Women in Photonics was part of the International seminar devoted to the modern tendencies in optical and optical-information systems’ design.

According to Anna Voznesenskaya, head of the Faculty of Laser and Light Engineering, this year a new session devoted to the role of women in science was included into the list of the seminar’s events. The representatives of IEEE Photonic Society’s Women in Photonics Initiative appreciated the idea – its Vice-President Arti Agrawal recently visited the session [read the interview with Dr. Agrawal –Ed.]. It was planned to discuss not only peculiarities of scientific career in optics and photonics, but also soft skills.

The session included two workshops – the first one was titled as “Women in Science” the second one was devoted to presentation skills – its speakers taught future scientists who to present their research in Russian and English. According to Yulia Ryabukhina, head of the Foreign Languages Department, the extensive agenda of the event makes it different from similar seminars.

 Yulia Ryabukhina

“It combines two different modules: photonics as a field and the concept of gender problems covering the opportunities available for female scientists. It also includes soft skills. This event allows discussing such important things as science communication, global interaction of scientists and popularizing science,” notes Ms. Ryabukhina.

The speakers of the session talked about challenges that female scientists usually meet.

Irina Livshits, head of the Research Laboratory for Computer-Aided Design of Optical-Information and Energy Saving Systems.

I chose optics to be the field I would deal with when I was at school. My physics teacher was an excellent specialist. He said that physics is a wonderland offering various unexpected opportunities. He demonstrated various experiments. I remember that light-dispersion one impressed me and then I decided that I would study optics at ITMO while most of my classmates wanted to devote themselves to physics or math. Also I lived not far from ITMO – it was one more perk.

Irina Livshits

There is a certain reason for the fact that in Russia many women work as scientists unlike other countries – the war made many men become soldiers. At the same time lots of women became engineers. 

I’d recommend future researchers to study math and languages. I think that living in the modern world specialists need to speak two or three languages like English, German and Chinese. It is also necessary to follow latest trends in science. Some say, and I think it is the truth, that female scientists have to be several times better than men to receive recognition.

Natalya, Demkovich, PhD, head of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research at the B Pitron SP company.

I also wanted to discover and create something new. Humanities have not provided me with such an opportunity and I decided to devote myself to science and hi-tech area. Now I work in a company that sells software programs, and I deal with systems of engineering analyzing. The most interesting field we work on is additive technologies. Our work is related to topological optimization of 3D printing. My research project correlates with this – my thesis will include the issue of application of computer modelling systems to manufacturing processes.

I have no problems with career development. Among my colleagues there are women who serve as senior engineers and CEOs. I think that those women who want to develop in Russia will not meet any problem connected with gender stereotypes.

Those female specialists who want work in hi-tech area don’t have to focus on their gender and expect a particular attention; otherwise nobody will take them seriously.

Natalia Bystryantseva, head of Department of “The Higher School of Lighting Design”, head of the International Laboratory “Urban Light Design”.

Natalia Bystryantseva

Before coming to ITMO I’d taken part in various light design projects for over ten years.  Back then I started thinking about the quality of urban light culture – I studied techniques and approaches used in Russia and overseas – this experience assisted me in developing educational courses of the Higher School of Lighting Design.

I never met gender stereotypes at workplace, but I met a problem when specialists from different fields speak different languages – at ITMO’s School of Photonics I work engineers and as a designer I am used to different terms and approaches.

The main project I am working on these days is an innovative urban study called “Creating of Development program for St. Petersburg as Russia’s center of light design culture in 2018-2030”.