The first event of this new lecture series took place yesterday with the presentation by Prof. Dr. Cindy Lee entitled “Particles in the Sea: What, Where, When & Why”, attended by nearly 100 people – women as well as men. Professor Lee is a renowned U.S. marine chemist from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University in New York. She emphasized that it is particularly important that female scientists form a network where everyone knows each other. Lee, who has also spent a sabbatical year in Bremen, says: “In Germany it is much more difficult for a woman to pursue a career in science than in America.”
Following the public portion of the lecture, participating women met for a closed get-together. This provided an opportunity to discuss career paths and to exchange experiences and ideas. “It is this kind of exchange and discussion about their own career paths that is very important,” says Prof. Dr. Anja Engel, director of the GEOMAR Research Center for Marine Biogeochemistry and a WEB member. “PhD students and postdocs frequently do not have a concrete picture of their career, or how they can combine career and family, and what support already exists. Too often they also lack role models,” said Engel. “This is what we are trying to bring together with the lecture series. In general, we have noted at the Helmholtz Association that such measures are very effective.” The next presentation in the GEOMAR Marie Tharp for Ocean Research Lecture Series takes place on 29 November 2013. The topic presented by marine biologist Prof. Dr. Heike Lotze from Canada is “Lessons from the past: How historical changes in the sea affect marine ecosystems today”.