The theme this year was Women in Research.
The topic was explored from multiple perspectives: status quo of women representation in researches and publications; impact of the pandemic; and practical suggestions on how to run researches and write impactful publications.
Facebook Roundtable: Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbated Gender Inequalities?
Pilar Garrido, Susana Banerjee and Fabrice André engaged in a thought-provoking discussion about COVID-19 and gender and tried to identify appropriate response strategies to minimise the repercussions of the pandemic on the gender gap in oncology. The event was moderated by Solange Peters.
W4O Forum @ESMO20: Women in Science
The W4O Forum 2020 was a virtual event this year.
Pilar Garrido, ESMO W4O Committee Chair, opened the session starting with the question “Are women underrepresented in oncology journals?”. She highlighted the additional challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of gender equity, and the role of the ESMO W4O in addressing these challenges, both collectively and individually.
The keynote speaker Jocalyn Clark, Executive Editor of The Lancet, shared her perspective and experience on advancing women in science and medicine. She considered the challenges faced by women in the scientific field and shared insights and best practices on what can be done in the academic and editorial arena to aid gender balance.
A live Q&A concluded the session.
Virtual Mentorship Sessions
These sessions gave delegates the opportunity to interact with opinion leaders, who shared their experience, insights and first-hand advice in open conversation. The topics covered were:
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How to investigate the situation of women in your own country
with Janice Tsang, Jyoti Bajpai, Marina Chiara Garassino, Helena Linardou -
Optimal time management in paper and grant writing
with Angela Lamarca & Carmen Criscitiello -
How to re-enter the scientific arena after paternal leave
with Inés María Vaz Duarte Luis & Cinzia Canipari