Symposium Female Portraits: Gender in Academia

In honor of International Women’s Day, Young Academy Groningen and Jantina Tammes School warmly invites you to the symposium: Female Portraits: Gender in Academia.

Bring your own breakfast and let's explore gender in academia, discussing the impact of representation, gender roles, and institutional structures on career paths. How do these factors shape opportunities, and what can we do to foster inclusivity in academia?

Who are the speakers?

Dr. Dina Maniar did her PhD in the Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials research group at the University of Groningen. Following her postdoctoral tenure within the same research group, she joined the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials as an Assistant Professor and chaired the Polymer-based composite materials research group. Her primary research revolves around the development of novel synthesis strategies for polymeric materials. A significant aspect of her research group involves the synthesis of sustainable materials, specifically biobased and biodegradable polymers, as well as their composites. Her research team combines biocatalysis and precise polymer synthesis to craft materials well-suited for diverse applications ranging from packaging and thermally reversible polymeric products to tissue engineering and prosthetics. She is an advisory board member of the Tetrahedron Green Chemistry journal and the Outdoor Science Education for Sustainable Future (OTTER) program.

Dr. Esther Metting - "Research results on gender in academia". Dr. Esther Metting, Assistant Professor at UMCG and the University of Groningen, is a psychologist and epidemiologist specializing in eHealth. With expertise in patient-centered asthma/COPD care, digital health, and implementation science, she leads multidisciplinary research on digital illiteracy across Europe, bridging academia, healthcare, and patient organizations. Esther is member of the Young Academy Groningen and De Jonge Akademie.

Prof. Mineke Bosch - "Tekens aan de wand: Vrouwen in de portrettengalerij van de RUG". Prof. Mineke is an expert in the history of science and scientific biography, the history of political culture and citizenship, women's and gender history, and international women's movements, with a particular focus on ego documents, (auto)biography, and life writing. She also holds several additional roles, including Chair of the Biography Working Group of the Dutch Society for Literature, member of the Advisory Board of ICOG and the Journal of Gender Studies, member of the Program Committee of HOVO, and member of the editorial board and editorial team of L'Homme: Europäische Zeitschrift für feministische Geschichtswissenschaft.

Prof. Marjan Joëls – "Women in science". Prof. Marian Joëls, neuroscientist, emeritus professor, explored lifelong impacts of postnatal stress and puberty interventions. A former UMCG Dean, she is a KNAW member and past FENS President, shaping neuroscience globally. She wrote several books, for example the book “baanbreeksters” in which she describes the roads of 12 women towards a top position in politics, government, science or business.

Dr. Michael Lerch – "Representation in course materials". Assistant professor FSE, Michael Lerch obtained his BSc and MSc degree at ETH Zurich (Switzerland) with stays at the University of Cambridge (Prof. Steven V. Ley, UK) and the California Institute of Technology (Prof. Robert H. Grubbs, US). He conducted his Master's Thesis under the supervision of Prof. Robert H. Grubbs and Prof. Erick M. Carreira on the topic of regioselectivity in Wacker-type oxidations. He received his M.Sc. in 2014 in Interdisciplinary Sciences and he is currently pursuing his PhD at the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry in Groningen under the supervision of Professor Ben L. Feringa. His work focuses on controlling biological systems with light (including molecular motors and photoswitches).

Dr. Erika Darics – "Gender in higher education". Dr. Erika Darics is a critical discourse analyst/applied linguist. In her work she explores how language constitutes our social reality - especially concerning the complex, intangible issues related to our sustainable futures. Darics conducts empirical linguistic-discourse analytical research, theorise and educate  about language awareness and discourse consciousness. She is an experienced and passionate researcher-educator with a sense of responsibility to nurture a future generation of critical text consumers who are also ethical, responsible and empowered communicators. She leads on courses based on discourse analysis, often with a business/professional communication slant. Darics co-hosts the Words and Actions podcasts and is the proud co-author of the textbook Language in Business, Language at Work (working currently on the 2nd edition).

Who are the panelists?

Prof. Jeanne Bonnici comes from Malta. She first studied law at the University of Malta where she received a Doctor of Laws degree (LLD) with a thesis on data protection issues in the medical sector.  As a Chevening Scholar, Jeanne read for a Masters in Cognitive Science at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.  After some years of teaching and legal practice, she read for a Doctor of Law degree at the University of Groningen researching on self-regulation in cyberspace.  In 2009 I was awarded a Rosalind Franklin Fellowship at the University of Groningen. Since 2015 Jeanne has been appointed a full Professor at the same university and hold the Chair in European Technology Law and Human Rights at the Department of European and Economic Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Groningen.

Prof. Malvina Nissim works in Natural Language Processing and its application to societally relevant problems. Besides her research activities she is particularly active in science communication and outreach, including to school children, especially towards an aware and responsible use of language technologies. Nissim really enjoys public speaking, and once she got to give a TEDx talk. Malvina was also invited by the European Council to give a plenary lecture on gender bias in Artificial Intelligence on International Women’s Day 2021. As a university professor she teaches quite a bit, and she loves it - proud to be elected as the 2016 University of Groningen Lecturer of the Year.

Prof. Janet Fuller has been appointed as Professor of European Language and Society at the University of Groningen as of September 2017. She will be moderating the panel.

Prof. Ingrid Molema is professor in Life Sciences and former head of the Medical Biology section at the UMCG. Ingrid was trained as a pharmacologist, with research focus on targeted drug delivery and pharmacology to interfere with microvascular engagement in cancer growth and in conditions of inflammation and shock (septic shock, hemorrhage associated shock). During her extensive and diverse academic career, she was visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, chairperson of the national ZONMW-VIDI & VICI committees, chair of the University of Groningen Rosalind Franklin Fellowship committee, and the president of the Dutch Network of Women Professors.Ingrid lectures in various bachelor, master and graduate school courses. She furthermore supports new generations of academics via grant writing training to PhD students and early career researchers, and was the creator of the Career Perspectives Series for PhD students at UG. As of coming April 1, she will succeed Herman de Jong as Dean of Talent Development.

Dr. Lilian Peters, Assistant Professor/Clinical Epidemiologist at UMC Groningen and Western Sydney University, advances Women’s Health with data-driven innovations. She leverages EHR-data and AI to explore reproductive health impacts, COVID-19 care pathways, and builds sustainable research infrastructures linking general practice and maternity care for improved maternal health outcomes.

Drs. Jildou Spoelstra is a Strategic Policy Advisor HR at the University of Groningen.

We look forward to an engaging morning with you!