Dr Diana Contreras Mojica visits Cairo to support gender equality in STEM initiative

Contributing to a novel British Council-funded project aimed at tackling gender disparity in STEM education, Dr. Diana Contreras Mojica of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences travelled to Cairo, Egypt.

The project, titled "Reducing Gender Disparity in Higher Education in Science and Engineering from High School to Higher Education", brought together academics and students to explore solutions to the underrepresentation of women in science and engineering disciplines.

Hosted by Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Engineering, and organised jointly with Cairo University,  Dr. Contreras Mojica delivered a training session featuring a comprehensive programme covering the historical contributions of female scientists, barriers to STEM participation, and strategies for improving attraction, enrolment, recruitment,  retention and employability  of women in science and engineering—particularly at the high school stage, where interest in STEM subjects often begins to decline. One particularly impactful section focused on the Hjalli model—an Icelandic educational approach designed to break gender stereotypes from early childhood.

During her visit, Dr. Contreras Mojica engaged in productive discussions with faculty members and explored current research in renewable energy and cultural heritage conservation through laser scanning technologies. She also met with Ms Heba Elzein, Director of Education at the British Council in Cairo, to share updates on the project’s progress and outcomes.

Participant feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive. Students expressed interest in the training content, and informal feedback gathered by project partners at Ain Shams University indicated strong engagement with the materials presented.

We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to Dr Ahmed Hesham Abdulaziz Mohammed (Lecturer in the Design and Production Engineering Department, Ain Shams University) and Dr Samaa Sayed Hanafy Ahmed (Lecturer in Dental Public Health, Cairo University) for their invaluable contributions to the success of this initiative. We also express our special thanks to the British Council for its generous support and funding of the project, which reflects our shared commitment to advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion within higher education.

Dr Diana Contreras Mojica is a Senior Lecturer in Geospatial Science within the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences. She was selected to participate in the prestigious GW4 Crucible 2024, which focused on addressing complex health and wellbeing challenges rooted in socio-economic disparities.

This project is part of Cardiff University’s broader mission to support inclusive education and international collaboration in addressing global challenges. We look forward to continuing our engagement with institutions in Egypt and beyond, as we strive to promote diversity and innovation in science and engineering education.