UniSAFE is a three-year project funded by the European Commission aiming to eradicate gender-based violence in academia and research. Launched in 2021, the project will provide up-to-date, robust and reliable data on gender-based violence, including newly emerging forms of violence, in universities and research performing organisations. These results will then be translated into recommendations and a toolbox for universities and research organisations intent on eradicating it. Read more [...]
Tanja Vukovic Juros describes how COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many of the challenges already faced by vulnerable researchers in their career. Read more [...]
Gender discrimination and stereotyping issues have taken an appreciable attention the last decades by media and research, leading to policy reformations and even to legislation amendments in respect to equality. Despite that, stereotypes are still apparent and in certain cases robust. In other words, stereotypes seem to be profound about certain jobs. A man will choose from a fixed set of masculine careers to make his living, and women will have to choose from another fixed set of feminine careers to make her living. One occupation that is suffering from gender imbalance in the EU is elementary school teacher. In this article is discussed the gender gap of teaching staff in primary schools in the EU. Read more [...]
This article reviews the Nobel history since inception which shows that the Prizes in science conferred on individuals in the first 50 years are shifting to the Prizes being shared. It is,in part, because the science has become more complex, collaborative, expansive, and expensive. With the critical need for teamwork to tackle Big Science, we recommend that the policy of “no more than three” sharing the Prize be loosened on case by case basis and the nomination be made open for scientific organisations. We also suggest concrete steps for improving the gender gap among the Nobel Laureates. This necessitates proactive nominations of Nobel worthy work done by women and making structural changes in Nobel committees toward better gender ratio. Finally, our analysis shows that the U.S. is emerging as a Nobel Super Power leading to a divide not only with European countries but the world at large. Read more [...]
In this theory-informed auto-ethnographic account, I relate my experience of participating in the EuroScience Open Forum Conference 2018 (ESOF). Gender equality was certainly on the agenda at ESOF, however, I argue that the manner in which gender equality was addressed at the conference is not only problematic but potentially counter-productive to the intended purpose of promoting women in research careers. If we keep 1) essentialising a presumed lack of confidence to women, 2) omitting men’s role in the reproduction of gender hierarchies in research from equality discussions, and 3) excluding gender scholars’ expertise from gender equality debates, I fear that women’s equal participation in academic research and leadership will remain a distant prospect in the future still. Read more [...]
The balance between professional and personal life plays a key role for successful careers of European researchers, especially for women scientists. As far as employment and reconciliation of work and life are concerned, female employment rates remain low especially in Southern Europe and East Europe and in general even more for women with low education. Antidiscrimination laws have been adopted, but gender gaps are still large. Lack of child care services and care facilities for the elderly combined with rigid work arrangements make it hard to reconcile work and family life. Read more [...]
The League of European Research Universities, LERU, has just published a paper pertaining to gender bias in academia. In this opinion piece, Jadranka Gvozdanovic, professor of Slavic studies and rector’s envoy for equal opportunities at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, who is also chair of LERU’s thematic group on gender and Katrien Maes, deputy-secretary-general of LERU, share their opinion on the much needed measures to counter gender bias in research institutions. Read more [...]
The world of science now lags behind the gold standard of open debate, otherwise present in politics, for instance. Particularly, when it comes to openly discussing the social issues plaguing the scientific community, such as gender inequality. Ros Herman shares her views about accountability, communication and engagement with the public. Read more [...]
During a session at the EU Parliament on 3 March 2017, Janusz Korwin-Mikke claimed that women must earn less “because they are weaker, smaller and less intelligent”. This MEP does not seem to be worried about the consequences announced by the EP president Antonio Tajani. Read more [...]
EuroScientist celebrates International Women's Day 2017 by covering a study giving food for thought on the issue of work/life balance for career scientists. Germany has traditionally looked down on mothers pursuing their career in the immediate few years after their children were born. However, a new survey by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW) shows that there are several key factors influencing researchers to stay in academia. These include the ability to self-determine their working hours, a flexible workplace and the existence of a long-term professional perspective. Clearly, respondents to the survey from both genders appear to strive for a better work/life balance. But it may take another generation for old habits to die. Read more [...]
Welcome to this special issue of EuroScientist focusing on Gender issues in research and academia. We have asked the views of Nobel Laureates, who have an interesting perspective on women in science. You will also discover a wealth of opinions describing what remains to be done to resolve gender issues. Not only do we discuss ways of resolving conscious and unconscious gender bias, but we also look at issues related to how gender perspective affects the nature of research itself. As for solutions, it appears that mentoring is one of the most helpful solution, beyond more interventionist approaches such as quota, which are controversial. Read more [...]
European science conversations by the community, for the community
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