Who are we?
Young Women of Geoscience (YWOG) aims to create an equal and inclusive working environment for all employees in the faculty of Geosciences. Although a strong focus of our group is supporting young female researchers, our overall objective is to work for and support gender equality and inclusion for all. We strive to help change attitudes and raise awareness about inequality and exclusion, and the research shows that a more even gender balance leads to greater scientific success and a better working environment for both men and women.
This group has been active since late 2017, when we began organizing informal meetings for PhDs and postdocs in the Physical Geography department. During these meetings we support junior researchers to develop further by providing workshops, meetings with role models, discussions and networking sessions. In 2018 the group decided to expand and include the whole faculty of Geosciences. We also work closely with the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion group of the university (former Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce).
Who is this group for?
PhDs and Postdocs in the Geosciences Faculty of Utrecht University
Why is this group necessary?
- Despite changes in the past decades, the number of female PhD students studying science in the Netherlands is dropping
- The number of female professors at Utrecht University is only 27.2%
- In the Netherlands in 2018 only 20.9% of professors are female (one of the lowest percentages in Europe)
- At current hiring rates, 50/50 ratio of male/female professors will not occur until 2048
(All statistics from Monitor Vrouwelijke Hoogleraren 2018)
What do we do?
We organise informal lunch meetings, workshops, meetings with role models, discussions and networking sessions. We also provide a safe space for discussions on topics that may arise while working in the faculty.
The committee meets 6 times a year, including one Annual General Meeting which is open to all. Please contact us if you would like to suggest an item for the AGM agenda.
Check out our agenda for upcoming events, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram!