Talk to them: Women in Astronomy
In recent years there have been big advances in women taking up scientific and technological studies and joining the workforce in those areas. However the gender gap is most important in decision making positions, and there are fields such as Physics, Engineering, and Informatics where women are still under-represented. In order to help achieve access, and full and equal participation in science by women and girls , to promote career perspectives among women in science, and to recognize their achievements the General Assembly of the United Nations named February 11th every year as International Day of Women and the Girls in Science.
The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is committed to a policy of gender equality, the promotion of the role of women in science, and encouraging scientific and technological vocations among girls as well as boys. It participates in the network Tenerife Violeta, and in the European network GENERA, which promotes equality in research centres in Physics. For all of these reasons, since 2017 the IAC has joined in the celebrations of February 11th with a range of activities and projects, at institutional level, as well as many of its women and men researchers and technologists on their own initiatives.
With the spirit of 11 February and the aim of reaching those corners of the Spanish geography far from the IAC headquarters, the initiative "Talk to them: Women in Astronomy" was born.
What is it?
It is an initiative that aims to make visible the work of women in Astronomy-Astrophysics, while offering girls inspiring models to promote their scientific and technological vocations. It consists of videoconferences with educational centres by women astrophysicists and engineers who work at the IAC and at other institutions present in the Observatories of the Canary Islands, in which they explain their work, talk about their field of research and answer students' questions about the scientific and technological careers, the Universe or the methods we use to get to know it better.
The duration of the videoconferences is 50-60 minutes. The default language is Spanish, although, as the IAC and its Observatories are internationalised centres, it can also be requested in other languages (English, Italian, French).
For whom?
The activity is aimed at Spanish educational centres, from infants until High School and Professional Training.
When?
This school year 2019-2020, the activity will start on February 11 and will continue until June, on the dates and times agreed between the applicant schools and the participating volunteers.
How to register?
If you are a teacher at a Spanish school and you are interested in participating in this initiative, register your school using this inscription form and request a videoconference.
Registration will be open until the maximum number of videoconferences we can do in a school year is covered. If it is not possible for us to hold the videoconference on the requested date, we will propose a new one..
Who participates?
Alicia López Oramas
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Astroparticles, gamma rays, binary stars(IAC) |
Nayra Rodríguez Eugenio
Astrophysicist and coordinator of education projects (IAC)
Galaxies, Astrophysics outreach, robotic telescopes |
Patricia Chinchilla Gallego
Predoctoral researcher (IAC)
Exoplanets, brown dwarfs |
Evanthia Hatziminaoglou
ALMA Support astronomer & European ALMA Regional Centre network Coordinator (ESO)
Active galaxies, infrared and radio astronomy, extragalactic surveys |
Patricia Fernández Izquierdo
Engineer (IAC)
Mechanics, Astrophysical Instrumentation |
Francesca Pinna
Postdoctoral researcher (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg)
Nearby galaxies |
Adriana de Lorenzo-Cáceres RodríguezPostdoctoral researcher (IAC, UCM)
Nearby galaxies |
Sandra Benítez Herrera
Astrophysicist and coordinator of education projects (IAC)
Cosmology, Astrophysics outreach, women in Astronomy |
Núria Casasayas Barris
Predoctoral researcher (IAC)
Exoplanets and their atmospheres |
Icíar Montilla
Engineer (IAC)
Optical instrumentation, Adaptive Optics |
Montserrat Armas Padilla
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Black holes, neutron stars, X-rays |
Alba Fernández-Barral
Astrophysicist, Outreach and Education Coordinator of CTAO
Gamma rays, binary systems, Cherenkov technology, outreach |
Martina Cardillo
Postdoctoral researcher (IAPS-INAF)High energy astrophysics, Galactic cosmic rays |
Beatriz Mingo Fernandez
Postdoctoral researcher (The Open University)Active galaxies, black holes, radioastronomy, high-energy Astrophysics |
Mary Barreto
Industrial Engineer, Technical Director of the European Solar Telescope (IAC)
Gestión técnica de proyectos |
Josefa Becerra González
Postdoctoral researcher (ULL, IAC)
|
Jennifer Carter
Postdoctoral researcher (University of Leicester)
Earth's magnetosphere |
Carmen P. Padilla-Torres
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC) and telescope operator (Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, FGG)
Galaxies, telescopes |
Nataly Ospina Escobar
Postdoctoral researcher (Università degli Studi di Padova, INFN)
Multi-messenger astrophysics: gravitational waves, neutrinos and gamma rays |
Sara González Pérez
Engineer and project manager (IACTEC, IAC)
Biotechnology and renewable energies |
Coordination
Nayra Rodríguez Eugenio (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Communication and Outreach Department (IAC).
Advertising posters: Inés Bonet (IAC).
A bit of history...
- Gender in Physics Day 2017. Presented by the IAC researcher Patricia Chinchilla.
- VII Congreso de Comunicación Social de la Ciencia 2019, Burgos. Talk “Habla con Ellas: Mujeres en Astronomía” by Nayra Rodríguez, project's coordinator.
Volunteers who actively participated in the 2019 edition
Patricia Chinchilla
Predoctoral researcher (IAC)
Exoplanets, brown dwarfs |
Nayra Rodríguez Eugenio
Astrophysicist and science popularizer (IAC)
Galaxies, Astrophysics outreach, educational projects with robotic telescopes |
|
Sandra Benítez Herrera
Astrophysicist and science popularizer (IAC)
|
Cristina Martínez Lombilla
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Formation and evolution of galaxies, morphology of disk galaxies |
|
Adriana de Lorenzo-Cáceres Rodríguez
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Nearby galaxies |
Arianna di Cintio
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
|
|
Icíar Montilla
Engineer (IAC)
Optical instrumentation |
Patricia Fernández Izquierdo
Engineer (IAC)
Mechanics |
|
Montserrat Armas Padilla
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Black holes, neutron stars, X-rays |
Alicia López Oramas
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Gamma rays, electromagnetic spectrum, binary stars |
|
Julia de León
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Solar System, asteroids, space exploration |
Francesca Pinna
Postdoctoral researcher (IAC)
Nearby galaxies |
|
Martina Cardillo
Postdoctoral researcher (INAF, CTA)
High energy astrophysics, Galactic cosmic rays |