Women on board “Female majority on IFOP international oceanographic research cruise”
October 19th, 2020
Between September 20th and October 15th, IFOP is carrying out “ 2020 Spawning stock of anchovy bio-oceanographic conditions and evaluation between Arica and Antofagasta regions” annual project . This cruise called MOBIO-MPH is in charge of Dr. Jessica Bonicelli and is part of the projects carried out by the Oceanography and Environment Fisheries Research Division Department .
Luis Parot Donoso IFOP Executive Director, highlighted “of the seven cruises that Fisheries Development Institute carries out per year on Abate Molina East research vessel, it is developed in parallel with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, coordinated by the Pacific South Permanent Commission (http://cpps-int.org/).
The team of researchers on this important International Cruise has a marked womens majority. In fishing science field carried out on board this is not something usual, mainly because of lacks of commodities presented in old ships which were not designed with women’s stay requirements in mind. However, current reality and progress in gender policies facilitate integration, with everyone winning with the contribution of highly specialized researchers. For IFOP, without any doubt, it is a source of pride to open and consolidate these spaces and strengthen our institutional spirit ”.
For her side, Dr. Bonicelli pointed out that every year there are numerous research cruises on scientific vessels and the number of women on board has been increasing. In 2019 she served as cruise ship leader aboard Abate Molina research vessel, with an excellent group of 10 male researchers and 8 female researchers. This research cruise sailed for 33 days in Chilean North Sea, collecting samples and recording data throughout an extensive grid, in order to evaluate anchovy reproductive status and its environment oceanographic and meteorological conditions. The entire team work was excellent and highly professional, and thanks to their work all the project objectives were achieved. This year, now as project manager, she points out that “I am pleased to lead a research and technical team composed mainly of professional women in the field of biology, chemistry and oceanography, since years ago women participated much less on board of oceanographic research vessels.
The professionalism of each members on the 2019 and 2020 cruise team has been outstanding and I am proud that my first experience as a cruise ship leader and project leader was in an environment of increasing participation of women researchers and marine technicians.
I am happy to say that my gender has never been an impediment to developing myself as a scientist, but, that is only thanks to women who fought for equal treatment. Thanks to them, I am now a biologist and a doctor in oceanography, I was able to be a cruise ship leader, and work with other professional women on research vessels