Entitled “Women in Science”, the book was launched with the Ciência Viva seal at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon on Saturday, Women’s Day, and features portraits of six scientists from different NOVA research areas.
Joana Sacramento (CEDOC), Júlia Costa (ITQB), Maria Helena Godinho (CENIMAT), Maria Manuela Silva (NOVA Medical School), Paula Videira (NOVA FCT) and Sandra Tenreiro (NOVA Medical School) are among the 100 faces of Portuguese researchers selected for the book.
Following volumes published in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2023, this fifth book in the collection features scientists from different generations and fields of knowledge, from biotechnology and biochemistry to computer science and artificial intelligence, in an initiative that highlights the paths, challenges and motivations of Portuguese women scientists.
The book launch was hosted by Rosalia Vargas, President of Ciência Viva, and attended by Ana Paiva, Secretary of State for Science, who gave the closing speech.
“There are more and more women in science in Portugal. But there is still a long way to go, especially in terms of leadership. Women in science need to find more opportunities and all doors need to be opened, with a total sense of inclusion and equality, so that they can make their choices,” stresses Rosalia Vargas in the book’s foreword.
Ana Paiva, who was a Woman in Science in 2023, also points out that “today many women still feel that they have to choose between family life and professional life. The ‘glass ceiling’ – the invisible ceiling that blocks progress – is a reality. It is therefore necessary to consider the factors that make life difficult for those who are often the main carers in the family, and to remove the barriers that prevent young Portuguese women scientists from reaching their full potential”.