Awesome!
From Kansai! Towards a society where new chemical reactions are born, the Rikejo platform, which transcends regions, age groups, and industries, has started in earnest!
……
AWESOME, which specializes in the advancement of women in science, will begin full-scale operations in April 2024 after a year of preparation. We would like to introduce this movement in conjunction with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which falls on February 11th.
[AWESOME’s vision]
A platform for Rikejo* to “disseminate” information so that we can build the future together.
AWESOME is a platform where diverse Rikejos not only “connect” but also “give form to ideas” together, thereby disseminating their charm and potential both internally and externally.
Through AWESOME, we are aiming for a future where society is stimulated and women have more career options. *Rikejo…Women who are highly interested in STEM (science) and problem-solving behavior. Mainly from science and engineering departments.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/129588/3/resize/d129588-3-dbaf94b1f5373a03e990-9.png&s3=129588-3-e5947bc3b672de253a1257325d43c375-1920×1080.png ]
[Trajectory of one year of preparation]
March 2023: Announced business plan as LED Kansai finalist
April 2023: AWESOME homepage opened and membership registration started June 2023: Received the American Consulate General Award from the U.S. Consulate General in Osaka and Kobe*1
June 2023: Start of diverse Rikejo career content “AWESOME Choices” (posted on note)
August 2023: AWESOME Kick-off event will be held on Mainichi Broadcasting*1 October 2023: “Rikejo Fes 2023” will be held at Nu Chayamachi *2 January 2024: Members-only hybrid networking event held at H1O Umeda Chayamachi*1 and business outline announced.
*1: Supported as an LED Kansai supporter company *2: Held as a support event for the Cabinet Office Gender Equality Bureau’s “Ricochalle (Science and Engineering Challenge)”
In addition, over the past year, we have exchanged opinions with a total of 220 people, including not only Rikejos but also companies, business operators, and school officials who sympathized with us, and have been preparing for the full-scale launch.
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/129588/3/resize/d129588-3-d2d0ef4c89eec0b6d4fd-8.png&s3=129588-3-56865b858bff8fafb74869b4cea5d517-1920×1080.png ]
[Features of AWESOME: The commonality of coming from a science and engineering department and diversity come together]
Rikejos who have come from the Kanto and Tokai regions, mainly from the Kansai region, have in common that they have chosen science and engineering courses such as the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Agriculture, but they are also different in age, region, and experience. My career has been rich in diversity. Through AWESOME, we hope to demonstrate that diversity will be the key to our future.
[Image 3: https://prtimes.jp/i/129588/3/resize/d129588-3-c169d219057e53cb141f-9.png&s3=129588-3-d9240e3722b6a4d70fbfc744aac2c6b7-1920×1080.png ]
【Service contents】
We will work to realize your vision with the following three services. Promoting the appeal of Rikejo through public events and lectures such as “Rikejo Fest” and “Rikejo Role Model Dispatch” “Rikejo Fes Mini”* will be held from February 22nd to 23rd at Cafe Lab on the 1st floor of Grand Front Osaka North Building (booth exhibition)
https://awesome-rikejofes-mini-2024feb.peatix.com *At an event hosted by the Female Entrepreneur Support Project & Network Management Office (Osaka Industrial Bureau, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation) AWESOME MATE (members-only exchange room) Online interaction, sharing of diverse Rikejo career stories, holding members-only offline meetings (Osaka, Tokyo)
Provides a place for companies and businesses to send information to Rikejo and receive feedback.
AWESOME LABO (problem-solving project) Utilizing Rikejo’s
problem-solving and execution skills, we develop a project that “gives form to ideas”
Realize ideas by utilizing AWESOME’s diverse networks and resources In the future, we aim to become a place where we receive requests from companies to solve problems and jointly develop products and services. (Click here to see the Rikejo Festival held in October 2023)
[Video 4: https://prtimes.jp/api/movieim.php?url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8mdrM0a8AQ] [It would be a waste not to take advantage of Japan! The power of Rikejo] Current situation of girls pursuing science and engineering fields According to the OECD Student Achievement Survey PISA 2022, Japan ranks first in mathematics and science, ranking among the top in the world, and previous gender-specific data from 2018 also shows that girls are at the top of the world, just like boys. I know.
On the other hand, the rate of women entering university in science and engineering has remained unchanged at 10% for 25 years. As a result, the proportion of women in science and engineering is also the lowest among the 38 OECD countries. AWESOME believes that the situation in which the world’s top Japanese women are not choosing science and engineering is a huge opportunity loss for the Japanese economy.
[Video 5: https://prtimes.jp/api/movieim.php?url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABrcgCdD-8g] Rikejo initiatives are recognized as important at the international level as well.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was established by the United Nations to recognize and value the important role that women and girls play in science and technology.
At the beginning of last year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:
“Women and girls bring diversity to research, expand the pool of science professionals, and provide fresh perspectives to science and technology, benefiting everyone.” (Reference: United Nations Information Center website). We hope that AWESOME will be able to contribute to efforts in Japan, where the ratio of girls and women in science and engineering fields is at the lowest level internationally.
[Video 6: https://prtimes.jp/api/movieim.php?url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zmHfKKS41o] [About AWESOME Founder & Representative Sachiko Nishioka]
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/129588/3/resize/d129588-3-5680d7cd872f6806f842-9.jpg&s3=129588-3-9b3c58ce8125e67b1cd537cd17b638bf-2980×1987.jpg] A female entrepreneur with an engineering background who is seriously taking on the challenge of developing her strengths and creating a social business in the STEM field.
After graduating from Kobe University’s Faculty of Agriculture, he joined P&G in 2000 and began his career as a general engineer. After that, she became the first working mother at the company, and while balancing work and childcare, she was involved in the development of numerous new products and global expansion as a development group leader for the disposable diaper “Pampers.” In 2019, he resigned from P&G to move on to a new stage. In addition to working as an English conversation instructor at ECC Foreign Language School, Awesome! (Awesome!) Founded. Through projects to develop the strengths of people and organizations and a platform project for high-class women in science, we are working to create a system in which diversity becomes the strength of Japan. Mother of two children, a junior high school student and a technical college student. 9th LED Kansai finalist.
More details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000003.000129588.html