Scientific referents in our community for a new February 11
The IMB-CNM is focusing its activities for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on a public campaign to show the profile of its female researchers. In schools, informative talks have been coordinated in five different locations
Official CSIC illustration for February 11, 2026: #TodasHacemosCiencia
"Scientific role models are all around us." With this slogan, the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM-CSIC) is launching its awareness campaign for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, highlighting the institute's female researchers and technicians in short videos that celebrate their personal and professional contributions. In addition, five other people are participating with educational talks in local schools.
February 11 is a day for promoting scientific vocations and raising awareness about the situation of women in science. With an eye on our environment, the aim of the new audiovisual campaign is to recognize those individuals who, either through their way of working or their treatment of others, have already become scientific role models for the institute's own staff.
The IMB-CNM Equality Committee proposed an open question to its staff: who are the female scientific role models within the institute? From a long list of possible role models, four (active) protagonists were selected so that different people, regardless of gender or position, could tell us why they are a source of inspiration.
The outstanding researchers will be published throughout the week on a Youtube list and on the corporate Instagram, and different colleagues from the IMB-CNM will explain why they value each of them as a role model.
The first featured researcher is Elisabet Prats, who is discussed by Leo Salgado Chane-Pane, a predoctoral researcher she supervises, who highlights her work ethic, her kindness, and her versatility. Iker Uranga Granados (PhD student) and Natalia Bermejo Gijón-Bonales (from the Office of Communication and Scientific Culture) also talk about her, highlighting her two outstanding qualities: her research and her outreach work.
Researcher Mar Álvarez is another of the protagonists, discussed by Ferran Pujol, a postdoctoral researcher who worked with her; Xavier Jordà, a researcher who worked with her as deputy director on the IMB-CNM management team between 2021 and 2025; and Mari Carmen Porto, manager of the institute. They highlight, respectively, her creativity, her capacity for work, and her approachability.
The third speaker is Rosa Villa, researcher at the IMB-CNM and head of the Biomedical Applications Group (GAB). In the video, Xavi Illa, Eli Prats, Antón Guimerà-Brunet, Gemma Gabriel, and José Yeste share their admiration for Rosa: as a leader who cares for her team while encouraging them to grow; as a courageous person who made the leap from the world of medicine to microelectronics; and as an undisputed role model both within the group and in her field.
Finally, we meet Elisenda Benet, the center's librarian. Aida Visús highlights her cross-disciplinary knowledge of calls for proposals and other key information; Yohana López Aparicio values her empathy and constant willingness to help those in need; and Luis Fonseca emphasizes how essential she is to the advancement of research and science at the center.
Informative talks in schools
Núria Termes, Marwa Ben Amar, Yohana López, Cecilia Jiménez, and Laura Bono are the five researchers who will be visiting schools in Catalonia this year. The first three are part of the #científiques initiative, coordinated by the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRi) and BIST; the fourth is part of the 11 de febrero program, managed by volunteers from STEM fields; and Laura Bono is doing it through an organization that works directly with the school.
One of these sessions is in a town with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, La Torre de Claramunt, in the province of Barcelona. The others are organized in municipalities such as Viladecavalls and Sant Cugat.
These activities are aimed at raising awareness of the work of women in STEM fields and creating female role models for children.
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 11 is an International Day by the United Nations (UN) since 2016. It is a date to demand gender equality in the field of science, as women and girls continue to face systemic barriers and prejudices when pursuing scientific careers. Closing the gender gap in science requires breaking down stereotypes, promoting role models that inspire girls, supporting the advancement of women through specific programs, and fostering inclusive environments through policies and measures that promote inclusion, diversity, and equity. The theme chosen this year by UNESCO is "From Vision to Impact: Redefining STEM by Closing the Gender Gap."
At the IMB-CNM, women currently account for 38% of the total staff. Taking only research staff into account, this percentage drops slightly. In the case of the CSIC, according to data from the 2024 Mujeres Investigadoras Report, the percentage of women researchers at all levels of the organization is 42.9%, a figure that drops to 26.9% in the case of research professors (the highest rank). In the case of pre-doctoral students, 51.3% are women. However, looking at the figures in the sub-area of Physical Sciences and Technologies, which includes the IMB-CNM, the percentage of women is 23.7%.