1 August 2025

Event Retrospective: Girls for Science 2025

What a delight to welcome so many curious and motivated minds to our first edition of “Girls for Science”! More than 80 young women from 9th to 12th grade coming from schools throughout Bavaria found their way to the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics to participate in a rich program filled with keynote talks, panel discussions and a mentoring session. Based on the successful format of “Inspiring Future Women in Science” developed by the Perimeter Institute, the event brought together students, researchers, industry and science communication experts. In the spotlight were women studying or working in the field of quantum science, sharing their personal stories, how they started in the field, giving honest insights into their career path. Many questions and meaningful conversations inspired and empowered the girls and contributed to a vibrant atmosphere.

The first keynote was delivered by Annabelle Bohrdt, who shared her journey from a high-school student, who only by chance ended-up in an advanced physics class, to a professor working in quantum many body physics. She told her story with honesty and warmth — highlighting the ups and downs of an academic career and encouraging students to embrace uncertainty and growth.

Following her, Sophia Gürtler, a physics student at Heidelberg University and Ambassador of the initiative “Girls in Quantum”, spoke about her passion for quantum science, her journey so far, and the doors that have opened through her involvement in the initiative. Her enthusiasm was truly infectious.

Next, we moved into a lively panel discussion moderated by Nina Miller, doctoral candidate at TUM. Our four panelists, each at a different stage in their careers and active in various fields, shared their experiences and advice — from breaking down preconceptions to handling setbacks and following one’s interests.

The discussion was engaging, with plenty of thoughtful questions from the audience. Time flew by, and we could have easily continued for much longer!

We continued with the keynote talks, welcoming Susanne Schander, a postdoctoral researcher in quantum gravity at the Perimeter Institute. Her talk combined her love of languages and science, offering a refreshing perspective on how diverse interests can shape a scientific career. The final keynote came from Linda Qerimi, who is currently finishing her doctoral research in physics didactics and is active as didactics manager at MQV. She spoke passionately about the importance of good teaching and how thoughtful didactic methods can transform the way students learn and engage with science.

Following a lunch break, we resumed with a speed-mentoring session — a true highlight.

The students had the chance to speak directly with early-career researchers, including master’s students, PhDs, postdocs, and science communicators.
Whether asking about the next steps in their studies, choosing the right path, or balancing passions and expectations, the conversations were open, supportive, and empowering.

We concluded the day with lab tours at the PhotonLab and the attoworld group at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, as well as at the Technical University of Munich. These tours offered students a unique glimpse into the hands-on work of researchers and the exciting environments where cutting-edge science takes place.

Throughout the day, one message stood out across all talks and sessions:

Don’t be intimidated. Embrace challenges. Trust your instincts. Pursue what excites you. Try things out — and if something doesn’t work, it’s not failure, it’s learning. And above all: Don’t shy away from hard things — that’s where the most meaningful rewards lie.

We’re incredibly grateful to all the speakers, mentors, and participants who made Girls for Science such a success. It was a joy to see so much curiosity and enthusiasm — and we’re already looking forward to next year!

The event was organized by the excellence cluster "Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology" (MCQST) together with the PhotonLab, based on the concept developed by Perimeter Institute, Canada.