Council for the Advancement of Women in Science and Technology

The Council for the Advancement of Women in Science and Technology was established in December 2000, following a government decision to increase the national product (GDP) and improve the quality of life by enhancing the involvement of women in the fields of science, technology and innovation. The Council strives to enlarge the percentage of women's participation in the fields of science and technology and to improve their status. Since 2017, the council chair is Professor Navah Z. Ratzon, from Tel Aviv University. 

The Council's Projects
The Council coordinates between the government, public and private institutions, in order to promote Israeli students and women in the fields of science and technology.  It coordinates activities with the European Union and works to increase public awareness of the gender bias in this field. Each year, the council organizes a conference designated to addressing current issues relating to women in STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and offers grants for female students at all levels.  

Scholarships for Women
    Shulamit Aloni Scholarships for the Advancement of Women in Science, PhD and Postdoc. 1,840,000; NIS.
    Yitzhak Navon Scholarships for PhD students and postdoctoral students living in the socio-economic periphery; 1,760,000 NIS. 
    Golda Meir Academy-Business Scholarships for Women in Science and Technology for Postgraduate and Postgraduate Students; 1,980,000 NIS.
    Graduate Scholarships in Engineering and Exact Sciences for students who are in their final year of undergraduate studies; 1,4,000,000  NIS.

The Council's Members  
The Council includes a representative of the chief scientists at the government ministries, the Ministry of Education science administration director, the director of the Ministry of Economy Technology Training Institute, a representative of the planning and budget committee, representatives of the ministry of energy, representative of the ministry of transportation, representative of the Civil Service Commission, the council for higher education, the chairwoman of the Managers in Industry Forum and the Women's Affairs Advisor for the IDF’s Chief of staff. 
The council's Committees
The projects and activities are planned and carried out by three committees: Academia, Industry and Education. These committees gather five times a year and offer nationwide plans and projects to advance gender equality. 

Academia Committee
1.    Completed a literature review of gender inequality in Israeli academia.
2.    Composed a  report on gender equality in research grants.
3.    Cooperates with the Council for Higher Education.
4.    Gathers data relating to the gender imbalance in academic life.
5.    Presented recommendations for policy changes.

Industry Committee
1.    Promotes infrastructure that encourages women's integration in various industries.
2.    Develops an environment of gender equity in Israeli industrial arena.
3.    Creates a respectful environment that encourages women's development in organizations.
4.    Enhances gender awareness among executives and managers in industrial organizations.
5.    Promotes women's capabilities to integrate and advance in Low-tech and High-tech industries.

Education Committee
1.    Constructs a model for gathering information on current projects that promote girls and young women in science and technology studies.
2.    Composed a position paper for the Minister of Education, suggesting a change in the advancement of girls in science and technology education.
3.    Cooperates with the Ministry of Education, examining and evaluating policies of promoting girls in science and technology studies.
4.    Writes proposals for researches targeted to enrich the databases of the Ministry of Science on the topic of promoting women in science and technology.
5.     Works with Central Bureau of Statistics to examine the accessibility of significant information and variables on the status of girls  in science studies.

The Future Female Scientists Program 
The Future Female Scientists Program is run by the Ministry of Science and Technology and designed to encourage young women in the periphery to select majors in the exact sciences.