17–22 May 2026
C.I.D
Europe/Zurich timezone

Women in Physics: The Ambivalence of Success, Forces of Inertia and Pathways to Equity. Sociological perspective

WEX02
Not scheduled
1h 45m
C.I.D

C.I.D

Deauville, France
Invited Oral Presentation

Speaker

Ewelina Ciaputa (Jagiellonian University)

Description

This talk explores why gender inequality in physics can persist—even when individual women succeed. I begin by providing a concise snapshot of women’s representation across STEM fields, highlighting persistent vertical segregation and pronounced differences between disciplines and geographical settings.
Drawing on social research perspectives, I identify key barriers (competitive lab cultures, informal exclusion, and the cumulative impact of everyday biases) and 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, I outline practical pathways to equity and equality that also improve working conditions for everyone.

Paper status No proceeding file submitted.

Author

Ewelina Ciaputa (Jagiellonian University)

Presentation materials

There are no materials yet.