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.

On May 19th we had the privilege of hosting an insightful guest lecture by Dr. Andrea Navarro-Quezada, who has been chairing the Working Group for Equal Opportunities in Physics within the Austrian Physical Society (ÖPG) since 2023. Through her work, Dr. Navarro-Quezada advocates for the promotion of female researchers in physics and actively supports diversity and inclusion within the scientific community.

Held at the Institut für Quantenoptik und Quanteninformation (IQOQI) in Innsbruck, Dr. Navarro-Quezada’s lecture highlighted key statistics and trends regarding women in physics in Austria. While it's encouraging to see an increase in the number of female students entering the field, she pointed out that women continue to face a high dropout rate at advanced academic stages. She explored potential causes for this discrepancy and stressed the importance of fostering awareness, as well as creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for women in science.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Andrea Navarro-Quezada for her valuable insights and unwavering dedication to this critical issue. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with her!

Pictures from  IQOQI | D. Jordan can be found here.

We are excited to welcome Priv.-Doz.in Dr.in Andrea Navarro-Quezada as our speaker in our next ATOM*INNEN TALK.

"Physics has no gender: Building Equal Opportunities in Physics"

• Monday, May 19, 2025
• 2:30 p.m
• Erwin Schrödinger Saal, IQOQI Innsbruck

In her talk, “Physics has no gender: Building Equal Opportunities in Physics,” she will explore gender disparities in Austrian physics academia, present key data and insights, and discuss the role of initiatives like the Equal Opportunities in Physics Group of the Austrian Physical Society in promoting lasting change.

Although the number of female physics students in Austria has increased slightly over the last 25 years, only 13% of physics professors are women. Discrimination in physics is still present and controversial for some. In this talk, Andrea Navarro-Quezada will present some facts and figures from Austrian universities, discuss possible causes, and highlight the importance of initiatives like the Equal Opportunities in Physics Group of the Austrian Physical Society in achieving equal opportunities for all.

About the Speaker:
Andrea Navarro-Quezada is a Funding Consultant for the Research Support Office of the Medical Faculty of the Johannes Kepler University Linz and Chairwoman of the Equal Opportunities Group in Physics of the Austrian Physical Society. She was awarded the prestigious Elise Richter Fellowship and received her habilitation in experimental physics in 2021. Andrea Navarro-Quezada also writes the physics blog "Die Physiker:innen" for Der Standard.

Join us after the talk for coffee, pastries, and informal discussion. We look forward to seeing you there!

Together with Quantum Science Austria we had a fantastic networking women's lunch at the 4th quantA Workshop at Johannes Kepler University Linz! Bringing together many different women from across the Austrian quantum science community, the lunch provided an open and encouraging space to exchange ideas, share experiences and make new connections. Thank you to everyone who attended - we hope you continue to expand your networks and collaborations beyond the event!!

Hashta

Diversity in Quantum (DiviQ) and the EU Quantum Flagship have just launched the Global Quantum Needs Assessment, and we invite you to participate! The survey will take just 6-10 minutes, and you can help making quantum science better for all!

Your responses will help:

• Assess what’s working (and what isn’t) in supporting those engaged in quantum science
• Identify unmet needs within the global quantum science community
• Benchmark how quantum science compares to other STEM fields in terms of representation and experience

Participants also have the opportunity to enter a multiple-round drawing for $500 travel scholarships and volunteer for follow-up interviews on their quantum experiences.

Further information can be found here: https://www.diviq.org/survey