Reducing the gender gap in science, a priority for INMA
The Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA) has an Equality Commission to manage its actions, which range from measures to reconcile work and family life to the visibility of women researchers.
Since its creation in July 2020, the Instituto de Nanociencia y Materiales de Aragón (INMA) has made reducing the gender gap in the field of R&D a priority to continue advancing scientific and social progress. This work to ensure that men and women have the same opportunities in their research careers has materialised in the creation of an Equality Commission, which is responsible for managing corporate policies and actions related to this area within the organisation.
INMA is the result of the merger of the Institute of Materials Science of Aragon (ICMA) and the Institute of Nanoscience of Aragon (INA) with the aim of making Aragon an international benchmark for research in nanoscience, nanotechnology and new materials, thanks to the work of its 300 members, including researchers, doctoral students and technical and administrative staff. Women are widely represented: they account for 44% of the centre’s staff and 40% of its permanent researchers.
The institute promotes the development of advanced materials that respond to the social challenges of the 21st century. Research into new materials enables, among other things, a more efficient and environmentally friendly use of energy, the development of biomedical applications for diagnosis and advanced therapies, or the optimisation of information technologies.
Equality Plan
INMA is a joint research centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Zaragoza. “Both are drawing up new equality plans to comply with the regulations. Once they are finished, the commission will adapt them to the real situation of the institute, seeing which points are the most important and which need to be prioritised,” explain the INMA.
To this end, the commission has launched an initial survey to capture the sentiment and situation of workers and their perception of equal opportunities. “Several initiatives have been proposed, ranging from the modification of meeting times to facilitate conciliation, to others aimed at training, visibility of women, prioritising the sponsorship of activities with a minimum of diversity, or the creation of a mentoring plan”, according to INMA sources.
In addition to these efforts to remove the obstacles that prevent women from fully developing their talent and their ability as researchers and promote the co-responsibility of their partners in the field of care, the INMA is very aware that the reduction of the gender gap in science and research has to start as soon as possible, arousing interest and scientific vocations among girls and young women with female references that are a mirror in which to look.
Activities for the 11F
In this sense, the INMA has joined for the second consecutive year to celebrate the Day of Women and Girls in Science, which is commemorated today, February 11, in order to achieve access and full and equal participation in science for women and girls, in addition to gender equality and women’s empowerment in society.
The INMA has prepared an extensive programme of informative activities ranging from exhibitions to in-person and streaming round tables, as well as competitions with video games, talks in bars and even a series of scientific talks aimed at schools and in-person workshops.
Among these activities, the special ‘Women and Science’ of the programme ‘De copas con ciencia’ (Drinks with Science), which will take place on 24 February at El Sótano Mágico (20.00), stands out. On this occasion, visibility will be given to the role of women in research by two researchers, Elisabet Pires with ¿Científic@s o no cientific@s? That is the question, and Isabel Franco: Fantastic microbes and where to find them.
Exhibition and round table
In addition, the INMA, the ISQCH and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Zaragoza have organized the exhibition ‘Women scientists’, which opens today and can be visited until 28 February in the hall of building D of the faculty, and has also created a special contest for the 11F of the free mobile game Hi Score Science, for students and employees of these three centres.
INMA researchers will also develop outreach talks for primary and secondary schools throughout the month of February, in person and via streaming. Also today, the Casa de la Mujer of the City Council of Zaragoza will hold from 11.00 to 12.00 the round table ’11F INMA scientists’, aimed at schools, which can be followed live via Facebook Live del Servicio de Mujer e Igualdad.
15/02/2022
