The week of March 14-20, 2022 (Week 11; 2022), continued to celebrate women and was very rich in scientific events.

Monday, March 14, an international day of celebration of mathematics!

This science has long been muted, despite its presence in our daily activities; mathematics is, they say, the mother of sciences! This celebration allowed Mrs. Malu Raïssa, physicist and worthy daughter of her father, one of our national scientists, to moderate, via Zoom and broadcast in nearly 90 countries, 4 mini-conferences led by eminent experts, medalists, from 4 corners of the world. Among them, March obliges, a lady, president of African women mathematicians, Prof. Oudréaogo from Burkina Faso. The speakers showed us, in particular, the essential role of mathematics in random objects, music, popular science and a still too limited number of women in science in general, and math in particular. On this subject, note that the "Unikin math-info" is preparing to welcome, next May, days of the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AISM). 

Tuesday, March 15, Monseigneur Luc Gillon Promotions Room :

Nearly 600 scientists and researchers came to discuss the “National” policy document for scientific research in the DRC. Indeed, after their tour of various research centers in the country, mainly in the capital, the popularization committee, set up by the Minister of Scientific Research, Technology and Innovation, led by the same Raïssa Malu, made a point of honor at this stage of the University of Kinshasa, eldest daughter of Higher Education in our country and a high place of knowledge. This session, moderated by Professor Bisa, expert at the General Secretariat of Research of Unikin, has indisputably enriched the basic document. This is available on the Unikin website.

Wednesday, March 16, Monseigneur Luc Gillon Promotions Room:

Nearly 800 scientists and researchers attended this magnificent day of reflection commissioned by the General Secretariat for Research and masterfully organized by our Internationalists, led by Professors Makiese and Tazi. The discussions focused on military intervention (experts do not retain the term War) Russia's involvement in Ukraine and its political and economic implications for African countries, especially the DRCI can assure you that the level of the debates was of the highest order.

On Thursday, March 17, nearly 700 participants, mostly women, wearing dominant yellow loincloths, filled and colored the beautiful Monseigneur Luc Gillon Promotions hall.They responded to the call from the Unikin women's collective, including the Budget Administrator, Professor Duagani.

The "between them" workshop in the morning was followed by a scientific afternoon with two presentations: the first by Ms. Kirongozi, our national Madam Robot-Roulage who, from the height of her almost 2 meters, with her captivating voice, electrified the room, in her desire to convince the audience of the place that women must occupy in science, in complementarity, and not in negative competition, she said, with men, for a rapid development of our country. The second presentation, made by Prof. Tshimpi, SGR, focused on on women and science in the DRC. The figures are rare but alarming, both worldwide (15 to 20 percent of women in research teams, and this has been the case for centuries) and in Africa, including the DRC (less than 15 percent). A survey will soon be launched at Unikin to clarify, in particular, the place and role of women among our researchers. The call is out!

By the way, do you know the Matilda effect?

It's the act of minimizing, or even completely denying, the involvement of women in a great scientific discovery. I'm willing to bet that very few of you know Mileva Newton. Yet she spent most of her life in the laboratory, alongside her famous husband, but was never awarded a prize because she was almost never cited. And the examples are legion! Stereotypes against girls are often mentioned from birth and in childhood, which we sometimes insidiously maintain; it is up to all of us to become aware of them, and to get involved in opening the doors equally, and without prejudice, to genders!

Also on Thursday, March 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., well-stocked Monekoso room, Faculty of Medicine : conference organized by the Faculty of Economics and Management, coordinated and moderated by Professors Ngoy and Ngonga, and hosted by Mr. Gabirel Leost, Country Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the DRC.

This conference focused on the role and policy of the IMF in the DRC. The discussions were simple and clear, accessible even to non-economists like me. When asked if "the IMF has ever developed a country," the speaker's response was clear and scathing: "NO," adding, and I quote, "that is not its role." We are now definitively informed: the IMF supports the government's program. It is therefore up to the nationals, and they alone, to develop their country, with the means at their disposal! Let's stop always blaming our neighbors; let's get involved.

Friday, March 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monekoso Hall packed to the rafters, Faculty of Medicine, … the apotheosis.

Awareness day on sanitation and recycling, organized by the management committee and sponsored by the First Citizen of the city-province of Kinshasa, His Excellency Governor Ngobila. The latter insisted on and obtained to begin the activities with a visit to some Unikin sites including the teachers' plateau with multiple erosions, and the sports complex. There he saw firsthand the advanced level of dilapidation of the infrastructure. The shock was palpable, especially since he took his first breaststroke strides...in this Olympic pool.

The scientific activity that followed, moderated by Ms. Prof. Ngombe, allowed our environmental specialists, led by Profs. Bieye and Kiyombo, to showcase their talents and innovations, some of which have already been tested, in the areas of sanitation, the fight against erosion, the recycling of plastics into "wood, rafters, slabs, garden chairs, bricks, bins, bags and other objects of beauty, ... I continue to ask myself, my God, how do we manage to remain in such poverty; the university is walking on gold and continues to seek help to finance its research, we are dying of thirst while there is water next to us! 

A real marriage announced, between the city-province of Kinshasa, which makes sanitation one of the major objectives of its mandate, and the University of Kinshasa, a true "solution"!

The various opening and closing remarks from Professors Jean-Marie Kayembe, Rector, and Antoine Tshimpi, Secretary General in charge of Research, barely concealed their feelings of modest satisfaction at seeing the University of Kinshasa play its role as a beacon of light and a bearer of solutions to the various problems facing the community. May each of us make our contribution.

Proud to be from the University of Kinshasa!

Done in Kinshasa, Sunday, March 20, 2022 

Prof. Antoine Tshimpi, SGR.