Speakers
Description
This talk explores why gender inequality in physics can persist—even when individual women succeed. We begin by unpacking the risks of the meritocracy narrative in science: “merit” is often presented as neutral, yet real careers are shaped by networks, power, and institutional gatekeeping. We then provide a concise snapshot of women’s representation across STEM fields, highlighting persistent vertical segregation and pronounced differences between disciplines and geographical settings.
Drawing on historical and contemporary perspectives, we identify key enablers (such as access to resources and supportive networks) and recurring hindrances, including competitive lab cultures, informal exclusion, and the cumulative impact of everyday biases. We argue that these factors interact systemically, creating self-reinforcing feedback loops: underrepresentation in prestige areas can translate into fewer senior authorships, awards, funding opportunities, and slower promotion—thereby reproducing inequality over time.
Finally, we ask what is special about accelerator physics and we outline practical pathways to equity and equality that also improve working conditions for everyone.
| Paper status | No proceeding file submitted. |
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