A call for more women in science-related professions

Women's participation in professions dominated by men has been given more prominence in Shanghai.

Shanghai's nine authorities in science, education, health and other fields issued a declaration calling for more efforts to foster female talent in science and create a women-friendly innovation environment.

The declaration was unveiled at the "She Power" lecture held on Thursday at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum as part of the 2021 Shanghai Science Festival.

Four outstanding women in the fields of optics, electricity, shipbuilding and medicine shared their career experiences.

Liu Jialin, a doctor at Ruijin Hospital, and her colleagues created six inventions, including a mask, to facilitate the front-line work in the fight against coronavirus.

Globally, women account for more than 70 percent of medical workers. Of the 42,000 medical workers sent to Wuhan last year, two-thirds were women.

"In middle school, I questioned why there was only a women's day while there wasn't any holiday for men, which showed inequalities between the sexes," she said. "But after I started to work, I realized that men and women are naturally different. Women are tender, careful and tenacious."

Zhu Meiping and her teammates from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have made major breakthroughs in the development of laser films, helping the country grow from "follower" to "leader" in the world.

Laser films are essential to building large laser facilities. China had once lagged behind, but over the past decade it has been ranked No. 1.

Yu Zaihong from the China State Shipbuilding Corporation helped develop large-scale dredgers, and Yang Hong from Shanghai Electric Group pioneered smart manufacturing in the industry.