The National Science Council (NSC) of Taiwan established a new research project category ‘Gender and Science’ in 2007 in accordance with the governmental gender mainstreaming policy. For a milestone of this newly established program, the International Conference for Women Scientists (ICWS) was sponsored by the NSC first in 2008 and in the following two years as well. The 2008 ICWS was held by National Yang-Ming University and hosted distinguished American scholar Evelyn Fox Keller and 10 other overseas experts. Kaohsiung Medical College was the host of the 2009 ICWS, which was attended by 6 overseas speakers including Professor Lesley Rogers from Australia. The 2010 ICWS was hosted by China Medical University which received Dr. Byung Joo Min from Korea and many local women scientists. The past three ICWS conferences were successful ones. Apart from the keynote speeches and panel discussions given by the inspirational overseas and local speakers, high school students participants interested in pursuing careers in STEM were offered opportunities to communicate with international and local scholars. Starting June, 2011, a three-year project of Gender Mainstreaming in Science and Technology has been sponsored by the NSC for the following aims: To encourage the participation of women in STEM, To create more opportunities for women in scientific fields to realize their potentials, and To plan and encourage researches on gender and science. To facilitate discussions about issues related to these aims, the themes of the 2013 IConWiST are described as follows: Gender policies for the promotion of women in STEM. Effective practices for recruitment, mentoring, and retention of women in STEM. Gendered innovations in STEM. Strategies in work-life balance. Women, entrepreneurship and leadership. As the host of the conference, the Project Office of Gender Mainstreaming in Science and Technology, Taiwan, we are honoured to receive many positive responses to our conference invitations from prominent scholars and experts around the world, whose researches and efforts have long been devoted to the issue of gender and science. It is also our great honour to host the third Asia and Pacific Nation Network Meeting, which is affiliated with International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES). The participation of more than ten Asian women scientists from different countries will surely enrich the discussions and information exchange. The logo of 2013 IConWiST represents women professionals across all science-related fields from all over the world, standing up, working hand in hand, and sharing experiences, knowledge, and ideas with one another in this conference. All participants are most welcome to come to Taiwan and join us for the 2013 International Conference on Women on Science and Technology.