Dressing an open wound [Letter from the Editor]

Abstract

It is argued that the tragedy of war and its effects on women and children does not just leave a scar - it is an open wound that stays with the victims forever. Women and children that are rescued and placed in a refugee camp are really not rescued. In refugee camps currently run by the United Nations, over 60% of the female refugees are repeatedly attacked and molested. This horrifying fact is only exasperated by the realization that most attacks occur at night, because there is no lighting in the camps. IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE), as champions of these women, should use our skills to not only focus on developing these technologies, but we need to flex our leadership skills to ensure that the technology reaches its intended populations. Our own IEEE WIE member, Dr. Dalma Novak, president of the IEEE Photonics Society, has led the charge for the Year of Light initiative to address this problem. In this issue of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine, we talk to Dr. Novak and her colleagues about the project and their commitment to helping provide low-cost lighting to the most deprived populations in the world. We hope that our IEEE WIE members are inspired by their story and participate in this wonderful humanitarian project. Doctors in refugee camps can only offer medications and help heal the physical wounds, but what about the psychological wounds? This gap in the health care for victims of torture and trauma now has a champion. Dr. Richard Mollica of the Harvard Medical School and his team have developed the medical profession’s first tool kits and training for doctors around the world to help provide victims of trauma the ability to heal both their minds and souls. IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine is honored to share Dr. Mollica's inspirational efforts.