Science Slam for female academics From lab to stage
Bonn · Seven young female scientists took to the stage to talk about their research projects, with wit and passion. The winner of the audience vote was Lydia Möcklinghoff, two of the participants are from Oman and Iraq.
The anteater, an endangered species, actually eats ants with its 60 centimeter long tongue, and the robes of women in ancient Rome was up to four meters long: Seven female scientists left their labs, the museum and the lecture hall to present their findings and research projects to an audience outside the subject area „a bit differently“ - on a stage, with wit and passion.
At the end, the representatives of the Bonn Women Service Club, who organized the evening, handed the winner, Lydia Möcklinghoff, the prize money of 500 Euro for her work with anteaters in Brazil. The proceeds of the evening are going to the help fund Helene Achterwerk-Hewelcke, which supports female artists when threatened by old age poverty. „I like talking about what I do. As a scientist it is difficult to get public attention“, emphasized Eva Bärmann, curator at the Museum Koenig. Thus, „I love bones“ was her avowal on stage. The participating women had ten minutes each to convince the audience, then their presentation was judged by applause.
The female scientists from Cologne, Bonn and Duisburg work in the fields of astrophysics, biology, law, psychology and history. Their subjects are just as diversified: personal luck strategies, black holes, skulls of gazelles and women’s fashion through the ages. „New at this second Science Slam is the opportunity for entrants from the field of the arts to participate. We started a request on social media and then chose a selection,“ explained Lydia Niewerth, spokesperson for Liona Bonn. Of course, the international aspect was not missing.
Two of the participating scientists were women from Oman and Iraq. The Bonn Women Service Club supports women and wishes to get public attention particularly for female scientists. „During first-year the gender ratio is still level, 45 per cent of graduates are female“, Isabell Lisberg-Haag pointed out. „At habilitation it’s 30 per cent, but in executive positions only 15 per cent are women.“ The Science Slam was designed from women for women.
(Original text: Maria Gambino; Translation: Mareike Graepel)
