More Women in Science, please!

International Women in Science Day

February 11 marks the sixth "International Day of Women and Girls in Science" initiated by the United Nations. On the occasion of this day, young women in science of Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPICI) want to increase the visibility of women in natural science.

Until now, women have been considered under-represented in mathematics, computer science, natural science and technology. At the MPICI, women currently make up half of the doctoral students, which is in line with the national average in Germany. Among postdocs and group leaders, however, there are only half as many women as men. Female researchers from the institute encourage other women to choose a career in natural science: ‘Science is one of the places where future is made. If we want to live in an equal society at some point, we have to make sure that women and diverse people are equally involved in its development as man,’ says Anna-Dorothea Heller, engineer and PhD.

Boys are better at math and girls better at German? Female role models in science challenge existing stereotypes and attitudes: ‘My grandmother was a chemist in Poland in 1960s. For her, being a foreigner in Poland, a woman, and a scientist - wasn’t easy. Despite all of this, she never gave up and kept going. Her perseverance and her strength continues to inspire me every day,’ says Agata Baryzewska, chemist and PhD.

Day of action accompanied on social media

To mark the international day of action, various female scientists and their exciting researcher biographies will be featured on the institute's social media channels on February 11.

‘With these personal insights, we make young female researchers of our institute widely visible. They are well on their way to a successful career in the natural sciences and can serve as role models for other young, aspiring women,’ says Professor Peter Fratzl, Managing Director and Director of the Department of Biomaterials at Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces.

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