ICWES19 participants.
The African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE)- MMUST Chapter, participated in the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists ICWES19 which took place on 4th and 5th September 2023. The blended conference-themed ‘Shaping the Future’ was hosted in New Zealand. The network seeks to encourage the education and retention of professional women in these fields through international collaboration. They presented their scientific achievements and discussed how to attract more women to STEM. Through STEM education, women can bridge the growing skills gap and contribute to higher productivity activities and economy-wide competitiveness.
AWSE- MMUST Chapter was recognized as the most vibrant in Africa. Dr. Seline Ooko who is the chairperson of the Western Chapter together with Dr. Rehab Kamau made presentations during the conference. The conference was graced by the Registrar of Planning, Research, and Innovations, Prof. Alice Ndiema
AWSE- MMUST Chapter, Dr. Seline Ooko and Rose Opiyo, during the conference at ABA 313.
Dr. Ooko’s presentation titled ‘Contextual Science Learning and Student Motivation: The Case of Grade 11 Form 3 Girls in a Mixed Secondary School in Kenya’, is an intervention to motivate form 3 girls in a selected Mixed secondary school by using a teaching method, different from the traditional British model where science teachers use modern laboratory equipment and express science concept in complicated English language.
“We want girls to learn from the local context; learn by linking the concepts to what is familiar and interesting to them, what they interact with in their daily life as African girls. This way of learning is based on Hull’s contextual learning theory which says that learning occurs only when students process new information or knowledge in a way that makes sense in their frame of reference or what they see in the environment,” stated Dr. Ooko.
AWSE members follow presentations online.
The other members who attended the conference included Dr. Annette Okoth (Secretary), Dr. Rose Opiyo , Dr. Mary Gorretty Kariaga, Dr. Fridah Njeru, Dr. Lucy Mandillah, and Ms. Judith Velma.
AWSE seeks to inspire women, and girls to study and work in STEM fields. Such conferences provide a platform for researchers and practitioners from both academia as well as industry to meet and share cutting-edge developments in the field.
By Linet Owuor
Photos by Shiundu Masafu
