For Women

Advising, Counseling and Mentoring

The BMS counseling and mentoring is set up specifically in order to strengthen women during their course of studies at the BMS. In the framework of the BMS program, we have a special responsibility and opportunity to encourage female candidates to continue their path from Phase I into the dissertation research phase.
Beyond the PhD there are clearly too few women on the Berlin mathematics faculty, and there is no fast and simple way to remedy this. However, there is an urgent need for more positive role models for women in mathematics. The BMS provides these on many levels, both in terms of the Berlin faculty, and as guests, visitors, colloquium speakers etc.

The Kovalevskaya Colloquia (as a part of the regular MATH+ Friday) features women mathematicians, both senior and junior, who can be seen as successful role models. The speakers will be asked to share their experiences as women mathematicians with the female part of the audience during the so called Kovalevskaya Lunch meeting before the talk.




In addition, the following funding programs are available to female researchers and students:

Hilda Geiringer Scholarship Awarded annually to promising female PhD students to support their mathematical research and in recognition of their outstanding potential. Find more information here.

Hanna Neumann Fellowships Awarded annually to female postdoctoral researchers in recognition of outstanding work. Find more information here.

As the Gender & Diversity manager, Tanja Fagel serves as contact person at the BMS for equal opportunity, diversity and student parents. In addition to her duties at the structural level, she provides confidential support in cases of gender-based discrimination as well as sexualized discrimination and violence.

Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality at the three Berlin universities

Every university in Berlin has their own Women's Representatives and special offers and programs with the goal of achieving a change in the university culture in terms of equal opportunities and diversity.

ProFil. Professionalisation of Women in Research and Teaching: Mentoring – Training – Networking
ProFil is a program for women researchers pursuing a professorship successfully run by Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Technische Universität Berlin since 2004. By combining mentoring, seminars and training sessions on issues of specific interest to academics with strategic networking, the ProFiL Programme promotes the career development of its participants. For a period of one year, they will receive support to further develop their careers and prepare them for the leadership and management tasks of a professor in the context of current forms of higher education management.

Leadership Programme
The one-year Leadership Programme is aimed at the individual and targeted personal development of female professors within the Berlin University Alliance.

TU Berlin

The Coordinating Office for Women’s Advancement and Gender Equality is the central office at the TU Berlin for funding programs, information, further education, and advisory services pertaining to equal opportunities for all genders. It also offers support in case of sexual harassment, discrimination and violence.

There are programmes and opportunities for:

Students
  • proScience course program on programming, software, methods of scientific research and soft-skills for women only,
  • exploreCSR (Computer Science Research) certificate program with the support of Google Research,
  • femtech, for women studying engineering or the natural sciences,
  • Clara von Simson-Prize with a maximum funding of 3000€ for an innovative and outstanding Master's thesis in the technical and natural sciences.
PhD Students

Moreover, each faculty at TU Berlin has their own Women's and Gender Equality Officer with individual consulting and programs. See here for more information on the offerings at Faculty II.

FU Berlin

The Chief Gender Equality Officer is the central office to support the Executive Board and other central boards and committees of Freie Universität in implementing legislative requirements related to gender equity. It also offers support in case of sexual harassment, discrimination and violence.

There are programmes and opportunities for:

Students
Postdocs
  • Spotlight Programme: Support in third-party funding acquisition, networking and idea exchange.


The Margherita-von-Brentano Prize is awarded for outstanding achievement in Gender Studies or equality. At present, the award is granted every two years and has a value of 15.000€.

Moreover, the departmental women’s representatives/gender equality officers work toward establishing equal opportunities for women in their respective areas. See here for more information on the offerings at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

HU Berlin

The Central Women's Representative is both a representative of interests and an advisor in questions of equal opportunities at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She also offers support in case of sexualised discrimination and violence.

There are programs and opportunities for:

PhD Students
Postdocs
Professors
Moreover, the women’s representatives in the departments and faculties work toward establishing equal opportunities for women in their respective areas. See here for more information on the offerings at the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.