Gender equality in QUEST and promotion of women in science
QUEST strives to realise a natural, genuine equal opportunity situation. However, as a result of its strong physics- and engineering-oriented component, QUEST started out with the traditional numerical predominance of male researchers. Since the phenomenon of unequal gender ratio already exists at the high-school level it is not sufficient to develop measures at the professorial or student level. The centre’s strategy consists of two tiers, each comprising a variety of measures. One deals with finding and actively recruiting the best female candidates at each level, the other follows a long-term approach by reaching out to the high-school and undergraduate level. Examples are GIST – Girls in Space-Time (10/2011), QUEST at “Future Day” or at “Die Nacht, die Wissen schafft” in 2008 and 2010.
LUH already provides many resources regarding gender equality, proof of which are the Total E-Quality Awards won in 2002, in 2005 and in 2009. The centre certainly co-operates with LUH in this effort. QUEST pursues a stringent equal opportunity policy when hiring new staff.
Providing family-friendly infrastructure
The most pressing problem for women in science very often is the double burden of career and motherhood. Female scientists who want to incorporate both family and career are therefore often faced with an either-or decision, leading to a “loss” of high-level professionals. A major problem is the lack of readily available child day care. QUEST supports families by participating at the day-care programme of the LUH (Leibniz Kids), by contacting in addition day-care centres in the neighbourhood of LUH campus and files addresses of professional nannies for fast help. LUH has a contract with CompanyKids, a service for day care in emergency cases if the regular caregiver is not available (e.g. illness or participation in a scientific congress). This company provides a 24h-service and guarantees availability within one day. A special service exists at LUH for children of age 3 to 10 years during the Easter and fall vacations, which offers activity programmes during the day.
As an important measure to attract high-level female scientists striving to combine both family life and academic career, QUEST offers support for accompanying family members—a “social network”—such as language training for spouses, possible job placement for partners and support in administrative issues.
If the need arises due to family commitments, employees (female or male) will be able to work flextime (with restricted core times). Alternatively they will be able to telecommute. These measures are aimed at creating a family friendly workplace. Additionally, LUH has established a programme which supports doctoral candidates which have to interrupt their thesis work in order to fulfil time consuming family obligations and thus could not finish their thesis work in the regular contract time. This programme helps them to complete their thesis in a timely manner.
Joint appointments, promotion of female postdocs
QUEST helps by all its available positions in such cases, if in any way possible.
One excellent example for a joint appointment are Professor Silke Ospelkaus and Professor Christian Ospelkaus.
Re-entry programme
To alleviate the double commitment of research and motherhood QUEST offers uncomplicated re-entry schemes for female scientists into the scientific community. Taking leave from QUEST to have children is made just as easy, enabling employees to maintain contact with LUH during parental leave and offering training course during such times.
