2025 Global Women’s Breakfast in Taiwan: Accelerating Equity in Science

Gender equality is not only about individual rights, but also key to enhancing scientific research innovation and competitiveness. This Global Women Scientists Breakfast Meeting provides a valuable opportunity for exchange, allowing participants to gain academic and industry insights, and to more deeply understand the importance of fairness and inclusion.

(Photo credit: National Chung Hsing University and attendees)

The Global Women's Breakfast (GWB), initiated by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), has become a major annual event in the scientific community. This year, more than 380 breakfast meetings were held simultaneously on February 11th around the world, from New Zealand to Hawaii, with over 30,000 participants. The only event in Taiwan was held at the Applied Technology Building of National Chung Hsing University, with the theme "Accelerating Equity in Science." It is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, ensuring that people of different backgrounds, genders, and socioeconomic status have equal access to science education, resources, and career development opportunities.

This event was jointly organized by the College of Engineering of National Chung Hsing University, the Chinese Chemical Society, the Taiwan Women in Science and Technology Association, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and sponsored by the National Science and Technology Commission. It attracted more than 80 people from academia, research institutions and industry to discuss how to create a more open scientific and technological environment.

In his opening remarks, Yang Ming-te, Dean of the College of Engineering at National Chung Hsing University, emphasized that the scientific field should embrace diversity and fairness to attract more talent to scientific research and innovation, thereby promoting social progress. Dr. Mary Garson, Co-Chair of IUPAC GWB, addressed the audience via video, calling on the global scientific community to work together to promote gender inclusion, break down traditional frameworks, and create a more equitable academic environment. Hsu Chao-ping, Vice Chairperson of the Taiwan Association of Women in Science and Technology, and Chao Yi-yi, Secretary-General of the Chinese Chemical Society, shared concrete actions taken by the Taiwanese academic community to promote gender equality and encouraged women to actively participate in technological innovation.

This event invited four experts from academia and industry to share their experiences and insights. Professor Li-Cheng Hsieh, Chair of the Department of Bio-Industry Mechatronics Engineering at National Chung Hsing University, has long been committed to gender equality on campus. He previously served as a member of the Ministry of Education's Gender Equality Education Committee and as the Dean of Student Affairs at Chung Hsing University, promoting related policies. He emphasized the crucial role of the educational environment in raising gender awareness and creating equitable opportunities. Professor Ya-Fen Wang, Professor of the Department of Environmental Engineering at Chung Yuan Christian University, previously served as Deputy Director-General of the Environmental Protection Administration and has long been involved in environmental policy and sustainable development planning. She explored the influence of female scientists in decision-making and stressed the importance of increasing women's participation in global environmental issues.

Dr. Phaedria Marie St. Hilaire, from the life sciences industry and a DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) consultant, venture capitalist, and industry leader, shared her STEM career development strategies in her presentation titled " Navigating Careers in STEM from a Gender Equality Perspective: 10 Lessons for a Successful Career. " She analyzed the challenges of gender inequality and offered concrete advice to help women overcome limitations and create successful careers. Lin Ruoting, Manager of the Diffusion Process Division at Micron Taiwan, presented on the theme "Women in Tech," sharing her experience in the semiconductor industry and analyzing the development opportunities and challenges for women in the technology sector. She emphasized the benefits of diverse teams for corporate innovation and encouraged women to actively participate in the technology field and leverage their professional strengths.

The event featured lively discussions, with participants exchanging in-depth insights into the achievements of various fields in promoting gender equality and diversity. They unanimously agreed that gender equality is not only about individual rights but also crucial for enhancing scientific innovation and competitiveness. This Global Women Scientists Breakfast Meeting provided a valuable opportunity for exchange, allowing participants to gain academic and industry insights and to more deeply appreciate the importance of fairness and inclusion.

This event was planned and organized by the Women Faculty Committee of the College of Engineering at National Chung Hsing University. The current president, Professor Chia-Yin Chen of the Department of Environmental Engineering, and the former president, Chien-Hui Lai, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering (currently the Deputy Head of the Activities Group of the Chinese Chemical Society), jointly coordinated the planning. Professor Shu-Hui Chen of National Cheng Kung University (Head of the Women's Working Group of the Chinese Chemical Society) and others attended, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and ensuring the event's success. In the future, the scientific community will continue to work together to create a more open environment, allowing all talents to give full play to their strengths and jointly promote global scientific and technological development towards a more equitable and diverse future.

News Source: College of Engineering, National Chung Hsing University