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Female scientists work to create sustainable solutions

13.02.2023

Image credit: United Nations - UN Women/YIHUI YUAN


On this year’s UN International Day of Women & Girls in Science, and in line with its motto of “Bringing Everyone Forward for Sustainable and Equitable Development”, we are pleased to introduce eight young female scientists at AIT whose research activities are helping to drive sustainability and climate protection.

As the success of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology depends on it having an excellent workforce, it is essential that AIT is an attractive employer. Promoting diversity and equality plays a key role in this context. For this reason, AIT is involved in the United Nations’ annual International Day of Women & Girls in Science, which this year takes place on 11 February 2023.

This year’s motto is “Bringing Everyone Forward for Sustainable and Equitable Development”, and focuses on the role of young women in science in achieving the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The initiators stress that gender equality and strengthening the role of women and girls will make a critical contribution to global economic development. The International Day of Women & Girls in Science helps to network women in science, thereby strengthening relationships between science, politics and society to engender forward-looking strategies.

Sustainability is a core research field at AIT: Our seven Centers conduct intensive research into carbon neutral solutions for energy, mobility and the use of biological resources, and into innovative technologies which provide important solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Let us introduce you to eight exciting young female scientists at AIT whose research is making a scientific impact in the fields of energy efficiency and environmental and climate protection. You will also gain an insight into what they see as their own personal areas of responsibility.

 

VANESSA STADERINI

PhD-Student, Robotics Engineer

 

My Scientific Impact: I design and implement systems for automated visual quality inspection to enable efficient, effective and sustainable manufacturing processes. 

My Responsibility:  I carefully recycle, and I don’t eat meat because intensive farming has a huge impact on CO2 emissions. 

FLORA FESSLER

Research Engineer, Anthropologist and Urban Planner 
 

My Scientific Impact: My research focuses on the climate-friendly use of urban spaces, and the participative design of resilient urban ecosystems.

My responsibility: I am committed to socio-ecological justice when it comes to transforming public spaces.

ISABEL WENDEL

Junior Scientist, Psychologist

 

My Scientific Impact: I analyse sustainability reports published by energy companies for equal opportunities and change in the energy transition. 

My Responsibility: I pay attention to my carbon footprint, and am a co-founder of FoodCoop, a cooperative selling regional and seasonal food products.

ANAHID NAGHIBZADEH-JALALI

Scientist, Data Scientist

 

My Scientific Impact: Deployment of machine learning and statistical modelling to extract useful knowledge that can help us slow down climate change.

My Responsibility: I take steps to reduce my own contribution to climate change, for example, by using public transport and reducing my meat consumption.

ANJA BANJAC

Junior Research Engineer, Electronics and Computer Engineer


My Scientific Impact: Testing new control strategies for renewable energy resources connected to the grid. 

My Responsibility: I am reducing my ecological footprint by not having a car, flying only when necessary and heating less.

MAGDALENA HASENZAGL

Master Student in Microbial Ecology

 

My Scientific Impact: I work on isolating bacteria that are associated with plant roots and promote plant growth.

My Responsibility: In addition to the personal choices I make in everyday life I seek to contribute to system change on a societal level by participating in public debate.

PIA WEINLINGER

Junior Expert Advisor, Social Scientist


My Scientific Impact: Empowering stakeholders to bring about change at the social and ecosystem level to enable sustainable development.

My Responsibility: Sustainability means not only being environmentally friendly, but also socially responsible, for example, by buying fair trade products where possible.

CHRISTIANE GROHER

PhD-Student, Technical Chemist

 

My Scientific Impact:  My research enhances the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries to make electric mobility more attractive.

My Responsibility: As a consumer, I make decisions which actively support sustainable technologies.

Strategic advancement of women at AIT

Equality of all genders has a fixed place in AIT's corporate understanding - as an organization in which equal opportunities, fairness, communicative openness, empowerment and committed participation in the design of processes and structures are of great importance. It is a binding goal of AIT to particularly promote women and to support them in their personal advancement across all career paths. This is considered a management task that is shared across all hierarchical levels. "Through its ongoing Gender & Diversity initiatives, AIT is actively contributing to sealing its own leaky pipeline, creating an environment that enables individual women's careers and empowers women. We have already achieved a lot, but there is still a lot to do," Guenther said.

In 2020, the AIT Equality Measures Program received the "equalitA" seal of approval for the internal advancement of women from the Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Economic Location. This recognizes companies that promote women within the company, ensure gender equality within the company and promote and make visible women's careers.

For more information about the Gender & Diversity Initiative and the current Equality Plan, visit.

https://www.ait.ac.at/en/career/diversity

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