Where do women in STEM stand today?
Nowadays, finding successful women scientists is not hard. However, there are still cases where women scientists encounter obstacles that their male colleagues may not, raising the question of where women in STEM stand today. A small exhibition at the Chemistry | Biology | Pharmacy Information Center celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 explores the landscape of women in STEM, showcases literature, and highlights some stories. The exhibition is open until March 22, 2024.
How do we recycle plastics? How does the immune system fight off infections? Many scientists at ETH Zurich are dealing with important questions for society and the world, among them Professor Athina Anastasaki and Professor Annette Oxenius, who have already achieved much as scientists.
Athina Anastasaki, for instance, dives deep into the world of polymers, including plastics. The chemist and her team have discovered how polymer construction can be precisely controlled and how they can be recycled efficiently - findings that are also important for industry. Her impactful achivements have been mirrored by many awards among them the Jon Weaver Prize for the UK’s best Ph.D. in polymer chemistry, an ERC Starting Grant in 2020, and the ETH Zurich Ruzicka Prize in 2022. And the awards keep coming; she will be awarded the Werner Prize for outstanding research in the field of chemistry later this year.
Not to be outdone, professor of immunology, Annette Oxenius of ETH Zurich’s D-BIOL is on the trail of another challenge for society. In the face of infectious diseases causing death worldwide, she is trying to unravel the complex mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions. For her work, she was honored, for instance, with the 2022 Cloëtta Prize. In 2023, she was elected a fellow of the European Molecular Biology Organization and Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences.
These are only two of many examples. However, there are other stories of women scientists in Switzerland who have had to overcome tremendous obstacles. There is the case of PD Dr. Natalie Urwyler, for example, an anesthetist and emergency doctor who sought to improve conditions for pregnant women doctors. At the beginning of this year, the media reported that her contract was terminated during her maternity leave. In 2014, Urwyler won a case before the regional court and now also before the high court of the canton of Bern, in which her dismissal was classified as abusive and an act of revenge. Results like this ruling are rare and therefore send a strong signal, but the case has still not yet been fully resolved.
Despite her setbacks, Dr. Urwyler continues to be active in gender equality and together with three colleagues founded the non-profit StructureELLE to promote equality and fairness. She gives lectures, leads workshops, and promotes equal opportunities for parents and women.
So, where do women in STEM stand? The stories showcased above and in the “Get Inspired by Women Scientists” exhibition aim to draw attention to the subject. There are many remarkable achievements of women scientists to celebrate, and there is progress. But it seems there is still work to do until the road is smooth for all.
About the exhibition
To celebrate the International Day of Women & Girls in Science on February 11 and International Women’s Day on March 8, the Chemistry | Biology | Pharmacy Information Center wants to bring attention to successful women scientists with an exhibition: “Get Inspired by Women Scientists,” curated by Olisa Jashanica and Dr. Gina Cannarozzi (ICBP, D-CHAB)
Stop by the Information Center zentrum entrance at HCI G5 to see the exhibition, which will run until March 22, 2024 (Mon-Fr, 8 am to 8 pm). On display are informative posters, biographies about notable women in science and books on topics related to the gender gap and science careers.
We invite everyone to get inspired!
