“For years, many things were normalised and accepted. Sexist behaviour was overlooked and went unchallenged. Later, when you mentioned it to male colleagues, they were surprised because they weren’t even aware that these attitudes were wrong,” explained Estel·la Oncins, TransMedia Catalonia researcher, during the debate session Women, Science, and Knowledge Transfer, held to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

This was one of many common experiences shared during the event, which took place on the 10th of February at Eurecat. The session brought together female researchers representing the 11 RDI networks funded by AGAUR. It served as a space to explore and discuss the various realities women face in science, technology, and knowledge transfer.

One of the key topics discussed was female leadership. “The way a woman leads is different, neither better nor worse,” explained Silvia Molas, a researcher from the H2CAT network. Laura Costas, a researcher from XarSMART, described female leadership as “more transversal, empathetic, and collaborative.” “Male leadership is more hierarchical and autocratic. That approach is, sometimes, necessary, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Both female and male leadership must coexist,” added Debora Gil, a researcher at RDI-IA. Oncins reflected: “What I value most about female leadership is the spaces for discussion and collaboration. Having people around you with whom you can build a network is essential.”

The discussion also focused on equality policies. Gil pointed out: “There is a problem with how these policies are implemented. Why should I receive an extra point just for being a woman? We need measures that make things easier at key moments, for example, when becoming a mother—not compensatory points after experiencing difficulties.” Oncins agreed: “There are protocols to combat sexist attitudes, but no prevention policies,” adding that offering “compensatory advantages after that” creates the “false perception among young people that women are receiving special treatment, which is a serious issue,” she warned.

The researchers also commented on the daily sexism they face. “Paternalism is a form of sexism. I don’t need a protective father figure. I don’t need a PI who treats me differently from my male colleagues,” stated Gil. Molas, who works closely with businesses in the transfer process, commented: “The business world is very male-dominated, and you have to be mindful of how you dress and how you speak, as it affects your credibility.”

Carolina Martí Llambrich, a researcher at BlueNetCat, called for the creation of support and empowerment networks for women. “Female researchers have the skills to succeed, but we lack the tools to boost our confidence and show ourselves what we are capable of. We must make it easier for the next generation.” Costas agreed, adding that girls are often raised to be more cautious than boys, and it is important to “help them to be less afraid of fear, because, otherwise, they will miss out on opportunities.”

Thank you to all the researchers who made this event successful, both in attendance and participation. And thanks, as well, to all the RDI networks involved in organising the event: XaRFA, i4KIDS, AccessCat Network, TECSAM Network, Xartec Salut, H2CAT, X_AgriTech Network, RDI-IA Network, XarSMART, BlueNetCat, and X4HPC.

You can watch the event on the H2CAT Network’s YouTube channel.