Women as role models

The absence of visible role models is one of the many reasons leading to the underrepresentation of women in science and engineering. For this reason, we have a dedicated effort to promote the visibility of women scientists — from MARVEL or from further afar.

#NCCRWomen campaign

In 2021, to celebrates the 50th anniversary of women obtaining the right to vote in Switzerland, the #NCCRWomen campaign shows how women in Swiss research are changing the world! Meet the #NCCRWomen of MARVEL: Giuliana Materzanini, Miriam Pougin, Emiliana Fabbri, Jigyasa Nigam and Chiara Ricca.

As a continuation of the campaign in 2022 and 2023, you can discover the portraits of other #NCCRWomen of MARVEL, PIs, researchers and INSPIRE Potentials fellows, as written interviews.

Women of MARVEL

In preparation of 2019 international women's day, we have been speaking with the women of MARVEL about their triumphs as well as the challenges they face in pursuing their careers and put their testimonies on a dedicated webpage, which is regularly updated with new portraits.  Testimonials of MARVEL INSPIRE Potentials fellows are also available on this page.

Women in Materials

Based on a suggestion by Nicola Marzari, that saw a similar display at Imperial College (London), and sponsored by MARVEL, the EPFL Materials science and engineering department (IMX) commissioned an artwork by Alban Kakulya honoring IMX's Women Faculty at EPFL. Since November 2018, the artwork, displayed in the Institute’s entry hall, features the ten women faculty members of the department and provides a powerful message to all passing students and researchers. New portraits were added in spring 2023.

Female Leadership in Science

The "Women in Materials" artwork was extended by the EPFL Equal Opportunities Office to "Female Leadership in Science" portraying 50 women professors at EPFL at the occasion of EPFL's 50th anniversary, associated with short documentaries from the French-speaking Swiss television company, the Court du jour, highlighting women in science.

100 Women and Thousands More

100 Women and Thousands More is an interregional communication campaign launched end of 2019 aiming to show young people, especially girls, the wide range of exciting paths and exceptional careers taken by women living in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland as well as neighboring France. MARVEL PI and member of the executive committee Clémence Corminboeuf is one of the selected women.

MARVEL distinguished lectures

When inviting high profile lecturers for MARVEL distinguished lectures, we make sure to regularly invite renowned women scientists, such as Prof. Dominika Zgid (University of Michigan, USA) in 2024, Prof. Claudia Felser (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden, DE) in 2023, Prof. Heather Kulik (MIT, USA) and Prof. Sharon Glotzer (University of Michigan, USA) in 2022,  Prof. Ingrid Mertig (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, DE) and Prof. Kristin Persson (University of California Berkeley, USA) in 2021, Prof. Silvia Picozzi (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Chieti, IT) in 2020, Prof. Giulia Galli (Univ. Chicago, USA, also chair of MARVEL Scientific Advisory Board) and Prof. Emily A. Carter (Princeton Univ., now Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at UCLA, USA) in 2019, Prof. Sally Price (University College London, UK) in 2018, Prof. Yang Shao-Horn (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Prof.  Annabella Selloni (Princeton University, USA) in 2017, Prof. Laura Gagliardi (University of Minnesota, USA) and  Prof. Clare P. Grey (University of Cambridge, UK) in 2016.

Prizes and awards

The research of the women of MARVEL is recognized through numerous prizes and awards.

Other actions

We put a lot of attention on women representation in educational or public events organized by MARVEL or in which MARVEL participates, e.g., asking that at least one of the three Ig Nobel recipients presenting each year at the Ig Nobel Award Tour Show is a woman, having women among the supervising students for the summer camp for high school students and at the MARVEL stand at EPFL open days.