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International Day of Women and Girls in Science

11 February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Gender equality has always been a core issue for the United Nations. According to the UN gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution not only to economic development of the world, but to progress across all the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well. Therefore, the UN declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

EURAMET is happy to have many highly-committed people in its committees and bodies, many of them women. EURAMET has asked three female metrologists to share their views on being a woman in science.

"I very much enjoy working as a physicist in science, especially in metrology, and I strongly encourage young women to study physics and afterwards choose a position in science. It offers the freedom to realise your own scientific ideas and to investigate new things useful for society and a better understanding of the world." - Ulrike Ankerhold

Ulrike Ankerhold is EURAMET TC-Chair for Ionising Radiation. Ulrike obtained a PhD in Physics at the University of Bonn in Germany on molecular spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. She joined PTB in 1997 and started working at the department for Radiation Protection Dosimetry. She has been head of the department for Dosimetry for Radiation Therapy and Diagnostic Radiology at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German National Metrology Institute, since 2009. Ulrike is also a member of EURAMET's Task Group for Health and of several international and national standardisation groups in ISO, IEC and DIN.

"It is important to keep your curiosity, for me this is the source for inspiration. In my experience, when working in a male dominated profession, sticking out simply because you're a woman can be an advantage - at any rate you're noticed. And my advice is, never give up." - Petra Milota

Petra Milota is EURAMET TC-Chair for Flow. She studied Aerosol and Environmental Physics at the University of Vienna and gained her degree in Atomic Physics at Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA). After postdoctoral and visiting scientist positions in various European universities and institutes, she joined the Austrian Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying, BEV, as technical officer of water flow and thermal energy in 2007. Since 2011 Petra has been Head of the Unit for Flow, Temperature and Photometry and since 2014 she has also led the Physico-Technical Testing Service of BEV. Petra is responsible for the management of the Unit regarding technical matters, conceptual design and engineering of measuring methods. Internationally she has experience as a representative in various technical committees and has taken part in EMRP joint research projects.

"From my experience I can say the follwing to women thinking about a career in science: Try and you will succeed. Don't be afraid of digits and electrons. Most importantly: Science has no gender." - Isabel Spohr

Isabel Spohr is EURAMET TC-Chair for Mass and Related Quantities. Isabel studied Chemical Engineering at the TechnicalUniversity of Lisbon (Instituto Superior Técnico) in Portugal. She joined the Portuguese National Metrology Institute, Instituto Português da Qualidade (IPQ), in 1996 and worked at the mass laboratory, before moving to the pressure and force laboratories, for which she is now responsible. Since 2004 Isabel has been head of the Mass and Related Quantitiessection. She has been involved in the EURAMET community since 2002, participating in meetings and comparisons.

For more information on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science please visit http://www.un.org/en/events/women-and-girls-in-science-day/index.shtml

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