How can women be mothers and pursue a career in science at the same time? Professor Dr. Susana Minguet answered this question in her lecture on 21 August as part of the third Women in RESIST (WiR) meeting in Lecture Hall Q at the MHH. In a very informative and entertaining way, the Heisenberg Professor from the Department of Synthetic Immunology at the University of Freiburg gave numerous practical tips to help reconcile time-consuming work and family life.
“There are many ways to have children and have a career at the same time,” said the mother of three. “Ask yourself what you want – for example, what job position, how much family time, how much income and where you want to live. Then decide on the relative importance of these things and find a solution that works for you. Free yourself from society’s opinion,” she encouraged her listeners, to whom she also described her own path to success.
One specific tip she gave the young female scientists was to concentrate on one topic at a time – In other words, to either focus entirely on their work or on their children. It is also important to proactively build up a supportive network and to observe the 80:20 rule: 80 per cent of the results are achieved with 20 per cent of the total effort. “Practice makes perfect” – with these words, Prof. Minguet encouraged people to ask for feedback after presentations in order to develop further. It also makes sense to apply for prizes, even if you don’t win, and to get involved in committees in order to become better known. “In all of this, one thing is particularly important: be kind to yourself!”
The photo shows Prof. Minguet (front row, fourth from left) with the WiR group.