On February 11, the "International Day of Women and Girls in Science" draws attention to the fact that worldwide there are still fewer women working in research than men.
About 120 people are currently doing research at the LIN. 53 of them belong to the PhD students who want to pursue an academic career after their studies. Half of them are female.
The postdocs are one career level higher. Here, 9 of the 19 junior researchers are female, and thus the ratio is balanced here as well. A similar situation can be observed if the proportion of female scientists is extended to include all those without leadership responsibility.
It is only in the area of research group and department heads that the proportion of women becomes lower. There are various reasons why.
To promote equal opportunities and career development for female scientists, the LIN participates in the FEM Power project. It has been funded by the EU since 2016. Read more here: http://www.fempower-lsa.de/
Background
So far, women are still underrepresented in science, especially in leadership positions. On average, women make up half of the PhD students, but only one in four professorships in Germany is held by a woman. Prejudices and gender stereotypes, but also structural barriers in the science system, make it difficult for women to succeed in science.
The "International Day of Women and Girls in Science" was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 22, 2015. It is celebrated annually on February 11 and aims to remind people of the crucial role that girls and women play in science and technology.
