Women In Technology - Friday Links - 02/04/2026
Dear WIT friends,
As the long weekend approaches, we are sharing our curated selection of stories and events a little earlier than usual for you to explore at your leisure.
We also wish a very Happy Easter to all those celebrating this weekend and the next.
Warm regards,
Milena
on behalf of CERN WIT Communications
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Discover the WIT Skills & Career event series
This year, we’re celebrating 10 years of the Women in Technology Community at CERN!
To mark the occasion, we’re launching a special series of workshops and conversations designed to support your growth, both professionally and personally.
From building confidence and visibility to navigating complex workplace dynamics, each session is an invitation to sharpen your skills, expand your network, and take ownership of your career journey.
📅 Upcoming sessions
- #IAmRemarkable Workshop – 28 April at 12:00: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1671306/
- Guided Networking, Minus the Awkward – 12 May at 12:00: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1671311/
- Mental Preparation for Interviews & Difficult Conversations – 19 May at 12:00: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1671320/
- Personal Branding – 11 June at 12:00: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1671321/
Dates to be confirmed:
- CV Writing Workshop
- Career Sponsorship vs Mentorship
- Networking & Informational Interviews to Land a Job
✍️ Registration
Spots are limited for most sessions to keep them interactive, so make sure to register early to secure your place.
If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please cancel your registration in advance—this helps us offer your spot to someone else and keep the sessions running smoothly.
🗣️ Links
Women in science are not a ‘problem to be fixed’ - published in Nature
A recent commentary challenges persistent narratives around gender in science, arguing for systemic change rather than framing women as the issue. You can listen to the conversation or read the article here. Podcast name: Nature Careers Working Scientists available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and YouTube.
Give support, gain progress: retaining women in science - published on MDPI Blog
Explores factors affecting retention of women in STEM careers and emphasises the importance of institutional support systems. Read more here.
Women leading spacecraft operations - published by ESA
Highlight of women engineers and scientists working in mission control and satellite operations, shaping the future of space exploration. Read five interviews here.
The young astronomer who revealed the Sun’s true composition, but her work wasn’t acknowledged for tens of years
A century ago, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin revolutionised astrophysics by showing that the Sun is composed primarily of hydrogen—challenging established scientific beliefs at the time and facing pressure to downplay her findings. Read more here.
🗣️ Events
WIT Monthly Lunch
Join us on the first Tuesday of every month for a relaxed lunch—an opportunity to meet colleagues, expand your network, and enjoy good company.
📅 Date and Time: 7 April 2026, at 12h
📍 Location: R2, for now. If the location changes, you will be informed.
CERN Entrepreneurship Academy - Applications Open!
This new initiative helps members of personnel explore how their ideas, research, and innovations can be turned into ventures. The programme is aimed at individuals who are curious about entrepreneurship, whether they already have a concrete idea or simply want to understand how startups are built.
📅 Application Deadline: 24 April 2026
📍 More information: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1659417/
- Upcoming information session:
📅 Date: 16 April 2026
📍 Location: Prévessin, 774/R-013
📚Next CERN Book Club Meeting
📚 The book: ‘’Educated’’ by Tara Westover - Tara was born in a family that didn’t believe in the government. There were no records of her birth, no hospital, and she didn’t go to school. She tells her story of escaping her family to eventually earn a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
📅 Date: 7 May 2026
🕔 Time: 17:00–18:00
📍 Location: Library, The Reading Room
Join the WIT Book Club Mattermost channel to vote for books to be read and stay up to date with the activities of the club.