Grow New Kartinis in Science

Raden Ajeng Kartini, one of heroines from Indonesia who spent her young age for the woman rights to be educated and to be able to go to school. During Kartini’s era, girls weren’t allowing to go to school. Luckily, her father was concerned about her education, and supported her hobbies—reading books and writing. But even so, she only went to school until she was 12 years old. From then on, Kartini was secluded at home because that was what was expected for noble girls, she wasn’t allowed to leave home, which depressed her terribly. Kartini continued to educate herself on her own. She starts her path since her early twenties. Because she could speak Dutch, she acquired several Dutch pen friends. One of them, a girl by the name of Rosa Abendanon, became a close friend. Books, newspapers, and European magazines fed Kartini's interest in European feminist thinking, and fostered the desire to improve the conditions of indigenous Indonesian women, who at that time had a very low social status. Her famous book “Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang “ or Letters of a Javanese Princess was a collection of letters that Kartini wrote to her friends about her society condition around her. The emancipation movement was just beginning when Kartini wrote her letters. One of the movement’s supporters, JH Abendanon, wanted to help Kartini to make her dream come true, offering her an opportunity to go to school again and get a teaching degree. But there were many obstacles, and unfortunately she had to turn it down. J.H. Abendanon advised her to start teaching immediately, even without a certificate, and she did it.

It’s very important to celebrate Kartini’s day but it is also important time for us to reflect. This moment remind me about the number, the role, and the impact of woman in Science. The history had recorded some woman scientists who have great invention in the old time. For example, Aganice of Thessaly was the first astrophysicist woman who studied the stars' movements and predicted eclipse 200 years before JC or Merit Ptah, who lived sometime around 2700–2500 BC, was described on her tomb as “The Chief Physician”. Even though women in science weren’t a modern phenomenon, nowadays, there are still less number of female scientist. Data from UNESCO shows that only 30% researches in the world are women and only 3% of Nobel Prize has been awarded in the field of science to women. Indonesia also suffers the same condition as female scientists are yet to be better presented in this field. There are still less than 50% female in science. Moreover, based on report from “The Directorate General of Higher Education in Indonesia”, reveals that only 7% of female Bachelor’s Graduates pursued a Master’s Degree and as little as 3% of Master’s students enrolled in a PhD study in Indonesia. During 2010 to 2015, the percentage of female scientist growing rate has decreased from 6% to 3%.

There are some example reasons which some Indonesian female facing when we thought to enter science (or STEM in general). For example, when a nice and beautiful teenager dreamt to be a scientist, the family or society start asking and doubting her with question “ How a nice girl like you going towards science?”. Another example when one girl leave the country alone and unmarried to pursuing her PhD some people told her that when she will come back at the age 30 ~ 40, she won’t find a suitable match for herself anymore. Often, for a woman scientist who is also mom, society will label her as a bad mother when she has to leave her family for her field study. There also some biased conclusions from company or institute to hire a woman for doing some project because women may pause their program for family cause and also lose Health Insurance as they are quite often tied to their fellowship. However, these are just not more than myth. Being a scientist doesn’t mean we need to give up our feminism, or gave up our relationship with our family.

Let’s not make these kinds of issues to drag our dream down. We all have the same capabilities as male scientist to apportion our contribution of the science development in Indonesia. We shouldn’t forget that science is a creative endeavor which letting the imagination be open to new ideas and invention. Therefore, woman and man can be creative in different ways. Certain, studies worldwide say that more women are needed in research to increase the range of inventions and breakthroughs that come from looking at problems with different angle rather men typically do. So let’s create and grow the number of new Kartini’s in STEM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in Indonesia.

In this chance, I would also like to recommend some link for good read about woman in science: L’Oréal For Woman in science which support and encourage Indonesian women in the fields of science and research ( http://www.fwis.fr/en/awards or you can subscribe their page on Facebook). For Parents, Teachers, and others dedicated for raising Smart, Confident, and courageous girls, you can have a look to this website which provides book, toys, or movies collection for young girls ( http://www.amightygirl.com). In the end, I would advise girls to not to have to be relegated to the role of sidekick or damsel in distress; we, women can be the leaders, the heroes, the champions that save the day, find the cure, and go on the adventure. So, Science & woman need to work hand in hand for the progress of the society and growth for the women Era.

Some line from Kartini's book "Letters of a Javanese Princess"

“A girl whose mind and knowledge have been expanded will no longer able to live in a world of her ancestors. She entered the cage after being taught to fly.

But then I understand why men are so egoist. Things that they learn since a kid from their mother, they taught that women are inferior. I often heard my mom, my aunties, and families said, “She is just a girl, just a girl.” It upset me. “Women are nothing, they were made for men, for fun. Men could do whatever they want,” I could hear the devil mock me. “NO! We are human, just like men. Give me permission to prove it. Please let me. I’ll show you that I’m a human. Just like men.”