Two researchers from ICIQ have been recognised with the To the Mothers of Science Award by BIST. The researchers will receive financial support as well as coaching sessions to strengthen their leadership skills

Being a scientist and a mother is a challenge that many researchers face every day. For the past three years, the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) has set in motion a programme that supports mothers and scientists who are striving to achieve a leading position and advance in their careers.

Under the title “To the Mothers of Science” BIST holds every two years a competition, inspired by the CRG’s Women in Science Support Grant (WOSS), to recognise researchers from the BIST community who are mothers and working to become pioneers in their fields. The awardees will receive four coaching sessions and a €400 monthly salary top-up over one year.

This year, Dr. Eugenia Martínez, Scientific Coordinator of Professor Palomares’ group, and Dr. Katherine Villa, Junior Leader ”La Caixa” have been recognised with the award. “I am thrilled to receive this recognition. Finding the balance between being a scientist and a mother has been a challenge, always striving to keep competitiveness and excellence,” says Dr. Eugenia Martínez. On the other part, Dr. Katherine Villa emphasises “it’s not just an individual recognition, it’s much more than that as it allows us to recognise all women scientists and mothers and pay tribute to them for their efforts.”

“The reality is that within the BIST community the indicators of postdoctoral researchers, group leaders and directors are skewed when compared to the male ones. An effort must be made to recognise the key work of women who are scientists and at the same time face the challenge of being mothers”, comments Dr. Laia Pellejà, ICIQ’s Administrative and Communications Director. While she adds that “ensuring that women have equal opportunities to pursue scientific careers is an obligation we have as a society.”

At ICIQ we want to recognise all the mothers and scientists of the institute who contribute every day to the generation of knowledge and have formed a family. You are our reference: the scientists of the 21st century.

Katherine Villa, Eugenia Martínez, Gemma Aragay, Bahareh Kherzi, Mireia Segado, Vanesa Lillo, Ana Isabel Oliva.