Women at CeMESS
At the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science | CeMESS, science is driven by brilliant minds – and more than half of them are women. A diverse research community strengthens science by bringing together a range of perspectives, skills, and ideas. Creating an inclusive environment not only enriches scientific discussions but also drives innovation and discovery.
With 51.4% of our scientific staff and 54% of all center members being women, CeMESS is a place where female researchers lead groundbreaking discoveries, from unraveling microbial mysteries to tackling environmental challenges. We are committed to increasing the number of female professors at CeMESS, currently at 20%. A promising sign of progress is the strong representation of women among our tenure-track professors, where 62.5% are women.
Notably, women at CeMESS have earned two-thirds of the center’s prestigious ERC grants, a testament to their excellence and impact.
Why does Science fascinate you?
Explore our slideshow featuring inspiring portraits and personal quotes from CeMESS researchers at all career stages. Their stories highlight the passion, perseverance, and curiosity that fuel scientific progress.
Baixue PengWhat our eyes can perceive is neither the entirety of the world nor the entirety of life. Unraveling the mysteries of microbes is not just a pursuit of knowledge but also a quest to understand life itself.
Yuhua Li
PrivateBeing a marine biologist was always my dream. There is nothing in the world that fascinates me more than coral reefs. When I put on my fins and mask and dive into the depths, I feel at home.
Bettina Glasl
CeMESS/Clemens FabryThe best and worst thing about science? You can never know everything. There’s always more to discover.
Cornelia Rottensteiner
CeMESS/Stephanie ScholzI changed my career path to pursue engineering. My interests include ‘trash, dirty water and poison’ and combining engineering with environmental and public health perspectives.
Elena Tiis
CeMESS/Stephanie ScholzI am a data scientist and I enjoy the challenge of extracting the information of interest by asking the right questions. It's a puzzle waiting to be solved.
Franziska Bauchinger
PrivateScience is like a never-ending puzzle, each piece revealing a little more of the bigger picture. The excitement of piecing it together is what drives my passion.
Göksu Çelik
PrivateScience is my dream job, every day I get to work with like-minded people on questions that we don't yet know the answer to.
Katie Emilianova
Teodora KaranovicWhat I love about science is that it keeps me curious and creative. It’s a constant reminder of how exciting it is to explore and discover, just like when I was a kid.
Kristina Vuković
CeMESS/Stephanie ScholzI love the feeling when you learn (or discover) some new information and can connect it to the knowledge you already have.
Laura Lotteraner
PrivateScientific research provides me with the tools to explore the processes of the natural world and to uncover how human choices shape and impact the environments around us.
Madeleine Lomax-Vogt
Aleksandr BykovAs a microbiologist with 10 years of laboratory and field experience, I am enthusiastic about applying microbes for battling global challenges. I believe that microbes can save the world!
Nataliia Solntseva
CeMESS/Stephanie ScholzThe fascination with science for me is, and has always been, trying to get little pieces of information together like a puzzle.
Sarah Pati
Julianna RitterI enjoy working in science because it allows me to follow my curiosity about the world and craft it into research that can help benefit society.
Victoria Ritter
