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

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.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1371&v=mcE0ZFHPM3M&feature=youtu.be

On May 25th 2025, we embraced the sporty spirit of Innsbruck: With four atom*innen and IQOQI teams, we took part in the Innsbruck City Run. It was a fun opportunity to get active together outside the office & we enjoyed it a lot. Thanks to everyone who joined!!

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!