International Day of Women and Girls in Science

On 14 February, shortly after the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the University of Milan will host the 2nd International Conference on Gender Equality Research. The event is promoted by the Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences and will be held online via Teams.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was proclaimed by the UN back in 2015. The goal was to raise awareness among the public about gender inequalities and the under-representation of women in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and to promote concrete actions to remove the hurdles that prevent women from pursuing a career in science. 

“In recent years, the Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences of the University of Milan has been at the forefront of proposing an inclusive and equitable academic environment, recognising the importance of gender equality in the fields of Medicine and Dentistry”, said Giulia Ottaviani, one of the Department’s two delegates for gender equality along with Francesca Sisto. She continued: “This conference is only one of the many initiatives that align with our University’s commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, also by exploring innovative solutions in the context of gender equality within academic and professional spheres”.

The presentations span a range of topics, from the Re-Starting Grant launched by the University to help young researchers without a permanent contract return to work after giving birth, to the identification and reduction of barriers to diversity and inclusion, especially in the field of pathology.

“As doctors and scientists, we have to work towards giving our most competent colleagues the recognition and appreciation they deserve, no matter what their gender is, in the name of equal opportunities”, continued Francesca Sisto. “When your child is sick, you don’t care if the best pathologist is a man or a woman, or even a woman with a disability. We hold this conference to spark a debate on the benefits that inclusive policies may bring to our University, and to our country as a whole”. 

The online conference will start at 2 in the afternoon with the opening remarks by Aldo Giannì, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Paola Muti, Professor of Medical Statistics and Head of the promoting Department, will act as moderator together with Professor of Microbiology Francesca Sisto. Speakers will include: Marilisa D’Amico (Deputy Rector for Legality, Transparency and Equal Rights), Maria Pia Abbracchio (Vice Rector and Deputy Rector for Research and Innovation, as well as coordinator of the task force that authored the University’s Policy on the right to motherhood of young researchers), L. Maximilian Buja (Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Texas), Giulia Ottaviani (Professor of Pathology at the University of Milan), Beatrice Paradiso (Pathologist at the Lino Rossi Research Centre) and Giovanni Damiani (Researcher in Dermatology and Venereal Diseases at the University of Milan). The concluding remarks will be given by Paola Branchi, Head of the Gender Policy Office of the University of Milan.

For more details, please check out the conference flyer in the section below.