Gender Imbalance in Physics Education and Employment in Germany: Trends and Challenges

Abstract

Gender imbalance among German physicists persists, with fewer women in advanced degrees and research leadership roles. Although female enrollment in Physics programs increased slightly until 2022, potentially influenced by COVID-19 the long-term trend remains uncertain. Despite the rise in female Ph.D. students and foreign representation, female professors in Physics and Astronomy stagnated below 14 %, indicating significant underrepresentation. Anticipated revisions to the WissZeitVG law may impact female mainstreaming efforts, potentially leading to greater precarization of research staff. Women make up only around 20 % of employed physicists, with low visibility in the community, as seen in the representation of female physicists in prestigious awards. Addressing this imbalance requires structural interventions beyond mere encouragement and empowerment.

3 pages, submitted to ICWIP 2023 proceedings (8th IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics)