The United Nations has named 2011 the International Year of Chemistry (IYC). A large number of activities are planned around the world, aiming to inspire people related to chemistry to collaborate with each other, to encourage the younger generation to get involved in science, and to raise the importance of chemistry in modern society, in which the role of women is quite considerable.
One such initiative, Women Sharing a Chemical Moment in Time, took place on 18 January 2011 and gathered women involved in chemistry from across the world together for a breakfast meeting, as a pre-launch event for the IYC celebration in Paris on 27-28 January 2011.
This official IYC activity was firmly supported by both IUPAC and UNESCO, and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Prize to Marie Curie for her outstanding achievements in the development of chemistry (the discovery of the elements radium and polonium).
The discussion topics of the day included the role of women in chemistry at the time of Marie Curie compared to today, how chemistry can be made a family-friendly profession, and the professional integration and visibility of women within the chemistry profession.
On the day chemists from 37 countries enjoyed breakfasts in different cities across Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA, and were brought together using modern communication links including Skype and Twitter to share a moment of chemical time together.
Among the many participants were women MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) in Strasbourg, France and a team from Richland, Washington, USA at the Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory auditorium. The Royal Society of Chemistry in Great Britain arranged a breakfast at a local branch in Beijing and hosted several breakfasts within the UK.
University of Brighton student Maria Marina Filippenko from Estonia, who is currently studying for an MPharm, was involved in this event and thanked all her teachers and tutors at school and university who inspired her to apply for a pharmacy course and to persevere with her studies, and who helped open up the wonderful world of chemistry to her.
