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More (for) Female Physics Students

35 women from the Department of Physics and other STEM disciplines at Marburg central train station on their way to ESA in Darmstadt.

Physics is one of the most exciting and important natural sciences of our time. Traditional gender myths make it difficult for students of any gender to carry the potential of their subject into the future. "More (for) Female Physics Students" prepares all physics students for a contemporary way of working in the world of physics.

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  Too often, it is still claimed that physics was invented and driven forward by men. This idea of a masculinization of physics is refuted, among other things, by  the exhibition Lise Meitner and 'her daughters' of the German Physical Society (DPG). "More (for) Female Physics Students" makes female physicists visible and shows their contribution to research.

  Stereotypical attribution of preferences and abilities fuels the outdated myth that men would prefer to work with things, women with people. Yet, a differentiated viewpoint shows, for example in the PISA and TIMSS studies, that mathematical or physical competences show up sometimes in girls and sometimes in boys, depending on the country.  Differences in ability do not depend on gender alone but rather on gender images and their structural and symbolic relation to the different natural science disciplines. "More (for) female physics students" raises awareness about gender equity, diversity, and unconscious bias in physics.

  The higher the qualification level, the more often discipline-related and socially determined inequalities are justified with a reversed, i.e. twisted logic. Far too often, women are assumed to be promoted too much. In fact, in unregulated procedures, men usually receive higher financial support, better evaluations of their abstracts for conferences (by other men ;-) ), more citations, more research awards, and are more likely to be promised a leadership position. If gender is made invisible in these procedures, the chance of a gender-equal allocation of resources increases - and with it the quality of research and teaching in the entire field. "More (for) female physics students" provides funding for membership in professional societies as well as for conference attendance and research stays for female physics students. 

  Anyone who wants to learn more about gender & STEM will find the  platform | Gendering MINT digital a good starting point: The platform provides insights into the research and teaching area of gender & STEM. At the same time, it encourages reflection on gender issues in the natural and technical sciences. Focusing on the interests of students in natural and engineering sciences, it provides access to gender issues and links the knowledge and working methods of the natural and engineering sciences with those of the social and cultural sciences.

 "More (for) female physics students" aims at a higher visibility of female physicists, raising awareness for gender equality in physics, and providing financial support to committed female physicists.

Events winter semester 24/25

• Women physicist's breakfast in the orientation week: Wednesday, 02.10., 10-12 Uhr, SR RH5
• Get together to do excercise sheets in the 2. week of lectures
• Get to know female phd students: Wednesday, 06.11.24, 10-12 Uhr, SR RH5
• Guided tour to the GSI-acceleration facilities (GSI-Beschleunigeranlagen) in Darmstadt: Friday, 06.12.24, 10-15 Uhr (+ travel time)
• Lecture hall cinema: Wednesday, 15.01.25, ab 18 Uhr, GrHS university building, Bahnhofstr. 7

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  We make women in physics visible. We bring female first-year students, advanced students and PhD students in physics in contact with each other. For everyone in the department and beyond to witness we highlight the accomplishments of women in physics.

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  Period dispenser at the physics department
  Since November 2023, we now officially have our own dispenser for free menstrual products at the faculty! It is located in the left part of Renthof 6, in the area in front of the toilets (i.e. under the lecture hall). It offers you free menstrual products for emergencies. Please use it with responsibility.
  
  
  Membership in the German Physical Society (DPG)
  We finance your membership in the DPG. The German Physical Society is the oldest and largest physics society in the world. The young DPG inspires young people to study physics and offers answers to your questions about physics studies, doctoral studies and career entry in many multifaceted events.  The equal opportunities working group (Arbeitskreis Chancengleichheit - AKC) represents the interests of female physicists at all career levels. It improves their framework conditions, strengthens and connects them, among other things through the German Conference of Women Physicists, participation in the spring meetings of the DPG and the International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP) as well as the organization of workshops and the visibility of outstanding female scientists through the Lise Meitner Lectures, the "Physicist of the Week" project or interviews with female physicists.
  
  With our offer, we enable female students to network in their research community at an early stage and in the long term. Interested? Please fill out our application for a DPG membership (see download area below) and send it to stefanie.wittich [at] verwaltung.uni-marburg.de.
  
  

  Participation in conferences and research stays
  Participation in conferences is an important milestone on your professional, scientific and personal path. Research stays in national and international universities or institutions broaden your horizon. We are happy to support you in these steps and refinance your participation in conferences and your research stays with up to 500€. Interested? Please contact us for support or fill out the application for travel grants (see download area below) and send it to stefanie.wittich [at] verwaltung.uni-marburg.de.
  
  

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen Raising awareness

  Workshops on gender, unconscious bias, and diversity for all members of the physics department.
  
  

• Inhalt ausklappen Inhalt einklappen Past Activities

  2022:
  - Workshop: "Gender, Diversity and Unconscious Bias for Physics Students (m/f/d)" (in German)
  - Workshop: "Gender, Diversity and Unconscious Bias for scientific and technical-administrative employees (m/f/d)" (in German)
  - Trip to the 26th German Conference of Women Physicists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
  - Public viewing of the online conference WOW Physics! Women of the World in Physics
  - Presentations by three female physics PhDs
  - First-semester breakfast in WiSe 2022/2023
  - Online semester-break-party in WiSe 2021/2022
  
  

  2023:
  - Female student breakfast during OE
  - PhD in physics - 3 Female PhD students introduce themselves
  - Guided tour at the ESA Darmstadt followed by a pizza diner 
  - perfectly prepared for the examination, peer to peer counceling
  
  

  2024:
  - Female student breakfast during OE
  - Excursion to the planetarium Fulda
  - Workshop: "Gender- and diversity-sensible communication for students (m/w/d) in STEM courses" (in German)
  - Workshop: "Gender- and diversity-sensible communication for  teaching staff (m/w/d) in STEM courses" (in German)
  - Peer Counseling: Time und Stressmanagement  followed by a barbecue and  games evening at the department

"More (for) female physics students" is funded by the Professorinnenprogramm III and is coordinated by the Central Gender Equality Officers of Philipps-Universität Marburg in close cooperation with the Department of Physics.

Contact

Download

• Privacy policy "More (for) Female Physics Students" (G)
• Application form travel allowance "More (for) Female Physics Students" (G)
• Application form allowance for membership in the German Physical Association (DPG) "More (for) Female Physics Students" (G)