10 October 2025
From 8 to 10 October 2025, the international networking event “Women in Electron Microscopy” (WeM) took place on the Jülich campus. The Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C) at Forschungszentrum Jülich launched the conference to increase the visibility of women in electron microscopy and to promote the next generation of female scientists.
“We are honoured and proud to have hosted this conference. Gender equality and inclusion are part of our Centre’s strategy and our responsibility to create and sustain appropriate environments,” emphasised Prof. Astrid Lambrecht, Chair of the Board of Directors at Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Women remain underrepresented in many scientific and technical disciplines – including electron microscopy. With WeM, ER-C aimed to create a forum that strengthens networking, visibility, and professional exchange alike. The programme included scientific talks, panel discussions, workshops, a poster session, and lab tours at the ER-C. In addition to current developments in microscopy, the discussions also addressed gender equality, career development, and work–life balance in science.
The goal of the event was to build a supportive and inclusive community for women in the field of electron microscopy. By fostering targeted networking, WeM encouraged participants to establish new professional relationships and collaborations. The response was strong: even before the registration deadline, the conference was fully booked with around 100 participants.
WeM brought together women from different countries, institutions, and career stages. The exchange between academia, industry, and scientific societies provided new momentum for diversity and innovation in microscopy.
Jun. Prof. Dr. Irene Vercellino: Electron microscopy is not male-dominated because it is male-populated, we just need to get better at acknowledging excellent female contributors.
Dr. Lingbo Yu: This has been truly an inspirational event. It is reassuring to hear senior women scientists talking about their challenges and eventual over it.
Prof. Dr. Maria Seo: Honoured to attend the first Women in Electron Microscopy conference — inspiring, international, and intergenerational, united by electron microscopy and scientific passion
Best-Poster-Award winner 1, Dr. Miran Joo: I’m delighted to be at ‘Women in Electron Microscopy’, surrounded by such passionate, energetic female scientists, and honored to receive ‘the Best Poster Award’
Best-Poster-Award winner 2, Dr. Lauren Queiss: This conference was incredible, creating a safe space for multidisciplinary scientists to share their personal and professional experiences of navigating a world not built for everyone
Head of Projects & Support Department and Family Ambassador
M. Sc. Chemistry Technical Staff at ER-C-1
Group Leader
Gleichstellungsbeauftragte / Equal Opportunities Officer
