The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a worldwide effort to promote a joint effort inclusion of women in science since 2016. On this occasion, 45 high school students attended an event organised by the Center for Research in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Materials (CiQUS) last Friday to raise awareness among young people about the present situation of women in science and introduce them to the research conducted in the center by female researchers.
The programme kicked off with a session led by the CiQUS Deputy Director. After introducing the CiQUS, the issue of women in science was addressed with a special mention of the current situation at the CiQUS. The researchers then took over opening their labs: Prof. Dolores Pérez and Dr. María Giménez, Principal Investigators at CiQUS, and Junior Scientists María Tomás and Ester Polo, gathered their teams to welcome the students in a series of close and relaxed encounters. The students had the opportunity to learn about the research performed by these groups from researchers at different stages of their professional careers. This fact made it possible to share some of their personal stories and provide valuable insights, which undoubtedly contributed to the motivation of the students. At the same time, attendees also enjoyed a guided tour where they had the opportunity to visit the facilities, learn about different techniques and the performance of the most experimental equipment.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, recognising full and equal access and participation in science for women and girls of all ages as a prerequisite for achieving gender equality and the empowerment. Actions such as "CientífiQas: ciencia feita por mulleres no CiQUS" contribute to promoting the equal participation of girls and women in science, to make visible the work of women in the field of Chemistry, and offers inspiring role models of women scientists and technologists to promote scientific careers among the new generations.
