For this feature, we ask our female PIs three questions – about the SFB, their career, their balancing of work and private life, gender issues in general etc.
What recommendations do you have for young male researchers to improve gender equality?
Improving gender equality in academia is something I care about deeply, not just because it makes science stronger, but because I’ve experienced first-hand how uneven the playing field can be. Academia doesn’t exist in isolation from the society we grow up in – even if we sometimes like to imagine we work in a utopian bubble. A good starting point is acknowledging this and engaging in honest introspection about how our own behaviours and decisions may be biased. Microaggressions, assumptions about competence, who gets credited or encouraged can add up over time and quietly push women out of science. I’ve seen these patterns, and I’ve felt some of them myself. That’s why I believe all of us, not only men, have to do the internal work of questioning the patriarchal values we’ve absorbed. For male researchers specifically, a few actions really matter: calling out bias when you see it, even if it feels uncomfortable; sharing the invisible labor that women are so often expected to take on, from emotional support to organizational tasks; and regularly checking whether your expectations differ for male and female colleagues. Asking yourself why – and adjusting accordingly – is a powerful step toward a more equal environment, especially for those whose identities intersect multiple disadvantages. Change does not come easily, but it becomes possible – and sustainable – when we work toward it together.
What career could you imagine for you if you weren´t a scientist?
I think I would work in animal rescue and rehabilitation. I’ve always loved animals, and when I was living in Ankara, I used to foster and care for street cats – something my family continues as much as they can. With the current situation in Turkey and the new measures being taken against stray animals, this resonates with me even more. I also enjoy organising and creating structure, so I can imagine using those skills to help build or manage rescue programmes and coordinate care. If I weren’t a scientist, I would want to be in an organisation where I could bring my skills to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these animals.
Do you have/need hobbies to counterbalance your scientific career?
Yes, I try to keep up with hobbies to balance work, even if I don’t always find as much time as I’d like. I love playing D&D, board games, reading, and I often pick up different crafts when something inspires me. I tend to rotate through hobbies depending on my mood and the season – sometimes I’m fully into pottery or crochet, other times I just want to escape into a book or a long D&D campaign. These activities help me unwind, recharge creatively, and stay connected with my friends outside of the lab environment.
Ipek Akol completed her undergraduate studies in Biology at METU in Ankara before moving to Göttingen for her master’s degree. She carried out her doctoral research as a MeInBio fellow at the University of Freiburg at the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, where she has continued as a postdoc since 2024. She received the Thomas Bayes Young Researcher Award, a Research Commission Grant from the Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg and was awarded a fellowship of the Hans A. Krebs Medical Scientist Program (starting in 2026). Her research focuses on FOXG1, a transcription factor essential for early brain development. Ipek is one of our SFB 1381 Young Investigator Grantees and leads project YIG03.
