20.02.2025
As a prelude to our General Assembly 2025, we organized a full-day equal opportunity workshop for our ECRs.
This time, the focus was on Becoming an Active Bystander - Recognizing and responding to discrimination.
The program featured an introductory talk, followed by a mix of hands-on exercises and discussions where everyone - minorities and not - could learn practical ways to navigate discrimination.
We were delighted to have Pauline Gagnon as our trainer for this session. Being a physicist herself with nearly two decades at CERN, she now devotes her time to exploring why certain groups have been historically excluded from physics and sharing her personal experiences with physics audiences.
18.12.2024
In addition to our scientific work, we highly value the development of soft skills in our CRC.
Science is a team effort, so it is particularly important to understand the mechanisms within working groups and how to contribute in one’s own unique way.
Together with Plasma Science HUB RUB and the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at RUB, we organized a 1.5-day seminar on “Understanding and Navigating Group Dynamics.”
During the seminar, participants got to know each other better and exchanged insights on the challenges within their working groups. The experience helped them understand how to positively influence group dynamics and improved their ability to give feedback.
A special thank you to our trainer, Sabine Mueller, for her empathic guidance and support throughout the seminar.
18.06.2024
Building on the common foundation established during the EO Training at our last General Assembly, we hosted two follow-up workshops designed to address unconscious bias in a target-group-specific way during the GA 2024. By separating the sessions, we were able to tailor the content to the distinct roles, perspectives and responsibilities of ECRs and PIs. We were pleased to once again welcome Juliane Handschuh as our trainer.
ECR Workshop
In this interactive session, the ECRs explored practical strategies to navigate and mitigate unconscious biases in the academic environment. They learned a set of tools to respond effectively to biases, both as potential victims and as allies, which empowers them to react appropriately and contribute to a more inclusive research culture.
PI Workshop
The workshop for our PIs focused on the responsibility of leaders to recognize and address unconscious biases within their teams and decision-making processes. Through interactive discussions and case-based exercises, the PIs examined how biases can shape recruiting, leadership practices, and evaluation procedures, and gained insights into existing structural tools and institutional policies that support equitable leadership.
These targeted trainings deepened our collective understanding of unconscious bias and strengthened our efforts to establish a supportive scientific community.
26.11.2023
At our General Assembly 2023, we were pleased to host an insightful Equal Opportunity Training session led by. Juliane Handschuh, focusing on “Unconscious Bias in Evaluation Processes in Science.”
The training began with a keynote talk to establish a shared foundation for all CRC members, i.e. including both PIs and ECRs. Juliane provided an overview of key concepts related to diversity, unconscious bias, and their relevance in everyday scientific practice. Participants learned where unconscious biases can influence decision-making in academic environments and explored strategies for recognizing and mitigating these effects.
Following this overview, our attendees engaged in small-group discussions, exchanging experiences and reflecting on how to foster fairness and inclusivity within their own research settings.
The session offered valuable insights and practical tools, reinforcing our commitment to promoting equal opportunities across all levels of our CRC community.
