7 (+ 7) Women in Science to follow

#1 Mengdi Kong, postdoctoral researcher at SPC

"Born and raised in China, I showed a strong interest in science and technology from an early age, beginning with small questions like "how does fire work?" and "why does a boat float?" After earning a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on plasma propulsion in China, I decided to immerse myself in plasma physics. I received a PhD in Physics from EPFL in 2020 after which I worked as a full-time physicist at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). Returning to EPFL in 2023, I am currently a post-doctoral scientist at SPC with the goal of contributing to the realization of fusion energy on Earth".

Learning more about her has reinforced my belief that women can succeed in any field just as men can.

Yang Liu, Astronaut

"Yang Liu, is a 46-year-old Chinese astronaut, who served as a crew member on the Shenzhou 9 space mission in 2012, making history as the first Chinese woman in space. I became aware of her through my father, who enthusiastically shared that Yang Liu is an alumna of the same high school as me. Learning more about her has reinforced my belief that women can succeed in any field just as men can. This realization has inspired me to pursue higher education and continue my passion for science and technology".

#2 Elena Tonello, postdoctoral researcher at SPC

“I am Italian and I grew up in a small city on Lake Maggiore. I studied at Politecnico di Milano where I got my Bachelor Degree in Engineering Physics, my Master in Nuclear Engineering and finally, last year, my PhD in Energy and Nuclear Science and Technology. Here at SPC, I am part of the TCV group and I study what happens in the boundary region of a tokamak, the machine used for nuclear fusion research.

I think my passion for physics didn’t start at a specific point, it has been there since school and for this reason, I believe school to be fundamental for closing the gender gap in science. We should repeat more often to young girls at the beginning of their studies that it is ok to be passionate about the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) world.”

I think my passion for physics didn’t start at a specific point, it has been there since school and for this reason, I believe school to be fundamental for closing the gender gap in science.

Maria Goeppert Mayer, physicist

“The female scientist I would like to dedicate this space to is Maria Goeppert Mayer. During her PhD studies in Germany, she met chemist Joseph Mayer, who then became her husband. Together, they moved to the US where he became Professor. Because of her marriage, however, she was prevented from being hired by all universities his husband worked for and she only got her first Professor position in her 40ies. Meanwhile, she worked as a "Voluntary Professor", without being paid, despite publishing major physics breakthroughs.

In 1949, she proposed a theory to describe the structure of atomic nuclei known as the nuclear shell model. For this discovery, she received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963, making her the second woman Nobel Laureate in Physics after Marie Curie. During the Second World War, she was one of the very few women who took part in the Manhattan Project and the first woman to study nuclear fusion”.

#3 Marta Pedrini, PhD student at SPC

“I am Swiss, more precisely from Ticino. At SPC, I am trying to unravel the mysteries of energy transfer processes in and out of the TCV machine. My background is in Mechanical Engineering, a path I chose fueled by the quest for solutions to global energy challenges. Beyond the lab, I’m a certified ski instructor, and an alpinism enthusiast.

As a proud feminist, drawing inspiration from incredible role models, I see Women in Science Day as an opportunity to commit to ending the stereotypes and gender bias that hold women back from careers in Science. Women represent 50% of the world's population, therefore half of its potential. I believe it’s an enormous loss for our society to only have half of the ideas and overlook half of the solutions.”

As a proud feminist, drawing inspiration from incredible role models, I see Women in Science Day as an opportunity to commit to ending the stereotypes and gender bias that hold women back from careers in Science.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Astrophysicist

“I find inspiration in the scientific achievements of astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell. She's mainly known for the discovery of pulsars - a fast-rotating neutron star that sweeps a beam of light across the sky like a lighthouse -during her doctoral research in 1967. Acknowledging her significant contribution, she was honored with the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in 2018. She directed the $3 million prize towards establishing a fund aimed at empowering female, minority, and refugee students pursuing research physics careers”.

#4 Garance Durr-Legoupil-Nicoud, PhD student at SPC

"I come from a very average town in the French countryside. I enjoy studying at SPC as it’s a big lab, making collaboration easy. It gives me the feeling that I am a part of scientific research and that I somehow can make a difference. Transitioning from my role as a PhD student, I am primarily a young woman striving to find a healthy balance between university and private life. The subjects I'm most interested in are ecology and feminism, which are always at the forefront of my mind when making day-to-day decisions.

In 2020 and 2022, I graduated my bachelor’s in physics and my master’s in Nuclear Engineering. Later during my master’s, I became passionate about plasma physics for the fun and challenging physics coupled to its potential application to energy production. My thesis objective is to understand the power exhaust of the inverse-D-shaped-plasma configuration to assess its compatibility with the requirements of the machine walls".

Studying and using the results of someone I could somewhat identify with really gave momentum to my excitement for science and physics and helped with the impostor syndrome.

Emmy Noether, mathematician
"The first woman who inspired me in science was Emmy Noether, a German mathematician. She was the first woman I encountered in physics. Before that, I was never taught by a woman nor studied any woman’s work. Hence, I was a bit starstruck and dug into her story and discovered the amazing scientist she was.

