We provide opportunities for girls in junior and senior high schools to directly and excitingly learn science and technology. The NPO conducts a 3-day training camp every August, called ‘Summer school for girls in junior and senior high schools (The Natsugaku)’. The Natsugaku offers an exciting experience for about 100 girls in junior and senior high schools, who are selected from applicants from all over Japan. They work with approximately 30 female university students who organize the steering committee or act as teaching assistants. This is linked to more than 200 staff from academic societies, business organizations and companies in the fields of science and technology. Participating girls can learn diverse career paths related to science and technology through close communication with researchers, engineers and university students. The NPO is keen on expanding the Natsugaku into many areas across Japan.
We support girls in junior and senior high schools to learn and develop their future career paths in science and technology from university studies to professional careers. The Natsugaku has been conducted every August since 2005, which has been made possible by support and participation by many female researchers, engineers and university students, including members of the former organization of the NPO. Diverse but clear career paths of female professionals in the fields of science and technology have been identified and introduced on the other website (Click here), which should be seen as good role-models for girls in junior and senior high schools.
We offer opportunities to exchange information on female resource development in science and technology for people and institutions/organizations who support the NPO. Linked with an increasing number of schools and companies which are seriously involved in female resource development in science and technology, we seek to play a role to further encourage female resource development in science and technology as a non-profit and public organization. In this context, the NPO listens to schools and companies who say ‘we want to be involved in education for female career development in science and technology’ and ‘we want to support education for female career development in science and technology’, and make opportunities to exchange the information based on the experience coming from the Natsugaku.