#InternationalWomensDay "Embrace your talents to make a positive impact on the world!"

08/03/2023

At BAM, more than 1,600 people research and work together for safe applications of materials and technologies. For International Women's Day, three female scientists give insights into their work and tell us what they would like to see happen:

Sarita Devi, biotechnologist, believes that “Women in Science are World’s Sunshine”:

"My name is Sarita Devi. I am a biotechnologist working at BAM as an Indo-German Science and Technology (IGSTC) Postdoctoral Industrial Fellow with Dr Rudolf Schneider. During my PhD at CSIR-CSIO, India, I worked on 'luminescent nanomaterials-based biosensors for environmental pollutants'. Currently, my research focuses on the detection of bacterial toxins in water based on metal-organic frameworks using a microfluidic platform. With water toxicity on the rise, I yearn to obliterate the problem, which is only tenable through science!

Hailing from a rural area of India, I am the first child in the entire village to earn a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in science, all thanks to the support of my parents and their faith in me. Passing the National Aptitude Test gave me a financial boost so that I could go into research. Science bestowed me the international experience and high-impact research practices at BAM. It gave me the platform for developing my scientific identity and intercultural competencies.

I would like to recommend all young girls and our outstanding women to overcome the stereotypes that holding you back from science and technology. We should boldly move forward now and address the exciting challenges scientifically. Efforts and strategies foster the ability to grow. Failures should not be perceived as disappointments but as a new learning opportunity. Women can drive the race and thus the science!"

Adelina-Elisa Olbrich, inorganic trace analyst, invites women to embrace their talents, and use them to make a positive impact on the world:

"To the female* scientists of today, Happy Womens* Day 2023! Today we celebrate the boundless potential that you bring to the world of science and technology, your strength, your creativity, and your unwavering passion for discovery. Never let anyone tell you that your ideas or abilities are less valuable because of your gender. Instead, embrace your talents, and use them to make a positive impact on the world.

The need for such a day as this highlights the ongoing struggle for equality in the field of science and technology. Despite the progress we've made, gender inequalities persist, women* are still underrepresented in many areas and face numerous challenges in their careers. It’s not only about raising awareness, but by acknowledging and celebrating the contributions of women* in science, we send a powerful message that everyone has a place at the table, and that everyone's voices are valued and important. In fact, you bring a unique perspective to a place, which was ruled for centuries by men. Your ideas are fresh, your curiosity is boundless, and your determination is unshakable. Embrace these qualities and use them to challenge the status quo and make a difference in the world. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something because of your gender. Instead, use that as fuel to prove them wrong.

It should be our goal, that in the future, days like Women’s* day are not needed anymore. Let’s work together to achieve this. So to all young female* scientists, know that your potential is limitless and your impact will be felt for generations to come. Keep pursuing your passions, keep challenging the status quo, and know that you have a community of supporters behind you every step of the way."

Lena Meyer, project coordinator has taken the leap from experimenting in the lab to a digitization project:

"Letztes Jahr stand ich an der BAM noch im Labor und habe an Experimenten im Bereich 3D-Druck von Metallen für Anwendungen in der Raumfahrt gearbeitet. Seit diesem Jahr arbeite ich in der Projektkoordination der Initiative „QI-Digital“, in der mit den zentralen Akteuren der deutschen Qualitätsinfrastruktur (QI) Lösungen für die digitale Transformation der QI entwickelt werden. Außerdem liegt der Fokus auf dem Austausch und der Vernetzung mit interessierten Stakeholdern und dem Transfer in die Anwendung.

Diese neue und spannende Projektstelle im Bereich Digitalisierung der Qualitätsinfrastruktur gibt mir die Möglichkeit, neues Wissen aufzubauen und – z.B. im Bereich 3D-Druck – mit vorhandenem Wissen zu verknüpfen und weiterzuentwickeln, sowie neue Themenfelder und komplexe Zusammenhänge kennenzulernen. In dem gleichnamigen Referat „Digitalisierung der Qualitätsinfrastruktur“ an der BAM und der Initiative QI-Digital arbeiten Kolleg*innen mit unterschiedlichen Hintergründen und Ausbildungen, sodass ständig neue Perspektiven diskutiert werden und ein regelmäßiger Austausch auf Fachebene und darüber hinaus möglich ist."

Find more female BAM employees in the #WomeninScienceDay article.