Tuesday, 8 March 2022 Women in Science on International Women's Day
Between 11 February (International Day of Women and Girls in Science) and 8 March (International Women's Day), the University of Primorska presented women researchers who have achieved important milestones in their research work in the last year.
Among them were also reasearchers from UP FAMNIT, who shared their thoughts on the position of women in science.
Dr. Vita Poštuvan, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology at UP FAMNIT, receiver of Zois recognition for important scientific achievements in suicidology and mental health, Deputy Chair of Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, received a core project »Humans in the grip of Covid-19: Psychological consequences of the epidemic and preventive protective measures to stop the spread of infection« (ARRS) last year. In her interview for UP, she said that what always amazed her about gender relations is that men predominate in positions of power in her profession as well, nevertheless, she never felt any particular differences at our university.
Dr. Vita Poštuvan
One of the main principles of our faculty is interdisciplinarity, which is highly appreciated by dr. Elena Bužan, Professor and Vice-Dean for Quality Assurance at UP FAMNIT, leader of the »STEP CHANGE« project (Science Transformation and Europe through Citizens Involvement in HeAlth, conservation, and energy research) of Horizon 2020, which began in 2021. Dr. Elena Bužan is also the »BGE - Biodiversity Genomic Europe« (a € 20 million project, that will start on 1 September 2022) manager for Slovenia.
Dr. Elena Bužan
»Changing the mindset of people is not easy to achieve and especially not quickly. The mission of scientists is to share new discoveries with society. At our university, we strive to communicate about our work in various ways and, above all, to pass on knowledge to students who are our future,« said dr. Andreja Kutnar, the director of the InnoRenew Institute, which completed the construction of the largest wooden building in Slovenia in 2021, and Professor at the Department of Applied Natural Sciences at UP FAMNIT. She has acquired an important basic project with Austrian partners (»Development of wood composites with higher protection against impact sound to improve the quality of life«), funded by ARRS.
Dr. Andreja Kutnar
On the field of plant studies, their conservation in the natural environment and reproductive biology, dr. Živa Fišer, lead of the COST action »An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century« and Study Programme (Nature Conservation) Coordiantor at UP FAMNIT, has provided a lot of scientific contributions. In her work, she strives to implement reasearch projects, that would help to preserve species, that are tied to specific habitats and are threatened with local extinction, although she is aware that sometimes researchers do not have the last word on this.
Dr. Živa Fišer
Concluding thoughts on the WOMEN IN SCIENCE CAMPAIGN were given by dr. Klavdija Kutnar, researcher, professor at UP FAMNIT and rector of the University of Primorska: »We came to the Times THE list, we received a Marie Curie scholarship, many new projects of the Horizon program, in Slovenia we were two and a half times more successful in obtaining projects than last year and I could go on and on. I am very proud of our successful researchers. In 2021, we were more successful in obtaining national projects compared to previous years, and many of these projects, which we acquired as a leading institution, were acquired by researchers, young researchers, so there is no need to fear for the future of our university.«
Following her response to the invitation to join the international organization of the Association of Women Rectors, the University of Primorska will also be on the list of women-led universities in the world.
Dr. Klavdija Kutnar
Full interviews are available on the University of Primorska media centre website.
Happy International Women's Day!
