Contact:

Equality representative:
Prof. Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel
selhuber@uni-heidelberg.de

Equality coordinator:
Dr. Laurence Jost
Laurence.Jost@med.uni-heidelberg.de

UNIFY – Unit for Family, Diversity & Equality of Heidelberg University

Voßstraße 5 (Gebäude 4211)
69115 Heidelberg

contact: +49 6221 54-7697
unify@uni-heidelberg.de

To support female scientists appropriately Prof. Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel was elected equality representative of SFB1129 Committee and Laurence Jost administers these activities.

Support is given by

i)     keeping regular contact with all registered female scientists and scientists with families
ii)    organizing EO measures requested by scientists (using our regular questionnaire)
iii)   keeping regular contact with the central equal opportunities’ office of Heidelberg University.

Over the last 8 years we have supported excellent female scientists with the aim to strengthen these scientists’ careers, especially at the levels of independent group leaders and junior faculty. We have actively invitied qualified women in the field to apply for projects and contributed to an environment that allows researchers of any gender to combine a career in academia with family responsibilities.

By making gender equality a priority of the SFB1129 our proactive recruitment and support of female scientists together with family friendliness have led to an increase of female PIs in our SFB from 24% in 2014 to 36% in 2021. Our successful support is also reflected in the fact that female PIs and researchers aspiring to become PIs that were supported by our EO measures received attractive offers from other places.

Our most popular support measures include:

    • HiWi positions to support female PI and Postdoc scientists during critical career steps
    • Individual coaching at all three career levels – PhDs, postdocs and PIs
    • Home-Office solutions
    • Nanny Service
    • Partnership with TRR83, TRR186, TRR179 and SPP1923 in the lunch seminars and other activities.

Useful information and links:

The newsletter “Focus on Fairness” of the Heidelberg University Equal opportunity office provides all members with information about equal opportunity measures and the latest events.   
Newsletter 2021 “Focus on Fairness

The newsletter “Service für Familien” of the Heidelberg University (in german) provides information on how to successfully combine family and work and offers an overview on offers for parents (childcare, workshops and more).
Newsletter December 2021 “Service für Familien”