Strong women in science
Being able to implement the latest scientific findings directly in everyday therapy – the close links between the kbo-Kinderzentrum München and the University Department of Sociopaediatrics at Munich Technical University have been promoting exactly this for years, making it unique in Germany.
On the "Day of Women and Girls in Science", we asked two female colleagues what makes working at the Department so special for them and what they advise girls and women who would like to work in science.
Dr. Aynur Damli-Huber
has been a doctor specialising in child and youth medicine in the kbo-Kinderzentrum München for 20 years and has also worked in the Department for four years.
"For me, moving additionally into the scientific world after working for so long just as a practical physician completely broadened my horizons. Conceptually monitoring and evaluating the area of "home treatment" – in other words, the treatment of children and guidance of the parents in their immediate social environment – as a project manager at the university department was hugely enriching. I am delighted that, through the additional scientific activity, there are now also possibilities for developing further projects for better patient care and also implementing these in everyday clinical life.
There is a long historical tradition of women in science, but such women have not been sufficiently seen or valued for far too long. Happily, that has improved considerably and, at the Department for Sociopaediatrics, we enjoy real girl power! 😊
My advice to any girl who wants to work in science is: Have some confidence, and don't be shy – with curiosity, interest and a touch of dedication, you can even get to grips with statistics! 😉"
PD Dr. phil. Maria Licata-Dandel
is Head of Psychology at the Sociopaediatric Clinic and has been working at the University Department since 2015.
"I love 'getting to the bottom' of things. This is why science fascinates me. At the moment, we are working on finding out why some babies cry more, sleep less well and need more co-regulation than other ""lower-maintenance" babies. The great thing about the University Department of Sociopaediatrics is that scientific and practical aspects are closely intermeshed and that you don't sit in an 'ivory tower', as is absolutely normal in some university departments. This means that we can use the findings of our research directly in our contact with the patients.
Although there are now more female graduates leaving university than men, things unfortunately look very different at professorship level: Only just over 20% of professorships in Germany are held by women. This is partly due to the fact that, sadly, it is still not yet easy to combine a family and a professorship.
My tip for women who want to work in science: Decide on a field that you're passionate about, that really excites you. Passion is the best motivator for performing at your highest level and having fun at the same time.“