Female Empowerment in Life Sciences (FELS) Network

Who We Are

Female Empowerment in Life Sciences (FELS) is an interdisciplinary association of female scientists with a background in medicine or life sciences, established in September 2021 with the support of the Intra-Faculty Commission for Gender Equality of the Medical Faculty and the Directorate for Teaching and Research.

Our goal is to create a network that supports gender-neutral scientific career development, the implementation of equality for women, and female leadership.

The FELS network was founded during a workshop for female researchers from the institutes and clinics of the Medical Faculty in Bern. The workshop, organized by the Intra-Faculty Commission for Gender Equality (IFKC), took place from September 2–3, 2021. During the workshop, there were opportunities for exchanges among all 19 participants, along with inspiring coaching lectures by Prof. Britta Engelhardt, Prof. Anne Angelillo-Scherrer, and journalist Beat Glogger.

Board Members

Chair
Aleksandra Tuleja MD
Attending physician, division of Angiology
PhD Candidate, Graduate School for Heath Sciences
University Hospital Bern
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7108-418X

Co-Chair
PD. Dr. rer. nat. Anne Gregor
Tel: 031 - 63 20357
Department of Human Genetics
Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
Anne.gregor@unibe.ch
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9166-6593

Svea Lehmann
Equal Opportunities Coordinator Medical Dean's Office
Svea.lehmann@unibe.ch

Naomi Lange, MD
Graduate School for Health Sciences, University of Bern, Switzerland
Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9519-4949

Sarah Bernhard, MD
Division of Angiology, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital,
University of Bern, Switzerland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2750-5928

Jarmila A. Zdanowicz, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
Jarmila Anna Zdanowicz (0000-0002-5361-7309) - My ORCID

Daniëlle Verschoor, PhD
Department of Clinical Research (DCR)
University of Bern, Switzerland
danielle.verschoor@unibe.ch
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6636-9818

Dr. med. Camilla Schürmann
Assistant Physician
University Clinic for Vascular Surgery
Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland
ORCID Link: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6054-7258

Our Goals

Creating a supportive and empowering environment for female scientists
Providing a comprehensive database for members that offers information on stipends, grants, courses, and career-promoting opportunities.
Active promotion of networking and collaboration between female scientists
Peer coaching

Research Day

The 1st FELS Research Day, focused on "Enhancing Excellence in Research," highlighted the issue of the "leaky pipeline" in Life Sciences and Medicine.

Dr.Jeanne Moor shared insights on the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles among Swiss physicians:
- While 60.1% of medical residents are women, only 18% reach Chief of Service positions.
- During medical studies, women and men similarly aimed for a leading position, but afterwards, men were more likely to do so.
- Women often face discrimination, including negative perceptions about pregnancy and motherhood, and struggle with balancing work and family life, a challenge more common in medicine compared to other sectors.

The panel discussion titled «How Can We Fix the Leaky Pipeline?» explored strategies to enhance inclusivity in medical science and leadership. To kick off the panel discussion, Daniëlle Verschoor presented key findings from the DCR’s Career Paths Post-Habilitation project. The study included individuals who completed their habilitation at the medical faculty since 2013. Her presentation highlighted trends in current academic and clinical roles, the role of mentorship in career development, and patterns of career interruptions.

The session featured a distinguished group of experts, including Prof. Britta Engelhardt, Prof. Karolina Kublickiene, Prof. Heike Mayer, Prof. Stuart Lane, and Prof. Urs Fischer.

Key takeaways included:
1. Shifting Perspectives: Careers can begin after 40. Instead of viewing career gaps (especially for women due to family) as obstacles, focus on the systems and structures we create that hinder progress.
2. Overcoming Traditions: The academic system remains conservative and needs to become more flexible and supportive.
3. Publication and Time: The current academic system often rewards those with more time, but this favors individuals with fewer (family) responsibilities, creating an imbalance that needs to be addressed. As a good example, the SNSF moves forward with the DORA Declaration.
4. Clinician Challenges: Clinicians face difficulties balancing clinical and academic work. Offering protected research time could help.
5. Parental Leave: Switzerland's policies need to evolve to be more like those in Nordic countries, supporting parents and making institutions more competitive.👶🍼
6. Women and Family Choices: Societal pressure often forces women to choose between career and family.

The main takeaway is that structural and cultural changes in academia, healthcare, and society are needed to support both career growth and family life.

Participation & Contact Details

FELS is open to female scientists with a background in medicine or life sciences at the University of Bern. The FELS Board currently consists of 9 members and oversees strategic and administrative tasks. Monthly board meetings serve as a forum for discussions and coordination, ensuring effective governance and the seamless execution of the network's initiatives.

