Mothers aspiring to leadership roles in science

This year, nine women researchers from the BIST scientific community have been chosen to join the BIST "To the Mothers of Science" program. Now in its fourth edition, this bi-annual call provides financial aid and coaching to women scientists who have dependent children and who also aspire to attain positions with higher responsibility in their fields.

The winners come from six of the seven BIST community centres: Denitza Denkova and Aleksandra Sierant from ICFO, Alba Garzón Manjón and Sonia Ruiz Raga from ICN2, Marina Inés Giannotti and Nina Kostina from IBEC, Bahareh Khezri from ICIQ, Paula Martínez from IRB Barcelona, and Marion Salzer from CRG.

The external selection panel comprised ICREA research professors Mariona Graupera from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute and Soraya Pelaz from the Center for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), along with Marta Lacambra, General Director of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation. The panel emphasized the exceptional scientific caliber of the awardees in this edition of the program.

Thanks to the To the Mothers of Science grants, the researchers will benefit from group coaching sessions led by Arantxa Gómez Esqué, a coach specialized in scientific research, and will receive a monthly salary top-up of 400 euros over the course of one year, which they may spend on whatever they deem most necessary. 

"It's surprising that, despite the efforts dedicated to fostering scientific vocations among girls, and considering that young women outnumber men in our vocational and talent programs, motherhood becomes an added difficulty in the already complex career of a woman scientist,” laments Marta Lacambra, Director of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation and a member of the “Mothers” selection committee.

The To the Mothers of Science program aims to reduce this distress among mothers. As coach Arantxa Gómez Esqué explains, "Our goal is to provide mothers with the tools and support they need to effectively manage their work and family responsibilities, while taking care of themselves and prioritizing their own wellbeing."

Dr. Aleksandra Sierant, a postdoctoral researcher in the Atomic Quantum Optics research group led by ICREA Professor at ICFO Dr. Morgan  Mitchell commented, “I am very grateful to be a part of the 'To the Mothers of Science' program, especially while working at ICFO, which enables me to effectively manage both my research career and parenting responsibilities. I am also most thankful to Morgan and the entire AQO group for their constant support, tolerance, and understanding of the challenges caused by my motherhood.” Likewise, Dr. Denitza, Denkova, who carries out her postdoctoral studies in the SLN team  led by Dr. Pablo Loza-Alvarez, also expressed her appreciation to her research group for their support, flexibility and understanding of her dual-role as research and mother,  and also to the BIST community that supports the BIST “To the Mothers of Science” program. “For me, having a strong support network is the key both towards being a successful scientist and a devoted mum. This grant is a nice recognition and motivation that it is possible to combine motherhood and scientific work and I certainly hope to be able to keep doing successfully both in the future!”