Science and Gender Equality: Global Women’s Breakfast 2026 at Unimore
The Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB) – an international initiative promoted by IUPAC for the United Nations’ International Day of Women and Girls in Science – returns in 2026 with the theme “Many Voices, One Science”, hosted by the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences at Unimore (https://iupac.org/gwb/2026/gwb2026unimore/).
“The Global Women’s Breakfast,” explains Prof. Erika Ferrari, who is organising the event together with Dr Monica Vaccari and Dr Valentina Nicolini, “is not intended to be merely a celebratory occasion, but a genuine space for dialogue and shared reflection. Giving voice to different experiences, using non-traditional forms of communication, and actively involving students means taking concrete steps towards dismantling persistent stereotypes. We believe the university should act as a driver of cultural change, capable of generating impact not only within academia, but across society as a whole.”
The event aligns with European and national policies on gender equality, in line with Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda and with the Gender Equality in Research and Innovation framework under Horizon Europe. It aims to foster reflection on gender equity within STEM fields, where women remain under-represented in both educational and professional pathways.
The programme will begin on Tuesday 10 February 2026 at 2:00 pm in lecture hall U0.3, with opening remarks by Vice-Rector for Teaching Prof. Gianantonio Battistuzzi; Unimore’s Delegate for Equal Opportunities, Prof. Elena Bassoli; the City of Modena’s Councillor for Gender Policies, Dr Alessandra Camporota; and the President of the Emilia-Romagna Section of the Italian Chemical Society, Prof. Rita Mazzoni.
This will be followed by a talk from engineer Chiara Monaco (AIMAG Spa, event sponsor) on the transition from university to the world of work, and by the video interview “Many Voices, One Science”, curated by doctoral researchers Chiara Grassi and Matilde Benassi. Unimore’s GenderM ⊛ Re documentation centre (https://gendermore.unimore.it/home) will present tools for critically examining gender bias in scientific communication, with contributions from Dr Elena Gallina and Dr Valentina Davighi.
The programme will continue with the improvisational theatre performance “Improvising Inclusion” by FuoriDiTesto, followed by the workshop “Playing for Inclusion: The Role of Games in Fostering Inclusion in STEM ”, led by Dr Andrea Ligabue. Proceedings will conclude with an inclusive aperitif, conceived as an informal moment for discussion and networking.
Although organised within the university, GWB2026@UNIMORE is open to the wider community and highlights the university’s role as a space for dialogue between research, education, and society, engaging students, teaching staff, researchers, and the local community.
Participation is free, with registration via an online form (https://forms.gle/WVmiVCaKyPd9qsq59), which allows participants to choose whether to attend in person or remotely.
The initiative is sponsored by the City of Modena and the Emilia-Romagna Section of the Italian Chemical Society.
Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng
Articolo pubblicato da: Ufficio Stampa Unimore - ufficiostampa@unimore.it il 09/02/2026