Contacts: Anne Gregor or FELS

Social Gatherings

Discover more about FELS by joining us at our monthly networking gatherings. These meetings aim to boost networking and exchange within the group while welcoming potential new FELS members. Location: Pizzeria Ambiente, Bühlstrasse 5, Bern

Time: Every first Thursday of the month, starting at 17:30

Workshops

FELS organizes 3-4 workshops annually, typically held from 17:30 to 20:00 at the Inselspital. These workshops, conducted in either English or German, focus on topics related to career development or gender equality and offer valuable insights. Additionally, FELS hosts a yearly two-day retreat.

Upcoming:

Title: "Responsible Open Science: Best Practices for Managing and Publishing Sensitive Research Data"
When: 17.06.2025 at 17.30-19.00 Uhr
Where: Inselareal, JJH A523
For registration: Please send an email to (fels.meddek@unibe.ch) until 10.06.2025
Flyer: Link to PDF

Previous:

Workshop des FELS-Netzwerks
Thema: "Responsible Open Science: Best Practices for Managing and Publishing Sensitive Research Data"
Wann: 17.06.2025 at 17.30-19.00 Uhr
Wo: Inselareal, JJH A523
Anmeldung: fels.meddek@unibe.ch bis 10.06.2025
Flyer: Link zum PDF

Title: “Artificial Intelligence in (scientific) writing" with two experts from the medical library of the University of Bern, Tania Rivero and Dr. Sampoorna Rappaz.
When: 25.06.2024 at 17:30 - 19:00 followed by an Apero
Where: at the Inselareal (exact location will follow with registration).
For registration: Please send an email to (fels.meddek@unibe.ch) until 18.06.2024.
Info: This workshop will cover the appropriate and effective use of AI tools for literature search and writing.
For registration see flyer: Link to PDF

Title: “Habilitation at the Medical Faculty Bern: Tipps, tricks and Q&A” with Prof. Sissel Guttormsen
When: 18.04.2024 at 17:30
Where: at the Inselareal (exact location will follow with registration).
For registration: Please send an email to (fels.meddek@unibe.ch) until 15.03.2024.
Info: This workshop, presented by Prof. Sissel Guttormsen, a member of the habilitation commission, will address the requirements and procedures for habilitation at the medical faculty in Bern.
For registration see flyer: Link to PDF

Title: «Breakfast with Prof. Roxana Meheran»
When: 8.12.2023 from 7.30-10.00
For registration see flyer: Link to PDF

Title: “Geschlechtersensible Sprache” with Dr. Monika Hoffmann (in German)
When: 26.09.2023 17.30-19.30
Registration: fels.meddek@unibe.ch
Flyer: Link to PDF

Title: Research Funding for Female Scientists & Clinicians with Susanne Matuschek
When: 2nd May 2023, 17.30 - 19:30 Uhr
Registration: fels.meddek@unibe.ch
Flyer: Link to PDF

Title: «Die Macht der Wirkung und die Kunst sich durchzusetzen» with Ann Klemann
When: 28. April 2022, 17.00 - 19:30 Uhr
Registration: fels.meddek@unibe.ch
Flyer: Link to PDF

Title: «Frauenemanzipationsbewegungen in der Schweiz- Geschichte und Gegenwart» with Fabienne Amlinger
When: 27. January 2022, 17.15 - 19:15 Uhr
Registration: fels.meddek@unibe.ch
Flyer: Link to PDF

News & Activities

1. Expanding our networking and cultivating collaborations with female scientists in various departments at the University of Bern and beyond is a key goal for FELS. We’re excited to announce an enduring collaboration between FELS and the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, marking a new step forward in our long-term networking efforts.

A short Bio about ARTORG:

As an engineering center within the medical faculty, the ARTORG Center is unique in Europe. When it was founded in 2008 as one of the competence centers of the University of Bern, organizational connections were created with various departments at the Inselspital, which still significantly drive ARTORG's innovations today. The ARTORG sees future challenges in healthcare and brings medical technology research with inventiveness, agility and determination from its basics to clinical application. The ARTORG Center sees its diversity with team members from different professional and cultural backgrounds as a strength and actively promotes academic careers for women in medical technology.

https://www.artorg.unibe.ch

2. Since 1996, the Department of BioMedical Research (DBMR) has held a (Day of BioMedical Research). FELS had the pleasure to be part of this important event recently held on 6^th July 2023. FELS actively participated in the event and introduced academic women to the network as well as to its concept and goals. FELS members had great conversation with women from different backgrounds and academic age.