching at home, or to go to Missionary girls Schools or to be sent to have their education in France or England.

The first University in Egypt Started in 1908. (only 7 girls) attended the University at that time , mainly studying the humanitarian subjects.

The first woman in physics was Samira Mousa who was graduated in 1940 and had her PhD degree from the USA in Nuclear physics, but she died in Car accident in 1951 in USA

Now a day the number of women in Physics are increasing and they are practicing all field of physics

some of them have highly managerial post some have been decorated with various orders of merit for their scientific achievements

In 1995 The percentage of the students (boys and Girls) who finished the secondary Schools in the science section were 30% and 30% out of this numbers were girls. After 2002 a decline in the number of students in Science section Were taking place

The total number of Physics graduates (males& females) are decreasing by time, but on the other hands the ratios of female relative to male students are increasing

7.78%6.63%

1.33%

81.80%

2.46%

Medical

Engineering

AgricultureBasic Science

Humanitarian

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Prof Assit Prof Lecturerer Assist Lect Demonstrator

Male 2002

Female 2002

Male 2008

Female 2008

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

PPPPP+ P+P+P+P+P

P: Physics(single major)P+:(double major)

Enrollmentin 2004/2005

F M

Double major programs exhibit an obvious increase in students enrollment especially females.

The number of female students enrolled in Science and Technology field, usually have demand for disciplines like medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.

In basic science the demand is for life science and chemistry

Pricilla Laws of Dickinson College Pointed out in her article(4) in 1993that (About 23%of the physics department of Aim-Shams University including the chair person Karimat El-Sayed were women.)

She pointed out also that Bob Erlich from George Mason University wrote that; he didn’t know of any American University Physics Department with this high percentage of women. (4 )

We have in Egypt a faculty only for girls affiliated to Ain-Shams University.

It has a science section which include only physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics

It was established in 1950 in response to the demand of the community, that the girls get their education without mixing with boys.

The dean of this faculty is always a female and she is at present a Biologist

Few women physicists reached to highly professional, managerial and decision making positions in Universities and Institutions Some are also active in nongovernmental organizations.

Some married women who encounter great difficulties in balancing scientific activities with family duties prefer to leave their careers totally

The number of Egyptian women and men Physicists are decreasing due to the lack of jobs.

There is indirect discrimination considering the higher rank positions such as the head of the Universities.

Girls believe that physics, mathematics and technology are tough and therefore are usually male subjects..

A misconception that males usually prefer spouses of non scientific background

Stable marriage come as a priority over a career in our society.

The role model that are presented in the physics books in the secondary school are not encouraging ( they are unmarried, with thick glasses and of grim faces).

More advanced experiments to support their course

Their rightful need for creating suitable jobs for physics graduates

Obtain more opportunities in the “exchange of students” programs with other advanced countries.

More exposure to research activities related to advanced technology

The Egyptians played good roles in teaching Schools children and also University students of both sex in most of the Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Kuwait, Yemen, the Golf states, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Jordon

Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, our help to them started after the independence of these countries in the fifties and sixties of the twenties Century.

All the Arab Worlds now have good Universities , Some of them have mixed Education( the countries located in the west of Egypt and others have none mixed education( the Golf states, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

In Saudi Arabia the first Girls School started in 1964

Before this years rich girls get private education at home and some get it at Schools in Egypt

The first college for Girls (a section of King Abdul-Aziz University where education is not mixed) started in 1975. I my self established the four years of the Physics Department of this girl section

Now a day there are about 10 PhD Saudi women working in the Physics department in this girls college

In Saudi Arabia there are some other colleges of girls belonging to the Ministry of education ( the girls Section). The graduates of these colleges work as teachers

The first girls School in Yemen started in 1973.

Yemen Has now two PhD women in Physics. They got their PhD degree from Cairo University.

There is a university in Lebanon affiliated to Alexandria university and other in Sudan affiliated to Cairo University , most of the lecturers are Egyptian

I had to overcome institutional, academic, and technical challenges.

I was born in village situated in the north of Delta

Our mother believed that girls are only brought to be good wives and good mothers

With the help of my father together with my full determination, I was able to be a student at the higher School.

At high school I was overwhelmed by the glorious biography of Marie Curie, the scientist, the wife and the mother.

I Graduated with honor degree in physics and I had to choose between marriage and career, at that time, marriage means the end of any woman career.

I was able to get My PhD degree from London University under the Supervision of Another Distinguished lady (Kathleen Lonsdale) She told me from her experience that a woman who is a good scientist is also a good mother

When I got My PhD I was appointed a lecturers at the Physics Department, Ain-Shams University

I was the first Physics staff members (men and women) who is specialized in my subject and I found ( no equipments, no books, no one to help me and nothing at all to start with.

I had to struggle for all of these difficulties alone.

Now I have a good and well equipped lab Now I have a good and well equipped lab which is now helping other researchers which is now helping other researchers and industries to solve their problemsand industries to solve their problems

I am always organizing Workshops, I am always organizing Workshops, Schools, and conferences, Inviting very Schools, and conferences, Inviting very eminent professors from over all the eminent professors from over all the World to teach the most new subjects in World to teach the most new subjects in Physics.Physics.

I tried very hard to convince the parents I tried very hard to convince the parents of the young girls to attend the of the young girls to attend the Conferences and workshopsConferences and workshops

TOPICS Women physicists and continuous education. The needs of women physicists to overcome their

difficulties (education and research) Women physicists and society challenges. Teaching physics for girls Quality control and assurance in physics education. The role of the developed countries towards

women physicists in developing countries. Personal experience in balancing family and

career.

several recommendations were directed towards the promotion & advancement of women in Africa & the Middle East

improving the public image & awareness of the importance of women in physics.

References 1-Central Agency for Public Mobilization &

Statistics (CAPMAS) 2007 2-Women in Physics conferences Proceedings in

Paris 2002 & in Brazil 2005 3- Ain-Shams University, Cairo University, Assuit

University & Alexandria University Statistics 2007 4-Parcilla Laws, From Her Article(Physics and

Spices In (Cairo) 1993.during her Participation in the Fourth Arab conference on physics teaching, Organized by the Physics Department of Ain Shams Universities