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Equal Opportunity
Equal Opportunity Unit

Photo: UHH/Jens Torsten Möller

Cross-university network "Close the Gap"

How are science and family to be combined in times of a pandemic? What impact does the global pandemic have on the careers of women scientists? A clearly visible consequence is the so-called “Gender Publication Gap”, which shows, that women scientists are doing less research and publishing than before due to the pandemic.

The Close the Gap project, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts (BWFGB), aims to address these pandemic related effects. Male academics are also addressed about the challenges involved in balancing work and family life.

In addition, a cross-university network has been initiated to serve as an exchange platform between experienced and early career researchers which will run until December 2022 to promote involvement. A range of events are offered as part of the network.

Current events and activities

  • Online-Workshop „Networking for Women in Academia”, 3 November 2022, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

    What’s your personal take on networking? Is it second nature to you, or do you find it hard going? Or perhaps you reject it as manipulation or over-selling yourself? In this workshop we will hold the lens up to all of these issues and you will be given the opportunity to develop or deepen your individual, tailor-made approach to networking – taking your personal strengths (and weaknesses) into account. In accordance with your wishes as participants, we will take a look at methods of building up and maintaining career-networks and reflect on self-marketing strategies and social media. If time allows, the workshop will also include advice on “small talk” at networking events and conferences.

    Speaker: Katrin Temperton
    The event will take place online via Zoom
    Registration

Events and activities 2022

  • 3. November 2022
    Online-Workshop „Networking for Women in Academia” (English only)
    Speaker: Katrin Temperton

  • 23 August 2022
    „Scientific Career and Parenthood"
    Speaker: Henning Rockmann

  • 28 June and 05 July 2022
    "Empowerment through strengthened communication - Extension”
    Speaker: Dr. Claudia Wunram, communication trainer "Perspektivwechsel wagen"

  • 12 and 19 May 2022
    "Empowerment through strengthened communication - Introduction”
    Speaker: Dr. Claudia Wunram, communication trainer "Perspektivwechsel wagen"

  • 2 May 2022
    „Career & Parenthood – Managing the Mental Load“
    Speaker: Dr. Desiree Dickerson, psychologist

  • 5 and 7 April 2022
    „Remaining calmly in meetings”
    Qualifications, diligence and performance have priority during studies and during the doctoral phase. This applies equally to researchers from all disciplines. At the latest, however, when it comes to making a career (whether at university or in the company) these characteristics are no longer enough. Now it is about becoming visible, and actively getting involved in the organizations, building networks and shaping university processes – and this is all a question of communication. This workshop taught the participants the ability to present their own competence, to recognize games of power and status and to shape their own appearance confidently through communication. Speaker: Dr. Meike Zöger, communication trainer at “Lukas Bischof Hochschulberatung”
  • 10 and 11 February 2022
    „Self-marketing in a professional context”
    The word "self-marketing" has an unpleasant connotation for many women* at universities, but it should not be that way: Being able to talk about one's own competences and successes in a proud manner is an indispensable skill for career progression. This includes, for example, communicating clearly, becoming visible, knowing your own goals and selling your own ideas convincingly.  This workshop was about encouraging female* participants to take charge of their own professional destiny confidently and to communicate their own values, convictions, successes and goals. The workshop was aimed at participants who want to shape their application process as well at those who are planning their next career steps.
    Speaker: Dr. Meike Zöger, communication trainer at „Lukas Bischof Hochschulberatung“

  • 10 February 2022
    „Dealing with structural inequalities at higher education institutions as a workplace”
    How should we deal with concrete situations in everyday university life where there is a suspicion of structural injustice? What vocabulary is helpful to describe them? How can we address problems without causing additional damage? Also: how do we become good allies of persons affected?
    Responding well to problematic situations as a third person present is not always easy. In order to enable participants to become good allies, theoretical backgrounds are presented and concrete case studies was discussed interactively in this workshop. The aim was to raise awareness of challenges, but also of one's own possibilities for action and support.
    Speaker: Dr. Anna Welpinghus

Events and activities 2021

  • 19 and 26 October 2021
    "Empowerment through strengthened communication"
    In everyday university life, we must often adapt to the life situations of others in very different ways. Such cases often occur in communication and counselling situations on compatibility, diversity, or gender equality issues, as well as in personal interactionThis practice-oriented seminar provided helpful impulses for adjusting to the other person in a communicative way. Participants worked in individual, two-person, and group exercises based on Nonviolent Communication (GfK) according to M.B. Rosenberg in order to learn how to deal with difficult situations.
    Speaker: Dr. Claudia Wunram, communication trainer "Perspektivwechsel wagen"
  • 5 and 7 October 2021
    "Remaining calmly in meetings"
    This workshop taught the participants the ability to present their own competence, to recognize games of power and status and to shape their own appearance confidently through communication.
    Speaker: Dr. Meike Zöger, communication trainer at Lukas Bischof Hochschulberatung
  • 29 September 2021
    "Career & Parenthood – Managing the Mental Load"
    The Human Resources Development department and the family office organized this online seminar with Dr. Desiree Dickerson for doctoral researchers and postdocs with family commitments, to explore what mental load is and how it manifests in our daily lives.
    Speaker: Dr. Desiree Dickerson
  • 14 September 2021
    "Scientific Career and Parenthood"
    The balance between a scientific career and family is often viewed as challenging and difficult. With this event the Clusters of Excellence CLICCS, QU and CUI, the MIN Faculty, and the Family Office at  University of Hamburg
  • picked up on this topic and provided an overview in English of the legal ramifications of limited work contracts (under the WissZeitVG) and their effects on, e.g., claiming parental leave. In the subsequent panel discussion, they introduced four researchers and shared their strategies on how to manage career and family life.
  • 24 August 2021
    Digital summer meet-up of the cross-universtiy network Close the Gap
    This was the second event of the Close the Gap network after the kick-off event in April. After a short thematic impulse from Almut Schnerring on mental load and care-work, the participants had time to exchange ideas, network and get to know each other in so called "speed networking" sessions. In the final plenary session, there was time for questions, wishes and suggestions for the network as well as our planned events.
  • 23 April 2021
    Kick-off event “Shutdowns, gaps and research from home - equal opportunities in scientific careers in times of a pandemic”
    How are science and family to be combined in times of a pandemic? How can you make the next career move when laboratories are closed and you cannot network with colleagues at conferences? How can home schooling, deadlines for papers and student supervision be reconciled? During these times, it becomes clear that at least one aspect of the professional or the private is left behind in favor of the other. This situation has been illustrated since mid-2020 by the so-called “Gender Publication Gap”, which shows that women scientists are doing less research and publishing than before due to the pandemic.
    Keynote: Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor and Science Senator of Hamburg