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

 

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!

We are delighted to be taking part in the #QuantumSnapshots social media campaign organised by quantA – Quantum Science Austria. For one week, leading quantum institutes across Austria are able to share a visual journey through their laboratories, research teams and scientific work, offering a glimpse into the richness and excellence of quantum science in the country. The Quantum Snapshots campaign builds up to World Quantum Day on 14 April, a date chosen in reference to Planck's constant – a number symbolising the birth of quantum physics. This year's celebration is particularly significant as it forms part of the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

We are particularly proud to contribute a post that highlights not only current research but also the people behind it, with a focus on equity, inclusion and the diverse voices that are shaping the future of quantum science. Pictured from left to right: PhD students Sarah Embacher(Erbium lab), Elena Poli(theory group of Prof. Francesca Ferlaino) and Eva Casotti (Er-Dy experiment). Together they investigate the fascinating world of dipolar quantum gases. You can read the full post here.

The great pic was taken by IQOQI | David Jordan - thanks a lot!