Researchers from the University of València.

The University of Valencia has celebrated, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, on February 11, a week of events in various spaces of the institution.

The activities programmed during the cycle Women and Science in the Botanical Garden between Tuesday, February 12 and Friday, February 15, have had as their common thread the visibility of female scientists of the present and the past, and promote access to scientific and technical fields for women and girls. 

The cycle ended on Friday with the scientific theater show Scientists: Past, present and future, aimed at girls and boys between 8 and 14 years old and where five researchers from the University of Seville have given life to five researchers from the past to invite the viewer to be part of the world of science. The session was at the Auditori Joan Plaça, at 11 a.m. (school session) and at 6 p.m. (family session, free admission). 

Talks in secondary schools

In addition, during this week from February 11 to 15, and within the SWI@Valencia project, students from the University give talks in different secondary schools. These students are pursuing undergraduate studies in the faculties of Biology and Pharmacy and are: Paula Galarza, Miriam Meléndez, Cintya González, Paula Chuliá, Sara Borràs, Lora Stefanova, Belén Arnau and Claudia Soriano.

Faculty of Physics

In the Lise Meitner Room of the Faculty of Physics, on Thursday the 14th at 12:30 pm the screening of the documentary Where are the women? took place, prepared by the Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona and which addresses the limited presence of women in positions of responsibility in science. On the other hand, in the center it has been possible to see, from February 4 to the 11th, the mural-collage Find Women Scientists in Physics in front of the center's Secretariat, which encourages students and teachers to find and make visible female scientists.

In the Botanical Garden

On Thursday the round table “Take advantage of all the talent. Equality and Science Policies” brought together political and university officials with working scientists to analyze how to address the gender gap in science. The journalist Pilar Almenar was in charge of moderating the table, where Elena Martínez, vice-rector of Equality, Diversity and Sustainability of the University of Valencia participated; Josefina Bueno, general director of University, Research and Science; Eva Barreno, botanist and researcher; Mariam Tórtola, physicist and researcher, and Teresa Samper-Gras, sociologist and researcher.

On Wednesday there was a conference given by astrophysicist Elena Denia (“Star Calculator”) and another by CSIC scientist Olga Mena (“Invisibles in the Cosmos”). Simultaneously, Ana Beltrán Porcar carried out an artistic intervention inspired by the content of the conferences. 

This Tuesday, in the cycle Women and Science in the Botanical Garden, the lectures were by the biologist Olga Mayoral ("From field botany to science teaching") and by the researcher at the Valencian Institute for Conservation and Improvement of Agrodiversity Rosa Porcel ("“Natural” Foods?"). 

Report "Scientists in figures 2017"

The rector of the University, Mª Vicenta Mestre, participated this Monday in Madrid in the events organized by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and which is organized jointly between the Women and Science Unit of the Ministry and the Spanish Federation for Science and Technology (FECYT). The Secretary of State for Universities, Research, Development and Innovation, Ángeles Heras, presented the report "Scientists in figures 2017" that analyzes the presence of women in the different areas and levels of science in Spain, with special attention to the research career in universities and public research organizations.

According to said report, the presence of women continues to be scarce in the highest ranking category (grade A) in the research career, while there is gender balance in the other research categories (grades B, C and D). On the other hand, in the process of accreditation to professorships, the success rates of women (47%) and men (48%) are practically equal.

The events at the Ministry of Science were completed with two round tables: "The research career of women in science and engineering" and "Initiatives to promote STEM vocations or promote the equality and visibility of scientists and technologists".

II Conference on Gifts in Neuroscience

In addition, starting at 12 noon, and at the II Conference on Women in Neuroscience at the UV, the Talks on Neuroscience for all took place, which were held simultaneously in the Darwin Room of the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine. The neuroscientists who gave the conferences are María Abellán, Sandra Fernández, Carmen Agustín, Carla Sanchis, Marta Torrens, Alicia González, Raquel García, Ana Lloret and Anna Carballo.

In the afternoon, at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, the session "The visibility of women in scientific education" took place, which was inaugurated by the rector of the University, Mª Vicenta Mestre. The rector recalled the importance of making women visible in science, 'and that also means creating co-responsibility policies so that researchers can follow that professional progression when they voluntarily decide to be mothers.' Anna Carballo, Rafael Crespo, Ana Lluch and Tayra Lanuza, moderated by Rocío García. At 6:45 p.m. was the presentation of the traveling exhibition "Creators: Women in Science" and finally, at 7 p.m. the awards for the Women in Science contest were presented.

Masterclass of the IFIC

For the same Monday the 11th, the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC) scheduled a masterclass where 75 high school students from Twenty-five Valencian educational centers went to the Faculty of Physics to do, guided by researchers from the Institute, a practice with real data. In the afternoon and from the Science Park, they connected by videoconference to share the results with other students who will have carried out the same exercise in Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona, ​​London and Heidelberg. In addition, the researcher Mariam Tórtola and Ana Peñuelas, a doctoral student, gave talks in educational centers throughout the Community.

CRUE Communication

On the occasion of this international day, the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE) highlighted in a statement that "the full participation of women in all scientific fields is essential for the complete development of a country and, therefore, any system Quality education must promote the elimination of obstacles that hinder the balance between women and men."

"Breaking stereotypes and gender roles in the earliest educational stages is essential to not condition the decisions that future university students must make and this is where the university community must be proactive. More girls and women in science will provide the entire society with more solid, more creative and more efficient solutions. CRUE.

11th Databeers VLC

In a more relaxed atmosphere, the October Contemporary Culture Center held the 11th Databeers on Thursday afternoon, the 7th, where data science and beer coexisted in the same space. The event, organized by the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Valencia (ETSE-UV) together with the Databeers collective and the CCC Octubre, dealt with data science in a relaxed and fun way with different talks by experts. Pilar Domingo-Calap (I2SysBio), Rosa Arroyo (Casfid), Anabel Forte (Department of Statistics and Operational Research of the University) and Silvia Rueda (Department of Computer Science of the ETSE-UV) participated.