11 Feb 2023: XMM2ATHENA team contribution

To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the XMM2ATHENA team has carried out several activities. You can see them below.

XMM2ATHENA contribution


XMM2Athena is joining the celebrations of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with the aim of showing the contributions of women to science and in particular to the field of astronomy and astrophysics.

This year to celebrate de 11th of February we present a joint international initiative of the XMM2Athena, Athena Community Office, the X-IFU and WFI consortia and the AHEAD2020 project, launching a Crossword contest: how much do you know about women astronomers?

This contest was open to anyone who wants to participate. The crossword was published on websites and social media of the above mentioned projects with the hashtag #2023AstroWomenXword. The winner selection was done by draw, among all the correct answers, and the winner was Gloria Raharimbolamena.



IRAP contribution

This day aims to promote access and full and equal participation of women and girls in science.
In this context, Les Chemins Buissonniers, a popular education association and member of the French Federation of Clubs for UNESCO and particularly young people, will take up the issue of equal opportunities in the scientific sphere.
With a programme spread over the months of February and March 2023, the objective of the project carried out by Les Chemins Buissonniers is to highlight current and past women scientists who have been invisible to society and history.
On the occasion of the International Women and Science Days, doctoral candidates, young researchers and distinguished women scientists – true role models for the younger generations – will share with you their stories, their careers and their professions.





Chercheuses d’Étoiles is an event dedicated to the promotion of women in the astronomy and space professions. Its objective is to raise awareness, particularly among students, of the accessibility of these fields to all today. Young girls should no longer think that these professions are out of their reach because of their gender or their abilities. There are many ways to work in this field, but they are often unknown to the public. Here you can find out from those who have made space a passion and a profession.




The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has declared 11 February as the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”. In Toulouse, Seilh, Brax and Balma, from 1 to 13 February 2020, the French Federation of Unesco clubs, relayed by the association Les chemins buissonniers, is coordinating several events for the general public, but also for schoolchildren, in partnership with local structures invested in gender equality and scientific culture.
The event will also be held at the Espace diversités laïcité on Tuesday 11 February, at 8 pm: a lecture and show entitled “In search of sound”, by the anthropologist Marie Baltazar, accompanied by the organist Baptiste Genniaux.



Time and space travel, given by IRAP astrophysics PhD students, part of the Universciel association.



IFCA contribution


Expanding science

This initiative allows high schools and secondary schools to have an IFCA researcher giving a seminar on diverse fields of physics, either online or on-site.
During the activities scheduled for the 11 February celebration, the talks given were: On the shoulder of (women) giants and Women scientists in the cinema and the TV



Chat with an Astronomer

On 7 March 2023, from 10 am to 10 pm (Iberian Peninsula time), the 6th edition of the activity “Chat with an Astronomer” will take place in the framework of 11 February: International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This activity is organised by the Women and Astronomy Commission of the Spanish Astronomy Society and the TAWK.TO platform.

The main objective of “Chat with an Astronomer” is to bring current science closer to the general public through its female protagonists, thus giving visibility to their presence and relevance. “Chat with an Astronomer” is a unique outreach activity because it is available to anyone with an internet connection, no matter how remote their location, and because it provides a direct and private platform for conversation between professional astrophysicists and the general public.





As part of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, three female researchers from the University of Cantabria participated in the radio programme Vive Cantabria in order to share their own experiences both professionally and personally, and to analyse the inequality that still exists between men and women when accessing university studies, especially STEM degrees.