Pioneers in Research – Who Do You Know?

Why female role models need to be visible

Everyone knows Marie Curie or Emmy Noether. But what about Rosalind Franklin? After all, she discovered the double helix structure of DNA. The Instagram post by our project BESSEr∂KIT for “Women and Girls in Science Day” in February 2025 sparked many positive reactions: Numerous female students were delighted that female role models from the world of science were finally being highlighted. It became clear to us: We can and must do more here!

The Idea Behind the Series

The regular series “Pioneers in Research – The Matilda Effect” spotlights prominent female scientists, researchers, and public figures. In the first episode, we explain the Matilda Effect—named after Matilda Joselyn Gage—and introduce its namesake. The series focuses on the following questions: How have female scientists dealt with and continue to deal with the discrimination they have experienced? What recommendations do they offer, and what networks exist? Particular attention is paid to the diversity of disciplines, different regions of origin, and the commitment to female achievement and recognition.

75 episodes on science and diversity

The series “Pioneers of Research” aims to show female students at KIT that they, too, can succeed in science—despite all the hurdles and obstacles. From Johanna Kappes, Thekla Schild and Irene Rosenberg as women from Karlsruhe, to Germany-wide representatives such as Hannah Arendt, Erika Cremer, and Eva von Redecker, to global celebrities such as Chien-Shung Wu, Makereti Papakura, Lina Khan, and Wangari Maathai, we have featured female icons and organizations from the world of science in a total of 75 episodes. A notable example is the organization "Atom*innen" founded by Francesca Ferlaino, a platform for networking, mentoring, and visibility.

Special episodes were released on specific occasions, such as Sustainability Week featuring physicist and climatologist Friederike Otto, or IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia) with Emma Trosse, Georgina Beyer, and Rita Nketiah. Information was also provided on the annual Nobel Prize ceremony. For instance, the proportion of female Nobel laureates is just 6.58%, with the majority of them in the Peace and Literature categories.

More Than Just Classical Literature

But we also highlighted figures beyond “classical” science. Hedy Lamarr was known as an actress but laid the foundation for all digital transmissions used today, such as Wi-Fi; Toni Morrison was a writer and professor who actively advocated for the equality of POC (People of Color); Faye Schulman was a partisan and photographer during World War II, and Henrietta Lacks was the unwitting donor of the first immortalized cell line, which forms the basis for much of current cell research.

The UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the OECD also regularly collect data on the proportion of women in science and education worldwide.

According to UNESCO statistics, the proportion of women worldwide is less than 30 percent, and in some regions of the world even less than 20 percent. In Europe, only a few countries have achieved gender parity; within the EU, Germany remains near the bottom of the list.

The OECD study focuses on the “education sector.” A recent publication from 2026 explains that gender-based differences are particularly evident in research career paths, employment conditions, and international mobility⁴. The OECD summarizes: “When women are underrepresented, their skills, perspectives, and leadership are less present in shaping technological change and commercial innovation.”

The aim of the series at KIT

This series, among other things, sparked a dialogue on these and related topics with many individuals currently active in the field. These include Lisa Niendorf, the Baden-Württemberg State Women's Council and other voices from the literary world. They are all committed to promoting inclusion and raising the visibility of marginalized women and other LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Conclusion: Visibility Creates a Sense of Belonging

The series and the resulting dialogue have shown us that we have addressed an important topic to which we were happy to give more space. Gender, background, faith, sexual orientation, or disabilities should not influence success. For the future, we hope that we at KIT will give this topic and the challenges it entails the appropriate and necessary space.