“How do you picture a scientist? Why does diversity in science matter to you?” With these opening questions, the audience was invited to reflect before the documentary Picture a Scientist began. The film and the subsequent discussion sparked an engaged exchange that quickly connected the stories on screen to today’s realities in academia – most notably the still-persisting leaky pipeline.
The discussion also focused on concrete actions we can take, such as not turning a blind eye to bullying and actively intervening when it occurs. Participants left with two clear impressions: the women portrayed in the documentary have already achieved remarkable success, and each of us can play a role in fostering greater diversity and inclusion in science.
We warmly thank our hosts – the early career scientists of our SFB and the Junior GBM group in Freiburg – as well as the SFB 1381 Female Minds panel, Valérie Hilgers, Claudine Kraft, and Nora Vögtle, for guiding the discussion. Special thanks also go to all attendees for their active and thoughtful participation.
