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Topic description / abstract:

Interviews that took place while touring labs big and small, spread across the country - from Ahmedabad to Aluva, from Bhopal to Bangalore from Kochi to Kalimpong, and many more - rearticulate science and also gender in India today. The findings gathered might be significant to close the gender gap and other social gaps in publicly funded science, and the stories unearth the invisible Indian women scientists. The face of STEM in India remains upper-caste/class, male and cis-dominated, pulling away from the values of science that promise openness and diversity of views.   In the colloquia, Aashima will recount the Lab Hopping project that she cofounded and edited since 2016. A book of the same name that was recently published by Penguin India will be introduced while outlining the roadblocks toward a truly inclusive science culture. There might be differences in the language used to justify the status quo, but the central issue of opportunity bias remains the same in India as well as in Europe. Having worked in the European science communication teams in addition to conducting the media project in India, Aashima will make a case for a global shift in scientific culture that stands on feminist solidarities of marginalised people in science.

Biographical note:

Aashima Dogra is an independent science communicator with broad interests in ‘science within society’. She is a Science Journalist, Writer, and Editor having worked within Indian media, as well as part of international teams in the last 13 years. In 2016, she co-founded the feminist science media project TheLifeofScience.com (TLoS) which publishes investigative reporting and literary contributions from Indian science, in addition to engaging the community with discussion about the social gaps in science. She enjoys writing for children too, and has created many cool science comics with collaborators as editor of a children’s science magazine and as editor at TLoS. She has authored popular science books for children: ‘31 Fantastic Adventures in Science’ (Puffin books) and ‘Fly in Space’ (Pratham books), produced a few science podcasts, and also teaches inclusive science communication to graduate students occasionally. Her latest book titled ‘Lab Hopping’ (Penguin) which she co-authored with Nandita Jayaraj released in April 2023!]