Anna Brittas, Research Assistant at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Although, especially among young researchers, the “Gender Gap” in science has narrowed in recent years, men are still more present in international research. As a global scientific enterprise, the combination of various perspectives and experiences is vital for MGI. We would like to shed light on this particular topic and therefore we are asking the women of MGI to share their experiences.
Q.: Please tell us about your work. Which activities are you currently occupied with?
I am currently involved in the implementation of the City Lab Kochi as part of MGI. There are a lot of stakeholder discussions planned along with the presentation of the City Lab Report. The project is heading towards a crucial juncture and there are some interesting possibilities opening up for Kochi.
Apart from MGI, I am also doing some research in the urban planning education realm. My work is very dynamic for the time being and I am enjoying as well as learning from the different fields of work.
Q.: What does it mean for you to work as a woman in science?
There is much work to be accomplished to reduce the gender gap in pay and work, especially in STEM fields. According to UNESCO’s UIS data, less than 30% of world’s researchers are women. There is also a need to move beyond numbers and find the qualitative reasons for this circumstance and to actively work towards making the workplace equal and equitable. I have been privileged to have access to good education and health, and to be able to work in an organization that has many women-led teams.
To be a woman in science to me means to consciously work towards a better society. We need to make sure that we extend the privilege to more women and bring people from other marginalized groups into the forefront and pass the mic when it is not our place to take the stage.
