Female Voices of the Charité Research Community - part 1

What does it mean to be a female scientist at the Charité? We set out to interview researchers at all career stages, learning about their challenges, hopes, and unfiltered thoughts on being a woman in science. As you will see, not everyone shares the same opinion or experiences...

Master's student, 24 years old

Do you feel treated equally to your male peers?
I feel treated equally- I do not have any trouble with gender inequality.
Do you perceive gender-equality in a different way in Germany, compared to your home country?
Gender equality is more common here in Germany than in my home country. Especially after the latest political developments at home, where the government just decided for woman and their bodies. That is a lack of freedom in a way, which is also inequality.
What needs to be improved?
There is always room for improvement, though the situation is already quiet good. The problem for many women in science is that they cannot come back to work easily when they had a child. They do not know how to be in both roles at the same time, and only chose one path. It would be good if co-workers, bosses, and companies would help them more to come back to work and at the same time to be a mother to the children.

I WOULD RATHER USE MY ENERGY TO DO SCIENCE INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR MY RIGHTS.

I think that my generation has to understand that we still have to fight for some rights. We shouldn’t just adapt. As I said, the situation is already very good, but there are still things to improve. I think that the younger generation is the one that should do it!
What is your fear / hope?
My fear is that I will burn out too quickly. Women still have to fight for their positions in science and I feel that can be very exhausting in a way. I would rather like to use the energy to do science instead of fighting for my rights.
Do you have a female scientist role model?
I don’t have a specific role model, but I feel that all woman that achieved something in science can be a good role model to look up to.

by Claudia Willmes

Professor, mid 40s, married, kids

Do you have a female scientist role model?
No, most woman in history of science which are famous were somehow cheated by their male counterparts.
Do you feel that you are treated equally?
Now: Mostly. Earlier: No. With my colleagues at the moment, there is equality but there are also circles that I chose not to participate in, as they are not equal
What did you struggle most with as a woman in academia?
Probably the perception from the male counterparts is one of the problems. In Germany women still have the less well-paid jobs. And of course children: As soon as you enter child-bearing age, even if you have no children, it sort of sends a signal to everyone. If you have a child it automatically gets interpreted that you have a second job now, therefore you can’t be 100% a scientist. Men can be fathers without as many problems as woman being mothers.

THE THOUGHT THAT A MOTHER IS NOT PRODUCTIVE IS ACTUALLY COMPLETELY WRONG!

 
What needs to be improved?
There have been a couple of things moving in the right direction. But they haven’t gone far enough. There are some grants for woman to come back to work (though I heard now that the one at the MDC has stopped… ). They used to give you two years after maternity leave – not enough time at all!
The DFG gives you a couple of years grace for every child you have, but again they do not go far enough. It is not just the time that you are pregnant which you need. A child does occupy a lot of your time until it is three or so. The thought that a mother is not productive is actually completely wrong! You actually get more productive. You are less productive during pregnancy and in the first year, but after that you become so good at organizing and multitasking! Once the kids go to school, you are up early – you will always be one of the early birds. And you do not mess around. You have aims. You do not go for your second cup of coffee, you actually do not have a coffee at all. You eat while you work, and you really are much more goal-oriented than others.
What is your advice to an aspiring female neuroscientist?
If you want to have a family, make sure you have a very understanding partner who will do at least 50% of the childcare. It is not possible without a good partnership. It gets really hard in a situation with two people with careers that are equally important. That would be my biggest advice: make sure that your partnership is up to the challenge.



by Claudia Willmes, AG Eickholt/Schmitz
These interviews have been edited lightly for quality and content.

this article originally appeared March 2017 in "Diversity in Neuroscience"