The OPCW Technical Secretariat will hold a symposium on women in chemistry at the OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands on 24 June 2019, which will be followed by a basic analytical chemistry course for women chemists at the OPCW Laboratory in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, from 26 to 28 June 2019.
The theme for this year’s symposium is “Strengthening the role of women scientists for the next generation: Responsible culture in chemical safety and security management”. The aim of the symposium is to illustrate the strength and depth of the contribution of women to chemical safety and security management; to raise awareness of the opportunities for capacity and knowledge development for women in chemistry; and to promote international solidarity and cooperation to develop human capital for the future of peaceful chemistry, be it in international organisations, government, industry, or academia.
Aim
The aim of the analytical chemistry course is to assist qualified women analytical chemists from Member States whose economies are developing or in transition in acquiring further knowledge and experience, specifically as it relates to the analysis of chemicals related to the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter “the Convention”), and to facilitate the adoption of good laboratory practices and quality standards.
Content
The one-day symposium will focus on thematic presentations and discussions featuring prominent role models to address various issues of interest for women working in chemical safety and security management, including the particular challenges and opportunities they face. Group discussions will also be arranged to highlight the development of a responsible culture in chemical safety and security management.
The three-day course will focus on basic training in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and will include study/demonstration tours related to the use of these and other techniques for the analysis of chemicals related to the Convention. Participants in the analytical chemistry course will also be expected to attend the symposium.