2nd Women in Physics Career Symposium

This symposium will take place on Monday 4 September 2023 as satellite event of the Joint Annual Meeting of SPS and ÖPG.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Women-in-Physics Career Symposium, SPS has decided to turn this event into a sustainable series with the aim of boosting the careers of women physicists. Our focus is on building a professional and mentoring network in physics for female early-career scientists in the undergraduate up to postdoctoral stages. Like last year, the event will feature a series of career talks, which will provide information on navigating a career in physics from the personal perspective of invited speakers covering several career levels. This year, speakers pursuing successful careers both in and outside academia will provide us with insights about key moments of their careers. The career talks will be complemented by a podium discussion, in which participants can ask questions and share experiences, advice, and ideas. Ample opportunities for networking, exchange of experiences and ideas will be additionally provided via extended coffee breaks, lunch, and a dinner.

Although, the event is focused on connecting mentees from the undergraduate up to postdoctoral career level with experienced mentors, we invite female participants from all career levels to register for this event to contribute and benefit from the networking.

The event is sponsored by the University of Zurich, the Paul Scherrer Institute, the Swiss Physical Society, the Swiss Academy of Natural Sciences (SCNAT) and Zurich Instruments. Further contributions are most welcome.

 

Registration for the symposium

The symposium is free of charge for all participants. However, the organizers need to know how many people will attend, and therefore we ask you to register:

  • If you participate in both the conference and the symposium, register first as conference participant, then in the separate form for the symposium.
  • If you participate only in the symposium, go directly to the symposium registration module and fill in all the required data (see notes inside the module).

In the registration form you can indicate whether you participate as general participant, mentor, mentee or speaker. General participants, mentors and speakers only need to provide their name, affiliation and contact information. Mentees will need to provide some extra information (see below and notes in the registration module). Speakers, mentors and mentees are also invited to a dinner and should indicate if they will attend.

 

Become a mentee:

The Women in Physics Career Symposium is at the same time the kick-off event for an associated mentoring network. Mentees are female physicists who are on the level of Bachelor, Master, PhD or Postdoc. Through the mentoring network they will be able to meet with their associated mentor at least four times to discuss questions concerning their career with their experienced mentor. At the event mentors and mentees will be matched. At this event, 20 spots for mentees are available. Selected mentees will also receive a small travel stipend to facilitate travel to Basel sponsored by Zurich Instruments (please see below for their statement on STEM careers below).
To sign up mentees need to provide a short CV and a short motivation (200 words) explaining why they want to participate. Applicants who are not selected as mentees may still participate in the event as general participant. Please also provide a list of favorite mentors (up to three) that you would like to be connected with. A growing list of mentors is provided here.

Finally, the event will also feature a podium discussion where the speakers of the event may answer and discuss questions by the participants. Please provide up to three questions.

Become a mentor:

A key goal of the Women in Physics Career Symposium is to serve as the nucleus for a mentoring network between early career female physicists and those with more established careers. The duties of a mentor are to:

  • Take part in the “Women in Physics Career Symposium” on 4 September 2023 to connect to mentees.
  • Meet with your mentee for a year with the commitment to meet at least four times. While in person meetings are encouraged, virtual meetings are possible.
  • If possible, take part in a wrap-up event at the end of the year, where all mentors and mentees will meet to exchange their experiences.

If you would like to contribute as a mentor, please contact Marc Janoschek (marc.janoschek[at]psi.ch). With your message, please provide a short bio and motivation on why you would like to act as mentor.

 

Organizing Committee

Zeljka Budrovic (PSI), Lea Caminada (UZH-PSI), Ellen Fogh (EPFL), Marc Janoschek (UZH-PSI), Christine Klauser (PSI), Hubertus Luetkens (PSI), Teresa Montaruli (UniGE), Katharina Müller (UZH), Philipp Schmidt-Wellenburg (PSI), Anna Sfyrla (UniGE)

Contact: Marc Janoschek

 

At Zurich Instruments, we are accountable, reliable, and inspiring people who aim to be a reference for others. We see diversity as an innovation enabler that brings new ideas and strengthens teams. Supporting the Women in Physics Career Symposium is a great opportunity to play an active role in the positive developments we’ve seen in the past few years and to encourage more women to engage in a wide variety of STEM careers.