On 11 February 2025, the tenth International Day of Women and Girls in Science will be celebrated worldwide. The United Nations is the instigator of this. The University of Twente is seizing this day to put 25 female figureheads in the spotlight.
Last week, the 25 scientists had their portraits taken by photographer Annabel Jeuring.
The researchers dedicate themselves every day to shaping our society of tomorrow. They do so out of a deep-rooted fascination for science and innovation, in various fields. For instance, what should our digital healthcare system look like? How do we design even more efficient solar panels? Or how do we prevent water from reaching our knees? Just some of the topics these enthusiastic UT staff members are working on.
Women in Science Day: THE 'UT 25'
The full list: 'UT 25' and their research themes
- Ana Martins Costa – biomedical engineering
- Anique Bellos-Grob – innovative imaging for pelvic floor problems
- Anke Lenferink – epidemiologist, personalised self-management interventions for chronic diseases
- Anna Sperotto – network security
- Barbara Kump – organizational change to build a more sustainable world
- Cristina Zaga – Responsible futuring of AI in the future of work, care and democracy
- Faiza Bukhsh – process oriented data science for healthcare
- Femke Witmans – quantum mechanics, nanowires as building blocks of the quantum computer
- Fay Claybrook – organ support technologies
- Geke Ludden – 'Digital Health'
- Jutta Arens – combines engineering and medicine for the benefit of patients
- Kristy Claassen – philosophy of psychology and ethics of AI
- Leentje Volker – advocates a human touch in the construction sector
- Loes Segerink – microfluidic systems for (bio)medical applications (like the fertility chip)
- Marieke van Geel – professional development of teachers
- Mascha van der Voort – human-centred design & transdisciplinary design research & education
- Mila Koeva – digital twins for a sustainable world
- Monica Morales Masis – new materials for optoelectronics
- Nienke Bosschaart – innovative diagnostic techniques for maternal and child care
- Pauline Weritz – organizational behavior and change management in industrial engineering
- Rebecca Saive – more efficient solar cells
- Saskia Lindhoud – new separation methods for the chemical industry
- Sissi de Beer – recovering molecules from waste streams
- Suzanne Hulscher – water systems, behaviour of rivers, dykes and delta developments
- Wieteke Willemen – helping to stop nature’s decline
UN on international day of women and girls in science
A significant gender gap has persisted throughout the years at all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in these fields.
Gender equality has always been a core issue for the United Nations. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution not only to economic development of the world, but to progress across all the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well.
