New policy looks to help female scientists prosper

HEFEI－For several years, Wang Jing has been a weather forecaster and engineer, collecting meteorological data and issuing warnings in Huangshan, Anhui province.

Recently, the 29-year-old earned another title－mother.

As Wang cares for her new baby while on maternity leave, she can't help but worry about whether the five months she will have off will hold back her career in meteorological research.

However, a new policy on female scientific and technological professionals in China has given her and other women more confidence about their futures.

In July, the All-China Women's Federation, together with the Ministry of Science and Technology and 11 other government bodies, launched a series of measures to help female researchers play a greater role in scientific and technological innovation.

As China ramps up its efforts to help develop female talent, countless women are shining in various fields of science and technology.

"People always think female employees are not suitable for working overtime, traveling on business or enduring hardship, but in fact, we have a very strong ability to adjust and adapt," said Xie Zhilin, head of the new-product development department at QuantumCTek, a leading quantum company based in Anhui.

Xie and her team have achieved a breakthrough in key algorithms, which have been successfully applied to suspended optical cables in complex environments. The product has been used in the field of quantum secure communications.

At the age of 29, Cao Lina was the lead author of a paper published in the journal Nature about a new catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells. Now 31, she is an associate researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, capital of Anhui, where she is engaged in research in the field of physical chemistry.

Cao said women bring certain skills, such as meticulous observation, rational planning and patient execution, allowing them to play unique roles in scientific research.

A report released last year by Elsevier, a research publishing and information analytics company based in the Netherlands, showed that the participation of women in research is increasing, but there is still inequality in terms of publication output, citations, grants awarded, collaboration and perceptions.

A document issued in July by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the other departments put forward 16 specific measures relating to six aspects of the career development of female talent.

They include training high-level female science and technology talent, supporting their innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities, improving the evaluation mechanisms for them and supporting their research during pregnancy and nursing periods.

The ministry said China aims to create a better policy environment through those measures to aid the growth of such talent.

"We need more outstanding women in science and more companies and platforms that provide women with equal opportunities," Xie said.

Xinhua