The European Platform of Women Scientists (EPWS) and the COST Action VOICES (Making Young Researchers VOICES Heard) under the auspices of IYBSSD2022 (International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development) will be holding an online webinar on Tuesday 30 May entitled “Challenges, policies and opportunities to implement gender equality in basic sciences. A key factor to build up excellence in the scientific landscape”

Key dates

 

Topic of the session

The basic sciences (also called pure or fundamental sciences) are for disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, which aim to understand natural phenomena. Providing knowledge and aiming at answering questions, basic sciences are crucial aids for research applications to find solutions in all areas of our lives, including issues related to sustainable development.

According to EU data, basic science remains a male-dominated field, with a very low presence of women, ranging from 5 to 15%. Thus, in line with EU policies for the coming years, there is an urgent need to bridge this gap through structural and cultural changes.

It is necessary to note that EU policy on gender equality in research is aimed at all fields of science and therefore does not address specific issues concerning the problems and gaps of the male-dominated basic sciences.

Thus the session, within the framework of the 2022 Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, will critically address the challenges and problems due to gender discriminations faced by young women scientists in the basic sciences.

 

Programme

Opening: Dr. Lucia Martinelli, EPWS president, Senior scientist MUSE- Science Museum, Trento, Italy

Michel Spiro, President of IUPAP and Chair of IYBSSD2022

“Introduction to Basic Sciences, and to IYBSSD2022“.

Ursula Bassler, former President of the CERN Council and CNRS, France

“Diversity and Inclusion in large international collaborations”.

Round table: “Gender and Intersectional Representation in Basic Science: Achievements, Barriers and Challenges”.

Chair: Anne-Sophie Godfroy (philosopher, École normale supérieure, Paris, and coordinator of the COST Action VOICES)

Participation: 

– Ana Ferreira (researcher in social studies in science and innovation, Centro Interdisciplinar de Ciências Sociais, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal).

– Colette Guillopé (mathematician, Femmes et Mathématiques, and Université Paris-Est Créteil, France).

– Katrin Mögele (Senior Policy Advisor, Fraunhofer Institute, Senior Policy Advisor, Germany).

– May Morris (biologist and health scientist, Femmes & Sciences, CNRS and Université de Montpellier, France).