260007 SE Woman in Physics (2006W)

In 1897 the University of Vienna was opend for female students. Since this time the fraction of female students at Austrian Universities has increased up to 50% or even higher but the development in physics (about 20% females students) lags behind which is the case not only in Austria.
In general the percentage of females in higher positions at the universities decreases rapidly, which means that the air gets thinner for females climbing the ladder. In Austria there are only three full professorships in physics held by women.

Topics:
" Treatise of historical and current portraits of women who were or are dealing with physics or natural sciences
" Historical evolution of studying women at the University of Vienna, comparison with other european contries
" Data collection and preparation of the fraction of females in physics in Austria (numbers for students, graduates and higher positions), international comparison, comparison with related discipines
" Presentation of promotion strategies (awards, grants) for femal physicists to close the "leaky pipeline" and to increase the percentage of females in higher positions.

The seminar wants to attract not only female physicists but also male ones. Due to the fact that only little expert knowledge in physics is needed also interested people from related disciplines (such as chemistry, astronomy, mathematics) are welcome since their problems are very similar.

On the one hand participants are expected to work out the details of several aspects of the topic "women and physics", to present their results in short talks and to prepare a handout for the other participants where the most important statements are summarized. On the other hand we will have group discussions about several topics.
It should be possible for every participant to speak from her/his own experiences and to learn from the others.