“There is still a huge disparity in the number of African women in STEM. As an African female researcher, I want to participate in the urgent change that is needed, ideally with a PhD one day."
Pheladi Tlhatlha, Environmental scientist
For us as a public institution, it is vitally important to actively promote gender equality and equal opportunity. Women are indispensable to all aspects of our work and deserve equal rights and access. By implementing targeted measures for the advancement of women and gender equality, we not only strengthen BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung as a scientific and technical departmental research institution, but also society as a whole.
How we promote equal opportunity:
- Equal Opportunity Commissioner: They help to protect female employees from discrimination and assist with measures against sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Equal opportunities agenda: It contains clear guidelines on how to achieve equity for women at all managerial levels. The agenda is reviewed every four years.
- Women's network@BAM: A forum for exchange and mutual support for women, both inside and outside of BAM.
- Flexible work arrangements: To make it easier for both men and women to balance family and career, BAM offers flexible working arrangements. Employees have the option to work from home for up to 60 percent of their weekly hours.
- Training courses: BAM regularly conducts awareness trainings for managers and employees in order to reduce prejudices and raise awareness of gender-specific discrimination.
Source: BAM
"I come from a non-academic background and am the first in my family to take on the challenge of doing a PhD. Research brings with it challenges that need to be solved by even more young women in science."
Sarah Döring, analytical biochemist
