On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited today the National Research Center of Natural Sciences "Demokritos", where she was welcomed by the Secretary General of Research and Innovation A. Kyriazis, the Director and Chairman of the Centre G. Nounesis and the Director of the Institute Ch. Markou.
Ms. Sakellaropoulou went to the lecture hall of the Institute, where she had a meeting with women researchers of Democritus and students of the Lyceum of neighboring schools (1st Lyceum of Agia Paraskevi, Pierce and Hellenic School - Eugene Delacroix) who have chosen their studies in the disciplines of technologies and natural sciences.
The Director and Chairman of the Board of NCSR «DEMOKRITOS» G. Nounesis, the Director of Research of Democritus and member of the Board of the Center Maria Konstantopoulou (Biotechnology), the Director of Research of Democritus and the Deputy Chairman of the Ethics and Deontology Committee Evangelia Livaniou (Pharmaco-chemistry), as well as the Director of Research of Democritus Eleni Makarona (Nanotechnology), moderated the discussion.
Afterwards, the President was guided to the premises of the Tandem laboratory by the director of the Institute, Ch. Markou, together with students of the 3rd Lyceum.
Speaking to women scientists and young students, Ms. Sakellaropoulou stressed that "in our time, stereotypes are broken and your generation will live to enjoy this. We, the older ones, live this exceptionally and we all work, from the first to the last, for this ".
As she said, "a man when he shouts is strong; a woman when she shouts is hysterical". She also referred to the doubt that women face and noted that all this doubt make them feel afraid and stay behind, nevertheless they work successfully everywhere, but not in positions of responsibility.
She also argued that we will never have equality if family responsibilities are not shared equally, but noted that among young people, this begins to apply. "One can never say that from tomorrow we will have equality and have achieved it. Little things will bring the big ones".
She recalled that women came to be accepted as lawyers and judges in the mid-20th century, around 1950, until then they were good for nurses and support jobs. In fact, she noted that "when the first great retreat took place, most people considered that women were for the human studies rather than the natural sciences".
Concluding, she pointed out that "we are on the right track, however there is still much to be done, regarding salaries and positions of responsibility, but I see change coming". Citing American Ruth Bender Ginsberg, she stressed that "time is for the change" and "no one can stop it."
Ending her visit, Ms. Sakellaropoulou said: "Today, on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I met women scientists from the National Research Center "Democritus" who excel in a field that for centuries was considered "male" despite its significant female contribution to its development. "I also met students who love physics, math, technology". She finally stressed that "the dynamic participation of women in these fields will make a decisive contribution to the progress of the economy and society and to addressing the great challenges of our time. "We must therefore strengthen their role in advancing the sciences, put aside what prevents them from reaching positions of responsibility, and support young girls to make their dreams come true".
Source: D. Katsimente for the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, https://www.amna.gr/home/article/623046/PtD-Prepei-na-stirixoume-ta-nea-koritsia-na-pragmatopoiisoun-ta-oneira -tous