Soapbox Science Coimbra 2023: UC women scientists pitch their research on the city streets
Each of the 15 speakers had seven minutes to stand on a box and talk about "the science they do".
Translation: Diana Taborda
Researchers and postgraduate students from the University of Coimbra working on topics as diverse as the brain, environmental policy, microorganisms, compassion and soil came together at Soapbox Science Coimbra 2023.
The event was held on the 23rd of November as part of the UC Science and Technology Week 2023, and was organised by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (III-UC). Each of the 15 speakers had seven minutes to stand on a box in downtown Coimbra and talk about "the science they do".
The researchers believe that mindsets still need to change, and these kinds of initiatives in public spaces are fundamental, "At street events, it's really important to show people the faces of women in science," says Susana Gonçalves, one of the speakers, and a researcher at the UC Centre for Functional Ecology. Susana Gonçalves adds that "it is much more common to see male faces" commenting on television, on radio panels and speaking at events.
Teresa Sevivas believes that there has been "progress" in the representation of women in science: "I think we're moving towards more balance, but we still have a long way to go," she concluded.
Soapbox Science is a global science communication initiative that aims to promote women and their science by bringing the knowledge they produce into public spaces, fostering scientific literacy and debate, and promoting diversity and quality in science.