Day: April 25, 2024

Serhii Tokarev About the Construction of the First STEM Ecosystem in Ukraine

 In spring 2024, Serhii Tokarev, a well-known IT entrepreneur, announced the news of the creation of the first STEM ecosystem in Ukraine. The project, organized as part of a Ukrainian educational initiative, aimed to ensure equal opportunities for girls in the field of science and technology. It will also be able to unite various institutions, specialists, and concepts aimed at developing the STEM sector.

In 2019, the project that Serhii Tokarev spoke about started with a clear mission. The main goal of the team was to stimulate the interest of Ukrainian girls in science and technology. Their goal was to represent the diversity of industries and introduce participants to successful women who have achieved significant heights in STEM. Moreover, the project sought to provide girls with additional information about potential career opportunities, opening up their horizons in the world of science and innovation.

The implementation of the SHE is SCIENCE art project has become a significant achievement of the STEM is FEM team. Under the guidance of the project, Ukrainian illustrators created portraits of 12 outstanding Ukrainian women scientists, whose work made significant contributions to various fields of science. The works of art were presented internationally, including an exhibition at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. In addition, the project stimulated educational activity by introducing a series of “Urbanism” lessons on the Diia.Education platform, which made it an important step in promoting science education in Ukraine. In 2023, STEM is FEM was awarded the title of “Honorary Ambassador of Ukraine in the field of scientific, and educational diplomacy” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, highlighting his contribution to the development of education and culture of the country.

According to Serhii Tokarev, the STEM is FEM team realized that they had enough resources, experience, and knowledge to do more and achieve important changes. Therefore, an important decision was made to launch the first STEM ecosystem in Ukraine. The main idea of the project is to be a guide for Ukrainian girls who are interested in STEM and dream of a career in this field.

With the rapidly evolving science and technology industries, the new STEM ecosystem is at the forefront of bringing together three important communities. The first community, STEM is FEM Community, is a source of inspiration and learning for girls aged 14 to 22, where they will have the opportunity to develop their skills under the guidance of experienced mentors and receive critical support in shaping their careers. The second community, Alumni STEM is FEM Club, opens doors to young women by deepening their knowledge and experience in STEM fields so they can become mentors to the next generation of participants. The third community, STEM is FEM Teachers Platform, becomes a hub for teachers to share knowledge and experience, helping them update their teaching methods and expand their digital competencies, as well as providing support in their mentoring activities.

According to Serhii Tokarev and  Elizaveta Korenko, the head of STEM is FEM, the current focus of the project is to establish sustainable functioning of all three communities. The team aims to regularly organize meetings and provide girls with a big choice of educational programs, internships, scholarships, and employment opportunities. As part of the ecosystem, the project will invite Ukrainian and foreign experts and mentors who are ready to share their knowledge and experience with participants in all three communities. In addition, the project actively interacts with educational institutions, businesses, and the government of Ukraine to ensure maximum benefit from its activities.

Value of ISBN for Conference Proceedings

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The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique identifier for books, allowing for more efficient marketing and distribution. ISBNs are pivotal in the publishing world, extending their utility to the realm of academic and professional conferences. This article explores the significance of ISBNs for conference proceedings, emphasizing their role in cataloging, credibility, and accessibility.

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What is an ISBN?

An ISBN is a numeric identifier that is unique to each edition and variation (except reprints) of a book or book-like resource. The ISBN system was developed to provide a universal, standardized method to identify and track books in the international marketplace (International ISBN Agency, 2017).

ISBN for Conference Proceedings

Conference proceedings compile the contributions of participants at conferences, workshops, and symposia, often serving as a detailed record of the presented work. The assignment of an ISBN to these proceedings consolidates several benefits:

  1. Standardization and Cataloging
    • ISBNs facilitate the standardization and systematic cataloging of conference proceedings in bookstores, libraries, and databases. This standardization ensures that each entry is recognized globally and can be accessed through international library systems.
    • As explained by the U.S. ISBN Agency (n.d.), each ISBN corresponds to a specific publisher, title, edition, and format, aiding in efficient data management and retrieval.
  2. Accessibility and Distribution
    • With an ISBN, conference proceedings can be distributed more broadly, reaching a global audience. This distribution is not limited to physical copies; digital versions also benefit from ISBNs, making them readily available through e-book retailers and digital libraries (Smith, 2015).
    • The ease of access provided by ISBNs helps in disseminating knowledge shared during conferences, thus extending the educational impact and fostering further academic and professional collaboration.
  3. Credibility and Recognition
    • Assigning an ISBN to conference proceedings lends credibility and a sense of legitimacy to the published work (Thompson, 2019). It signals that the content has passed certain publishing standards and is worthy of public and academic recognition.
    • This credibility is crucial for researchers and professionals who cite these proceedings in further studies or use them as references, ensuring that their sources are reliable.
  4. Archival Value
    • ISBNs help in the archival process of conference proceedings, making them easier to catalog and store in academic archives and libraries. This archival is essential for historical documentation and longitudinal studies, providing a traceable record of academic progress and discourse over time (Johnson & Wilmington, 2018).
  5. Ease of Citation
    • For academic work, ease of citation is imperative. ISBNs provide a straightforward way to reference conference proceedings, which is essential for authors who need to cite these sources in subsequent publications (Davis, 2021).
    • Standard bibliographic details associated with ISBNs facilitate correct and consistent citations across various fields and publications.

Conclusion

The use of ISBNs for conference proceedings is more than a mere administrative formality; it is a strategic approach to enhancing the visibility, accessibility, and impact of scholarly work. By providing a standardized system for identification, ISBNs not only aid in the effective distribution and cataloging of academic materials but also enhance their credibility and archival quality. As the academic community continues to globalize, the importance of such standardization only grows, underlining the critical role of ISBNs in scholarly communication.

References

  • International ISBN Agency. (2017). ISBN Users’ Manual – International edition (7th ed.). Retrieved from [https://www.isbn-international.org/content/isbn-users-manual]
  • U.S. ISBN Agency. (n.d.). What is an ISBN? Retrieved from [https://www.isbn.org/what-is-an-isbn]
  • Smith, J. (2015). Digital distribution of academic journals and its impact on scholarly communication. Journal of Academic Publishing, 6(3), 95-112.
  • Thompson, R. (2019). The role of ISBNs in the promotion of academic knowledge. University of California Press.
  • Johnson, L., & Wilmington, S. (2018). Archiving and academic success: The role of digital repositories in preserving conference proceedings. Journal of Library Science, 44(2), 158-174.
  • Davis, M. (2021). Effective referencing of conference proceedings in academic papers. Journal of Academic Research, 11(1), 134-150.