THE LEBANESE WOMAN IN THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES

In Lebanon, as in all other countries, women entered the field of the physical sciences later than men and in fewer numbers. However, there is one advantage for Lebanon in the speed of increase in the number of women taking up science because of the proof, in other parts of the world, that women can excel in the sciences. The interest in fields such as physics and chemistry is more recent than in the other departments of learning. Even at present, there are in Lebanon fewer women in Physics, chemistry, geology and astronomy than there are in the biological sciences. Before we had cœducational medical schools, some of our enterprising women went abroad for their medical training, then came back to practice in Lebanon or in the other Arab countries.

In Lebanon, as well as elsewhere, there are several reasons for the smaller number of women scientists than men scientists.

A girl student in her childhood and throughout her primary education, at home and in school, is frequently reminded that she is not made for such difficult subjects as mathematics, physics or chemistry. Many times she hears statements such as, « girls are no good in mathematics » and « what will she do with the physics that she is being made to go through it with its many problems ? ». Such remarks are at least partially responsible for the attitude of many girls.

When a girl student escapes all these effects of environment and tradition, and succeeds in her field of choice, and wants further specialization, she will have to go abroad, because, it is not feasible nor wise to build up highly specialized departments for a small number. Going abroad is costly and may involve discouraging difficulties for a young woman. Then, if one eventually succeeds in specializing in physics or chemistry, she faces the lack of opportunities for employment in challenging positions, as these are limited here. Usually a scientist prefers to work in an academic institution for the liberty, the time, the number of assistants and the facilities for pure research. Because of financial limitations in institutions here, all of these advantages are lacking. Thus many of the young people, men or women, whose interest is in the physical sciences, go abroad to specialize and never come back. A brilliant young Lebanese girl who got her Ph. D. in chemistry only recently, and who worked with great men in the field both, in England and in the United States, is not coming back. This will be the fate of many of our young scientists unless more research opportunities are opened for them.

One line of research that maybe very profitable, from the scientists' point of view, be carried out in Lebanon, is Cosmic Rays. The source is provided naturally; only the equipment for observation must be furnished. It is true that our geographic location offers no magnetic irregularities that may be of interest; however, the availability of the different altitudes from sea level to three thousand meters within a small area, may be utilized to advantage. Cosmic-ray research could be done just as easily by women as by men and still better through their cooperation.

The time may come when Lebanon will have well equipped laboratories in Beirut and on Kurnat-as-Sawda near the Cedars, where cosmic-ray specialists from all around may come for observation of the phenomenon of their interest.