atom*innen is excited to collaborate with the art project ULTRA | memoria cosmica, which is now on display in the historic turbine hall of KG17 in Innsbruck. This immersive installation, created by conceptual artist Tim Otto Roth, brings visibility to the pioneering work of physicist Marietta Blau and celebrates her groundbreaking contributions to science.

Arts, physics and women in physics

Marietta Blau was a pioneering nuclear physicist. Together with her assistant, Hertha Wambacher, she was the first to observe how a high-energy particle smashed an atomic nucleus – documented on special photographic plates. Following Austria's annexation by the Nazi regime, Blau, who was persecuted as a Jew, had to flee into exile. Her research was continued by her assistant without proper recognition. Blau is representative of the many women whose scientific achievements have been overlooked and rendered invisible.

In ULTRA, conceptual artist Tim Otto Roth evokes the discovery history of cosmic rays at the Hafelekar research station in Innsbruck through ethereal movements of light and sound. 75 luminous speakers transform the turbine hall, bathed in a deep blue hue through filter foils, into a sound laboratory. The predominantly downward movements make the invisible ionizing radiation from space not only sensually perceptible, but the energies translated into pitches also create a spatial-musical experience. The "natural score" for the various pieces is based on datasets from neutrino observatories.

A highlight for atom*innen

As part of the event series, we are excited to invite you to a special panel discussion on September 19th at 7:00 PM. Our Gender Officer, Karoline Irschara, will moderate a discussion on the role of women in science and the arts.

The panel will feature:

• Prof. Anita Reimer, physicist, who will also give a lecture on the origins of cosmic radiation
• Prof. Brigitte Mazohl, historian
• Mag.a Carmen Brucic, artist and lecturer

The discussion will explore the contributions of women in these fields and will be held in German.

The exhibition is generally open from September 5 to October 24, Fridays and Sundays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. additional to the following events:

Further info can be found here.

For further info on Marietta Blau, see: https://scientificwomen.net/women/blau-marietta-117 | https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-dark-stars-of-marietta-blau/

From 6-11 July, we took part in this year’s Young Atom Opticians (YAO) 2025 conference in Innsbruck – an international conference organized by and for students, primarily aimed at Master's and PhD students in atomic, molecular, optical, and quantum physics. This year's conference held special significance as it was the 30th anniversary of YAO, returning to its birthplace in Innsbruck, where it was first held in 1995. 

Our Gender Officer, Karoline Irschara, gave a talk on gender equality in physics, presenting recent data on the representation of women in physics in Austria and across the EU. She explored the structural reasons behind the gender gap and highlighted why equity is essential for scientific excellence and innovation. Karoline also introduced our platform, atominnen.at, showcasing new features and interactive data visualizations.

Following the talk, we had an open and lively discussion with many thoughtful contributions from the audience – showing just how relevant and important this topic has become within the quantum community. Conversations continued over a relaxed atom*innen lunch for women and gender minorities, offering even more opportunities to connect and exchange ideas.

A big thank you to the YAO 2025 organizing team – Eva Casotti, Clemens Ulm, Johanna Hennebichler, and Alberto Canali – for hosting such a well-run and inspiring conference. And thank you to everyone who stopped by, asked questions, and shared your thoughts with us. Let's stay in touch :-)

Fotos by IQOQI | D. Jordan

We had a great time at our atom*innen Women's Lunch with Nobel Laureate Prof. Anne L'Huillier, which took place on June 29th 2025 at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) in Innsbruck. The event brought together a brilliant group of early-career scientists from the IQOQI and the University of Innsbruck for an open and thoughtful exchange. 

Back in 1987, Prof. Anne L’Huillier observed that many different overtones of light arose when she transmitted infrared laser light through a noble gas. She continued to explore this phenomenon, paving the path for subsequent breakthroughs in producing attosecond pulses. Her contributions to the field have been foundational, and her career continues to inspire physicists worldwide. In this video, Anne L'Huillier discusses what it's like to be awarded a Nobel Prize, emphasising the importance of role models and science communication.

We were honoured to hear her reflections on science, perseverance and the importance of building supportive communities in academia. Her visit was a true highlight for our network and an encouraging moment for the next generation of women in quantum science.

Special thanks to Prof. L’Huillier for generously sharing her time, expertise and perspective.

Photo credits: IQOQI Innsbruck | D. Jordan

Fantastic news! Our article Connecting Women in Quantum Science: The Atom*innen Platform has just been published in Europhysics News. 

In the article, we introduce our platform, which is designed to support, connect and empower women and gender minorities in quantum science. Hosted by the Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation (IQOQI) in Innsbruck of the Austrian Academy of Sciences - Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW), atom*innen has quickly become a central hub for community, visibility, and many useful resources. With its four pillars - INFORM | SUPPORT | EMPOWER | CONNECT - atom*innen aims to tackle the persistent gender imbalance in physics and amplify diverse voices in quantum science.

We would like to thank everyone who is contributing to the development of this vibrant network. We are really happy to see the community growing, let's keep it going! 

You can read the full article here.

We are deeply honored that Austria's new Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research, Eva-Maria Holzleitner, mentioned atom*innen during her speech at the Ceremonial Session 2025 of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, ÖAW).

In her words: "Another outstanding contribution to women's advancement by the Austrian Academy of Sciences is the atom*innen programme, initiated by Francesca Ferlaino at the Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation (IQOQI) in Innsbruck. It provides female quantum physicists with a platform and strengthens networking, mentoring and training opportunities. Programmes like this are invaluable, as they play a crucial role in making science more diverse and inclusive. Progress over the last few years shows that we are on the right path."

We are very grateful for this recognition and remain committed to our mission of providing concrete tools for gender equity in quantum science and strengthening the role of women through our platform.

You can find the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1371&v=mcE0ZFHPM3M&feature=youtu.be

Great news – we’re in the Austrian press! Our founder, Prof. Francesca Ferlaino, was interviewed for the national newspaper Der Standard. In the interview, she shares her remarkable journey, from growing up supporting SSC Napoli to not taking a single physics class until the age of 13. What sparked her passion? A school visit to a nuclear power plant. Today, she leads cutting-edge research on ultracold atoms and magnetic elements such as erbium and dysprosium. Francesca Ferlaino is a Professor at the Institute of Experimental Physics at Universität Innsbruck and Research Director at Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation (IQOQI) in Innsbruck. On top of all this work, she is also the driving force behind our platform atom*innen - we're grateful for her vision and commitment.

Read the full article here: DER STANDARD – Interview with Francesca Ferlaino