Center for Natural Resources and Sustainability

More than thirty female students and young professionals participated in a roundtable organized at the Tashkent State Technical University named after I. Karimov (TSTU), Uzbekistan, and a field trip to the solar complex in Parkent, Uzbekistan. The event was aimed at promoting the economic participation of women in STEM fields, especially in the energy sector of Central Asia. The roundtable brought together the energy sector representatives from government and international organizations, academia, business, and civil society. Participants discussed the role of women in STEM and energy professions, including the role of women in nuclear power. Speakers motivated the younger generation with examples from their careers and how they overcame challenges and barriers along the way. Examples of women's entrepreneurship, gender programs run by international organizations, and renewable energy research and development were among the topics for further discussion of barriers to women and opportunities for empowerment in the renewable energy sector in Central Asia.

After the roundtable, the students and young professionals went on a study tour of the Solar Complex "Sun" in Parkent. First, the participants visited the Solar Institute building and learned about its history, functions, and capabilities. Then they were given a tour of the heliostats and the concentrator (solar furnace). A smaller version of the solar cooker was used to demonstrate how the complex works. Thus, using the point of convergence of the rays on the small solar stove, you can even cook food or make tea. This is a strategic facility for R&D in the field of energy (physics and solar energy), and military and space technologies.