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Equality in research drives innovation
07.03.2026 / Marking International Women's Day, Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär met with female researchers at the Max Delbrück Center in Berlin-Mitte to discuss advancing equality in science.
Statement from Federal Research Minister Bär:
“Equality is essential for Germany's capacity for innovation and long-term competitiveness. It is a decisive driver of progress. If we want to address the major challenges and megatrends of our time, be it digitalization, space research, medicine of the future, or key technologies, we cannot afford to leave half of the brightest minds out of driving Germany’s future forward. This is why the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, together with the states, is supporting equality at universities with a 2030 female professors program and the visibility of female researchers with the “Focus on Innovative Women” funding guidelines. In order to further strengthen social awareness of gender issues in research, we are currently designing a federal scientific award for gender research, which is to be announced later this year.”
Statement from Professor Maike Sander, Scientific Director and Chair of the Executive Board of the Max Delbrück Center:
“The discoveries made at the Max Delbrück Center lay the foundation for the medicine of the future. To get there, we need talented individuals who are enthusiastic about innovation and eager to contribute their ideas – regardless of gender or background. A total of 60 percent of our researchers are women. We have also been successful in recruiting early-career female group leaders. However, we still have some catching up to do when it comes to permanent professorships. This is why we specifically promote female scientists, for example through mentoring programs. We also approach exceptional candidates worldwide. More than half of our group leaders have been recruited internationally. We want to create an inspiring environment for all of them. We need a scientific culture in which careers are defined not by traditional role expectations, but by curiosity, talent, and courage. There is still much to be done.”
From left to right: Maike Sander, Katja Simon, Dorothee Bär and Ashley Sanders in a lab.
Maike Sander is Scientific Director of the Max Delbrück Center. Katja Simon is Head of Scientific Talent Management, Dorothee Bär is Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space, Ashley Sanders is scientific group leader.
© Felix Petermann, Max Delbrück Center
Source: Max Delbrück CenterEquality in research drives innovation
