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Science is female today - TH Wildau launches portrait series to mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated every year on 11 February. Proclaimed by the United Nations in 2015, this day is a reminder that the gender ratio in science is still not balanced: A lot still needs to be done to give girls and women access to research. To mark the day, female scientists at TH Wildau are reporting on their individual paths in a series of portraits and providing perspectives.
Science knows no gender, because science is about performance, creativity and intellect? Even if this is a widespread assumption, a look at the statistics shows that gender does indeed have a lot to do with science: Women are still underrepresented in this field. To draw attention to this situation, the United Nations has been celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February every year since 2015.
The figures from the Federal Statistical Office (as of 2021) show that the gender ratio in research and development is still not balanced. With a proportion of women of 29.4 per cent, Germany even ranks among the lowest in Europe. The lack of female scientists particularly affects the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (STEM subjects) and poses a problem for universities - both in terms of attracting students and recruiting qualified employees. The underrepresentation of female students, employees and professors is also noticeable at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau (TH Wildau), especially in the STEM subjects.
The statistics point to a structural problem: It is still difficult for girls and women to gain access to scientific work. The International Day of Women and Girls in Science sets an example here: The aim is to promote women and girls and to publicise their scientific achievements.
Theme week
This day marks the start of a theme week at the TH Wildau: every day for a week, a female scientist at the university will report on her path into research in a video portrait. Female students name their female role models, female academics talk about what inspires them about their research, and female professors look to the future and tell us what they would like to see for women in science.
For women interested in studying or pursuing an academic career at TH Wildau, the university has a number of support options available. The study orientation team advises prospective students on general topics, but also on very individual questions or doubts. Women who can imagine working in research at the university will find a sympathetic ear and tailored support at the Career Centre for Professorial Development.
Further information
The video portraits with female scientists from TH Wildau are available here: en.th-wildau.de/women-in-science
Information on the career centre for professorial development: en.th-wildau.de/career-centre
Data from the Federal Statistical Office on the proportion of women in research in Europe: https://www.destatis.de/Europa/DE/Thema/Wissenschaft-Technologie-digitaleGesellschaft/FrauenanteilForschung.html (in German)
Contact person at TH Wildau:
Ilona Kunkel
Career Centre for Professorial Development
University Ring 1
Phone +49 3375 508 675
E-mail: karrierezentrum@th-wildau.de
Contact persons External Communication TH Wildau:
Mike Lange / Mareike Rammelt
TH Wildau
Hochschulring 1, 15745 Wildau
Phone +49 (0)3375 508 211 / -669
E-mail: presse@th-wildau.de
Caption: A student at the TH Wildau doing scientific work in the laboratory.
Picture: TH Wildau