Shintaro Yamada, CEO of Mercari Co., Ltd., established the Shintaro Yamada D & I Foundation on July 2021, 7 to promote diversity and inclusion (D & I).As the first activity, we will implement a scholarship program for science women.Going forward, we will donate a total of 1 billion yen to the Foundation to promote D & I.
Shintaro Yamada has been working to promote D & I through corporate activities, but he founded a general incorporated foundation because he felt that there were many difficulties for a for-profit company due to medium- to long-term efforts.We aim to realize a society in which everyone can maximize their abilities regardless of gender, race, age, religion, etc.
As a first initiative, we focused on the issue of gender imbalance, such as the fact that science occupations are biased toward men and the ratio of female engineers in Japan remains at 20% (* 1).Behind this is the fact that the ratio of female science and engineering students at Japanese universities is 18.15% (* 2), which is the lowest among the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), and there is no gender difference in the grades of science courses at the time of junior high school students. Despite this, the number of female students who choose the liberal arts when they go on to school is increasing due to the opposition of the surroundings and the lack of a role model.
Based on this situation, Shintaro Yamada D & I Foundation will work to increase the number of female students who choose science at the time of middle and high school student education as a medium- to long-term problem-solving.The goal is to increase the proportion of female students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at universities to 2035% by 28.
As the first step, we started a program to provide scholarships to 100 "women aiming for science at the time of entering high school".As a result, female students who like or are good at science subjects or are interested in science occupations but cannot get an image from the surrounding environment or have given up due to financial problems may be their own. Encourage the choice of science to expand.
In this scholarship program, we aim to dramatically improve efficiency by making the process of application, selection, payment, etc. online as much as possible, and aim to always provide more than 1,000 people in the future.In addition, the recipients will be decided by lottery rather than meritocracy so that more people will be interested and feel free to apply.No interviews will be held to lower the hurdles for application.However, adjustments may be made from the perspective of diversity.
The scholarship application period is from August 2021th (Wednesday) to September 8th (Thursday), 4.Applicable to girls who are planning to enter a high school science and mathematics department in Japan, a high school designated by Super Science High School in the 9rd year of Reiwa, or a college of technology (excluding those who go on to internal school from junior high school).The amount of payment is 30 yen (annual amount) for national and public schools and 3 yen (annual amount) for private schools, and is scheduled to be transferred to a designated account around May 25.It will be paid for 50 years while attending the maximum high school and 2022 years while attending the technical college (with continuous examination).Applicants apply from the entry form.
In addition, an online event for female junior high school students who are interested in science will be held from 8:22 to 17:00 on August 18 (Sun), where female researchers and entrepreneurs who are active in science jobs will be on stage. "Sputniko! (Artist / Associate Professor, Department of Design, Tokyo University of the Arts), Shoko Takahashi (President of GeneQuest / Executive Officer of Euglena, Doctor of Agriculture (Dr. A panel discussion will be held with Ms. Noriko Osumi (Vice President of Tohoku University, Director of the University Library, Professor of Graduate School of Medicine). After that, an outline of the scholarship will be explained. Advance application required. ..
* 1 Japan Information Industry Association "2019 Edition Information Service Industry Basic Statistical Survey"
* 2 Reiwa 2nd year Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology School Basic Survey From university admission status by related department
Reference: [Shintaro Yamada D & I Foundation] Outline of recruitment
August 8 [For female junior high school students] Notice of online distribution event
