IMB-CNM spotlights women researchers to tackle the leaky pipeline in science
The Barcelona Microelectronics Institute (IMB-CNM) is launching a contest aimed at predoctoral and postdoctoral female researchers (up to two years after the thesis) within the institute with the goal of increasing the visibility of their work and strengthening trajectories at a decisive stage of academic careers.
The image has been created using Artificial Intelligence.
During the postdoctoral stage, the leaky pipeline emerges: women researchers face greater barriers to accessing projects and assuming their first leadership roles at a key moment in their careers. This gap is aggravated by the Matilda effect, from which their contributions receive less recognition or are overshadowed by those of male colleagues. That lower recognition translates into less participation on scientific committees and more limited access to grants and projects, deepening the vicious cycle of less credit, fewer resources, and slower progress.
In this context, IMB-CNM’s positioning and activity are especially relevant: in micro- and nanoelectronics, as a branch of engineering, women’s presence is significantly lower than in other scientific areas. For this reason, and in collaboration with the center’s Equality Committee, a contest has been proposed for women—or people who identify fully or partially with that gender—who are in the predoctoral or postdoctoral stage, provided no more than two years have passed since their thesis defense.
The contest proposes a brief, accessible format: videos of up to three minutes in which researchers will present their project, achievements, and motivations. These materials will not only help create role models and dismantle biases, but also strengthen professional confidence. Making the research of the center’s women visible fosters fairer decisions, protects its value, and projects it within IMB-CNM itself and the scientific community, paving the way for new leadership. Giving voice to science led by women is an immediate lever to start closing the scissor right where it opens: from the postdoc stage to leadership.
For years, IMB-CNM has maintained a strong commitment to equality between men and women—essential for scientific excellence, where diversity is a key ingredient: more perspectives bring more holistic views of the topics under study, which is crucial for increasing quality and relevance in the field.
The contest rules are available in the document below.