She lived at the beginning of the 20th century when gender biases in science were extremely prevalent. Her theorems revolutionized both algebra and theoretical physics. Not only she is recognized to be one of the most brilliants scientists but she was also respected for her consideration of others and for favoring collaboration over recognition. The encounter with her theorems made me realize the importance of representation. Studying and using the results of someone I could somewhat identify with really gave momentum to my excitement for science and physics and helped with the impostor syndrome".

#5 Christine Stollberg, physicist at SPC

"I am a 36-year-old scientific collaborator in the Basic Plasma Physics and Applications group, originally from Germany. When I was 13, I joined a special scientific class where I found a passionate physics teacher and many friends who were as quirky as I was. At 16, I chose physics as my specialization, becoming one of three girls in a class mostly composed of about 20 guys. Our teacher always highlighted our superior performance, emphasizing that we chose physics out of genuine interest, unlike many guys who only took it as the lesser evil.

My academic journey encompassed obtaining BSc. and MSc. degrees at the University of Jena and a PhD at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Following my thesis submission, my husband, who is also a physicist, our kids, and I relocated to Lausanne, securing PostDoc positions at the Swiss Plasma Center. And after turbulent and busy four years, we were offered permanent positions. Although balancing family life and full-time academic work is often challenging, I am very happy that we have the opportunity to stay in academia and do the work we love every day."

She talked about her experience of being a woman in a predominantly male domain, how she suffered from the imposter syndrom and was supported by different mentors during her career to overcome this feeling of never being good enough.

Kim Budil, director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories

"She is the current director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL). She manages a workforce of ~ 8,400 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $3 billion. Along with the directors of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, she provides the United States government with an annual institutional assessment of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, as well as the challenges that the nation and the globe face and their possible solutions provided by science and technology.

I met Kim Budil at a conference in 2022 where she talked about her experience of being a woman in a predominantly male domain, how she suffered from the imposter syndrom and was supported by different mentors during her career to overcome this feeling of never being good enough. I was very impressed of the insight she gave into her managing role at LLNL, how she gave a female twist to the entire machinery to improve communication and work force diversity."

#6 Cristina Venturini, PhD student at SPC

"I am 25 years old and I come from a small town in northern Italy. I carried out my undergraduate studies in Padua where I majored in Physics and gained knowledge in the realm of data science and statistics. Currently, I’m working on a project that allows me to focus on both the physics of nuclear fusion and data science.

I have always been passionate about science, starting in school, where scientific subjects were my favourite, and at home, where I was exposed to science in a fun way that increased my curiosity. The passion for physics developed more strongly in high school, when I also learned about the energy problem we are facing as a society and the possible paths we can take to tackle it".

Her presence served as one of the main sources of representation for (italian) women in science and stands, to this day, as a testament to breaking down gender barriers and challenging preconceived notions".

Rita Levi Montalcini,neurologist

"Growing up as a girl with a passion for science, I found inspiration in the figure of Rita Levi Montalcini, an Italian neurologist. Born in a time in which women were often treated as “either a luxury object or something to destroy”, she dedicated herself completely to science and society. After her studies in medicine she chose the path of research, conducting experiments in the field of neurology; specifically, she was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1986 for the discovery of the nerve growth factor.

She thought of science as something integrated in society, not as a discipline to be conducted from an ivory tower. In a context that still lacked representation for women in fields classically dominated by men, her presence served as one of the main sources of representation for (italian) women in science and stands, to this day, as a testament to breaking down gender barriers and challenging preconceived notions".

#7 Silvia Masillo, postdoctoral researcher at SPC

“I am a 31-year-old researcher in plasma fusion. I was born in a small city in the South of Italy. With a solid theoretical and technical background in space engineering, my keen interest lies in space exploration, plasma propulsion, and plasma physics. My passion for science ignited during my early years in school, fueled by a blend of curiosity, a desire for challenges, and a thirst for knowledge.

Last year, I seized an incredible opportunity to transition into the plasma fusion community, accepting a position as a research scientist at the Swiss Plasma Center. Dedicating myself to research in fusion power is immensely rewarding, both as a researcher and committed environmentalist”.

Her accomplishments not only advanced the cause of gender and racial equality but also challenged prevailing stereotypes about the abilities of women and minorities in scientific and technical fields.

Katherine Johnson, mathematician

“I find inspiration in individuals such as Katherine Johnson, an American mathematician. Her brilliance and meticulous attention to detail set her apart as an invaluable asset during a time when both racial segregation and gender bias were pervasive challenges. Joining NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), in 1953, her exceptional skills in analytical geometry and celestial navigation quickly earned her a place in the Space Task Group, where she worked as a ‘human computer’.

One of the most defining moments in Katherine Johnson's career came during John Glenn's historic orbital flight in 1962. At a time when electronic computers were in their infancy, Glenn personally requested that Johnson verify the calculations made by the machines before his mission and… she was right! Her accomplishments not only advanced the cause of gender and racial equality but also challenged prevailing stereotypes about the abilities of women and minorities in scientific and technical fields.”