Activities ／ 活動内容

STEAM (S=Science, T=Technology, E=Engineering, A=Art, M=Mathematics) education has become an important issue in Japan due to the expansion and integration of scientific fields. Although the ratio of female researcher in Japan has been gradually increasing, it remains low compared to other countries at 18.5% as March31, 2024 (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications "Science and Technology Research Survey").
Japanese female students have high abilities in science and mathematics abilities, with almost no gender differences, according to trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and OECD Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA).
One of the reasons why female students hesitate to choose a science-related career path is that they have no role models nearby and find it difficult to envision their future.

CYW STEAM provides female junior and senior high school students with the opportunity to learn about the fascinating and profound aspects of scientific fields. By showing them various role models, it works to encourage them to choose scientific fields as their career path. We hope to balance the ratio of male and female students in university STEAM departments, which has a ripple effect on achieving diversity in STEAM fields. We also appeal to middle and high school teachers and parents, who influence the career choices of female middle and high school students.
Specific activities: 
[1] Kansai Kagaku-juku for female middle and high school students 
This activity began in 2006 as a collaborative project between national and public universities in the Kansai region. OMU is a full member of the Kansai Kagakujuku Consortium, a general incorporated association, and takes part in the project each year.
Half of the participants were struggling to decide to go on to a humanities or science course, and after attending “Kansai Kagaku-juku”, a career survey revealed that 80% of participants chose a sciences course. In a science course, students chose not only medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, which require national qualifications, but also science, engineering, and agricultural departments were selected, with a ratio of about 1:2. It is believed that the experience of the variety of science courses in “Kansai Kagaku-juku” led to the students making diverse career choices.
We also run collaborative events with the U.S. Consulate in Osaka.
[2] Collaboration with city board of education
In cooperation with the Sakai City Education Center, we demonstrate science experiments at the Sakai City School Science Exhibition. Female university students demonstrate and explain experiments to boys and girls and their parents, and it is believed that their lively performance will help to eliminate the gender gap.
[3] Others
We provide information about female students’ choice about science-related career paths on the opportunities such as visiting high schools. 

近年、理系分野の拡がりや分野融合が進み、STEAM(S=Science, T=Technology, E=Engineering, A=Art, M=Mathematics)教育は、国を挙げて取り組む重要課題となっています。我が国における研究者に占める女性の割合は，緩やかな上昇傾向にあるものの、2024年3月31日現在で18.5％にとどまっており，諸外国と比べて低いものとなっています（総務省「科学技術研究調査」）。国際学力調査の結果は、日本の女子中高生の理数能力は高く、性差はほとんどみられません。女子生徒が理系進路選択を躊躇する要因の一つとして、ロールモデルが身近に居ないため、将来像を描きにくいことが考えられます。
本研究所では、女子中高生に対して、理系分野の面白さ、奥深さを知る機会を提供し、様々なロールモデルを示すことで、理系進路選択を促す活動を行っています。大学理系学部における男女比を均衡化し、理系分野におけるダイバーシティ実現への波及効果を期待しています。女子中高生の進路選択に影響を及ぼす、中高教員や保護者への働きかけも行っています。
具体的な取り組みは以下の通りです。
[1]「女子中高生のための関西科学塾」の運営・実施
関西国公立大学の連携事業として2006年度に始まった活動です。本学は、一般社団法人関西科学塾コンソーシアムの正会員として、各年度の事業に参画しています。
参加者の半数は文理選択に悩む層ですが、「関西科学塾」参加後に8割が実際に理系分野を選択していることが、進路調査から明らかになっています。国家資格を取得する医歯薬系に限らず、理工農学分野に進む者も多く、その割合はおよそ1:2となっています。「関西科学塾」で多様な理系分野を知ったことが、多様な進路選択につながったと考えています。
在大阪神戸米国総領事館との協同イベントも運営実施しています。
[2] 教育委員会と連携した活動
堺市教育センターと連携し、堺市学校理科展覧会に、科学実験ブースを出展しています。男女児童と保護者に対して、理系女性大学生が実験の演示と説明を行い、その生き生きとした様子は、ジェンダーギャップ解消につながるものと考えています。
理科教員研修などの機会も利用したいと考えています。
[3] その他、目的を達成するための活動
高校訪問などの機会を利用して、女子学生の理系進路選択について情報提供を行っています。