Advising, Counseling and Mentoring
The BMS counseling and mentoring is set up specifically in order to strengthen women during their course of studies at the BMS. In the framework of the BMS program, we have a special responsibility and opportunity to encourage female candidates to continue their path from Phase I into the dissertation research phase.
Beyond the PhD there are clearly too few women on the Berlin mathematics faculty, and there is no fast and simple way to remedy this. However, there is a growing number of role models for women in mathematics. The BMS provides these on many levels, both in terms of the Berlin faculty, and as guests, visitors, colloquium speakers etc.
The Kovalevskaya Colloquia (as a part of the regular MATH+ Friday) features women in mathematics, both senior and junior, who can be seen as successful role models. The speakers will be asked to share their experiences as women in mathematics with the female students and postdocs during the so called Kovalevskaya Lunch meeting before the talk.
In addition, the following funding programs are available to female researchers and students:
Hilda Geiringer Scholarship
Awarded annually to promising female PhD students to support their mathematical research and in recognition of their outstanding potential. Find more information here.Hanna Neumann Fellowships
Awarded annually to female postdoctoral researchers in recognition of outstanding work. Find more information here.The Gender & Diversity Manager serves as contact person at the BMS for equal opportunity, diversity and student parents. In addition to her duties at the structural level, she provides confidential support in cases of gender-based discrimination as well as sexualized discrimination and violence.
Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality at the three Berlin universities
Every university in Berlin has their own Women's Representatives and special offers and programs with the goal of achieving a change in the university culture in terms of equal opportunities and diversity.ProFil. Professionalisation of Women in Research and Teaching: Mentoring – Training – Networking
ProFil is a program for women researchers pursuing a professorship successfully run by Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Technische Universität Berlin since 2004. By combining mentoring, seminars and training sessions on issues of specific interest to academics with strategic networking, the ProFiL Programme promotes the career development of its participants. For a period of one year, they will receive support to further develop their careers and prepare them for the leadership and management tasks of a professor in the context of current forms of higher education management.
The one-year Leadership Programme is aimed at the individual and targeted personal development of female professors within the Berlin University Alliance.
The Coordinating Office for Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality is the central office at the TU Berlin for funding programs, information, further education, and advisory services pertaining to equal opportunities for all genders. It also offers support in case of sexual harassment, discrimination and violence.There are programmes and opportunities for:
- proScience course program on programming, software, methods of scientific research and soft-skills for women only,
- exploreCSR (Computer Science Research) certificate program with the support of Google Research,
- femtech, for women studying engineering or the natural sciences,
- Clara von Simson-Prize with a maximum funding of 3000€ for an innovative and outstanding Master's thesis in the technical and natural sciences.
- proMotion programme for female doctoral students.
Moreover, each faculty at TU Berlin has their own Women's and Gender Equality Officer with individual consulting and programs. See here for more information on the offerings at Faculty II.
The Chief Gender Equality Officer is the central office to support the Executive Board and other central boards and committees of Freie Universität in implementing legislative requirements related to gender equity. It also offers support in case of sexual harassment, discrimination and violence.There are programmes and opportunities for:
- Eva-Wolzendorf-Scholarship (only for female Master's students with German nationality).
- Spotlight Programme: Support in third-party funding acquisition, networking and idea exchange.
The Margherita-von-Brentano Prize is awarded for outstanding achievement in Gender Studies or equality. At present, the award is granted every two years and has a value of 15.000€.
Moreover, the departmental women’s representatives/gender equality officers work toward establishing equal opportunities for women in their respective areas. See here for more information on the offerings at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The Central Women's Representative is both a representative of interests and an advisor in questions of equal opportunities at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She also offers support in case of sexualised discrimination and violence.
There are programs and opportunities for:
- Caroline von Humboldt-Scholarship Programme for excellent female doctoral candidates in the final phase of their doctorate,
- International Research Award for excellent female doctoral candidates, who want to conduct a research stay in the context of their PhD thesis with a university abroad (also for female postdocs and junior professors).