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Women in Leadership Positions In the Front Row

Numerous renowned female researchers work at Helmholtz Munich. Ensuring that female scientists receive the best support for their careers is an important element in promoting excellence.

Numerous renowned female researchers work at Helmholtz Munich. Ensuring that female scientists receive the best support for their careers is an important element in promoting excellence.

When the pizza was on the table, a crowd immediately formed around the researcher from New York. She had just given a short talk about her career, about balancing family and research, and the hurdles women often face in science. The prominent systems biologist was invited by Helmholtz Munich AI scientist Laura Martens because, she says, "For me, these are always great opportunities to learn something when such luminaries tell what helped them themselves on their way to the top."

Pizza usually rings in the informal part at these meetings. STEM-Tisch is the name Laura Martens and her colleagues Ana Arruda and Soroor Hediyeh-Zadeh have given to the format, which has become an established forum at Helmholtz Munich. The play on words from STEM, the English term “MINT” for the disciplines from the mathematical and natural sciences as well as computer science and engineering, and the cozy get-together at the bavarian "Stammtisch", succinctly expresses the character of the meetings: It is an informal get-together for all those who want to exchange ideas on a common topic. "We had the idea to test out such a format in connection with the international Women's Day," say the three founders, who are all doctoral students. "I studied physics and was often the only woman among many men. From that time, I know how valuable it is to meet role models," says Laura Martens. Together with her colleagues, she now regularly invites high-profile female researchers to talk about their careers and give tips to younger female researchers - guests from Helmholtz Munich, such as that systems biologist from New York, or renowned female scientists from within the organization.

Academic Home for Renowned Female Scientists

Men and women benefit equally from career advancement at Helmholtz Munich, just as male and female researchers are equally welcome at the STEM-Tisch. At the same time, however, the following also applies: 

With her team, which includes the HELENA Graduate School, the Postdoc Center and the Career Center for PhD students and postdocs, she offers a diverse consultation and training program that is also intended to support female researchers on their career path. Women are regularly invited for Career Talks to share their career paths, to inspire young researchers and to serve as role models. "Our goal in these campaigns is to bring researchers into the discussion on these topics and to highlight women who have achieved outstanding results, who have overcome challenges specific to women in science and can serve as role models," says Beer.

There are many of these female researchers at Helmholtz Munich: numerous institute and research group leaders work here, and many internationally renowned female scientists have their academic home at Helmholtz Munich. "I could not imagine a better environment in which women in science are encouraged to thrive than Helmholtz Munich," says Prof. Dr. Eleftheria Zeggini from the Institute of Translational Genomics, for example. To continue to be a popular destination for top female researchers from around the world: That is the declared goal of Helmholtz Munich, and young female scientists appreciate this commitment:

" To enjoy the amazing privilege of working alongside so many inspiring, brilliant women, is something to celebrate," judges Dr. Marie Standl, Statistician, Epidemiologist and Research Group Leader.

"As a clinician, I treat children with cancer," adds stem cell researcher Prof. Irmela Jeremias, PhD, who leads a renowned research team at Helmholtz Munich: "I became a scientist because I want to improve cancer care over the long term. I enjoy science because it requires intense, lifelong learning, constant intellectual curiosity, and the ability to respond to the unexpected. To enable gender-independent careers in the context of family, I believe we need true equality for all genders in all areas of life - at work and at home." 

Countering the Gender Data Gap

The issue of equality is also increasingly reflected in the research content. Studies on diseases, but also on medication, are increasingly including data from women, who have often been underrepresented until now - keyword gender data gap. This has a direct impact on new therapies, which are sometimes tailored to men because the underlying data are predominantly from men. Helmholtz Munich will also pay more attention to this in the future. Key to this is greater participation of women in research, judges Dr. Lara Urban, who researches in the field of artificial intelligence and leads a research group at the Helmholtz Pioneer Campus: " We desperately need more women and other underrepresented scientists in order to challenge the status quo and reduce pervasive biases in our current science evaluation and communication system."

Laura Martens, meanwhile, has had good experience with the informal exchange format at the "STEM-Tisch". "I find the meetings immensely inspiring," she says — "and they show that everyone has quite similar experiences; even those who have arrived at the highest positions many years ago." For example, the fact that a renowned female researcher is still mistaken for the secretary at meetings, or that it is signaled at scientific conferences that the results of the female speaker are not actually of interest - these are the kinds of stories that are heard repeatedly when renowned female researchers talk about their careers at the STEM-Tisch.

The combination with practical tips makes the events a well-attended format: more than 50 mainly young female scientists attended the most recent meeting, and even more joined the livestream from their home offices. And most importantly, the organizers often run into open doors with the female speakers. "The willingness to share experiences with us younger women is great," says Laura Martens - and she is already planning the next STEM-Tisch, of course again with high-level speakers.

Women in Leadership Positions

"I could not imagine a better environment in which women in science are encouraged to thrive than Helmholtz Munich"

View Eleftheria's Page
Eleftheria Zeggini

Prof. Eleftheria Zeggini

Director of the Institute of Translational Genomics

"Science does not ask for your gender, ethnicity or religion – it just asks for the most clever thinkers. That is a great opportunity for all women to show-case their abilities and talents!"

20211209_Prof_Protzer_Astrid Eckert-110

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Protzer

Director, Institute of Virology (VIRO)

"Women choosing science subjects in their education and university should be normalised, rather than be regarded as outliers. Further support mechanisms can come from mentors truly championing them, or funding schemes targeted specifically at women scientists."

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Prof. Dr. Julia Anne Schnabel

Prof. Dr. Julia Anne Schnabel

Director of Institute of Machine Learning in Biomedical Imaging

"To enjoy the amazing privilege of working alongside so many inspiring, brilliant women, is something to celebrate"

View Marie's Page

Dr. Marie Standl

Head of Research Group Allergic Disease Epidemiology

"Women scientists have to believe in the possible and focus on opportunities. Love your work and look for support: for strong networks and positive role models."

View Claudia's Page
Portrait Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann

Prof. Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann

Director of the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IEM)

"To enable gender-independent careers in the context of family, I believe we need true equality for all genders in all areas of life - at work and at home."

Prof. Irmela Jeremias

ead of Research Unit “Apoptosis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells”

"We desperately need more women and other underrepresented scientists in order to challenge the status quo and reduce pervasive biases in our current science evaluation and communication system."

View Lara's Page
Lara Urban

Dr. Lara Urban

Principal Investigator "One Health" at Pioneer Campus

Laura Martens Foto

Laura Martens

PhD @Helmholtz Munich in Fabian Theis and Julien Gagneur’s group

"Our goal in these campaigns is to bring researchers into the discussion on these topics and to highlight women who have achieved outstanding results, who have overcome challenges specific to women in science and can serve as role models,"

Read more about Scientific Talent and Career Development
Porträt Monika Beer

Dr. Monika Beer

Head of Scientific Talent and Career Development