Women in Eurjoc (Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2021/2011)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PROFILES Women in EurJOC MICROREVIEWS What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? A successful scientist has to be fascinated by their own re- search. It can happen that you are absorbed in a thought and forget the world around you until you suddenly come Esther Lete (Universidad del Paı´s up with a new idea or totally different interpretation. Then, Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibert- of course, you need analytical skills, but also creativity and sitatea, Bilbao, Spain) openness. The creative side is where women probably have a Research interests: Lithium and pal- slight advantage, which we should use. Besides the work on ladium chemistry for the develop- our own desks, collaboration and communication give valu- ment of new methodologies for the able impulse to research. For women in science, this involves stereocontrolled synthesis of hetero- learning to understand how men think and communicate; cycles. however, we should never try or pretend to be them! DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100123 Joe¨lle Prunet (University of Glas- gow, Glasgow, United Kingdom) As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that Research interests: Total synthesis you have encountered? of bioactive natural products and I honestly don’t think I have found any particular obstacle development of new methodologies being a female chemist, as the access to public university in organic chemistry. positions or to public funding for research in Spain is based DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100442 on academic and research merits with equal and public cri- teria. In fact, the number of female full professors in or- What is the biggest challenge facing ganic chemistry in Spain has increased in the last years, female organic chemists? and it is probably relatively higher than in other countries. The biggest challenge facing female organic chemists, or However, we still have a long way to go in terms of visibility more generally female scientists working in an academic en- and responsibility, considering the number of women chem- vironment, is to have a successful life both from a pro- ists in relevant positions, editorial boards, organizing com- fessional and a personal point of view. More specifically, it mittees, etc. On the personal side, of course, it is really im- is still very difficult in most countries to find good daycare portant to have strong support from your family. In my for small babies when you are working long hours, except case, my husband is also a scientist, and it seems we have maybe in France, and very often successful young academic managed quite well, as our daughter Marta is also starting females choose not to have children because it would put her scientific career as a graduate student in Biochemistry. their career on hold. Thisbe Lindhorst (Christiana Alber- Claudia Tomasini (Alma Mater Stu- tina University of Kiel, Kiel, diorum Universita` di Bologna, Germany) Bologna, Italy) Research interests: Glycosciences. Research interests: Organic chemis- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100407 try; synthesis, conformational analy- sis, and applications of pseudopep- What is the secret to being a success- tide foldamers; supramolecular mat- ful female scientist? erials; organocatalysis. Combine your best masculine qualit- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100493 ies with your best feminine qualities! Why do you think young women should study chemistry? Mirja Hartmann (Christiana Alber- The main reason to study chemistry is because you like it. tina University of Kiel, Kiel, Chemistry is a fascinating discipline that teaches us to Germany) understand what is inside ... everything! Why shouldn’t a Research interests: Carbohydrate- young woman study chemistry? Women are usually curious, specific adhesion of type-1 fimbri- determined, and have imagination. All these characteristics ated bacteria in vitro, mannoside- are very useful in chemistry and mainly in chemistry re- binding properties of lectins by search. Sometimes women think that they are not good en- NMR spectroscopy, carbohydrate- ough for a hard science like chemistry: this is completely binding strength and specificity of wrong. The most important characteristics that a young lectins by AFM. woman should have to succeed in chemistry is to work hard DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100407 and think that she can make it! Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 www.eurjoc.org © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 3567 PROFILES SHORT COMMUNICATIONS Meike Niggemann (RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany) Research interests: Development of Svetlana B. Tsogoeva (University of new catalytic systems on the basis Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, of inexpensive and non-toxic early Germany) main group metals. Research interests: Asymmetric or- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100231 ganocatalysis and organoautocata- lysis, asymmetric oxidations with re- What is the biggest challenge facing dox-active metal complexes, natural female organic chemists? product hybrids for medicinal Among the biggest challenges facing any scientist, irrespec- chemistry. tive of gender, is to balance work and family. Science is a DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100206 competition by its nature, we’re constantly chasing after the most spectacular, ground-breaking results, the biggest Why do you think young women should study chemistry? grants, the most-renewed awards. Taking up family re- Chemistry is a fascinating field of study. Surprisingly, it is sponsibilities makes it hard to keep up the pace with those still a subject less frequented by women when deciding to who stay focused 100% on science. Reducing the chances choose a career path. I hardly believe though that this is for progress in one’s academic career by dividing attention due to lack of talent or creativity in women as compared to between family caretaking and the commitment to the next their male peers. Instead, it appears to depend on the way discovery is a difficult but free choice for both men and society looks at the role of women in chemistry, where woman. Nevertheless, there are a few positions outside of women are traditionally under-represented. Young women academia where personal freedom allows your life concept who aspire to be chemists should trust in their own poten- to be balanced to such a great extent. tial, strength, and ability instead of being put off by subjec- tive perception. Young female chemists must see more ex- Florence Mongin (Universite´ de amples from women doing exciting research and discoveries Rennes 1, UMR 6510 CNRS, in chemistry and mastering the demanding tasks of being a Rennes, France) mother, a teacher, and a scientist. Research interests: Functionali- zation of aromatic and heteroarom- atic compounds, in particular by Elisabet Dun˜ach (University of using bimetallic bases; lithiumϪ Nice, CNRS UMR 6001, Nice, magnesium, lithiumϪzinc, lith- France) iumϪcadmium, lithiumϪcopper, Research interests: Novel method- and lithiumϪcobalt combinations ology in organic synthesis, including for deprotonative metalation reactions of various substrates catalysis by Lewis superacids; elec- and their subsequent trapping; diastereoselective func- trosynthesis and “green” chemistry; tionalization of sugar-based ferrocenes using bimetallic activation of small molecules such compounds; enantioselective deprotonation of simple ferro- as CO ; synthetic applications in the 2 cenes by using chiral bimetallic bases. field of fine chemistry, in par- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100264 ticular in the area of flavors and fragrances. DOI:10.1002/ejoc.201100213 As a female chemist, how did you overcome the obstacles that you have encountered? What is the biggest challenge facing female organic chemists? I obtained my PhD in (organic) chemistry in 1994 from the One of the main challenges of women is to efficiently com- University of Rouen (France) under the supervision of Prof. bine a job with a family life. Both aspects are highly de- Guy Queguiner. After a stay in Lausanne (Switzerland) as manding and the balance between both aspects is some- a post-doctoral fellow with Prof. Manfred Schlosser, I re- times difficult to adjust. It remains difficult for a woman, turned to the University of Rouen as an Assistant Professor as a professional, as a mother, and as a wife, to define pri- in 1997 (habilitation in 2003). I took up my present position orities when daytime is always too short. In particular, a in 2005 as Professor at the University of Rennes. Even if in difficult period in my life was when my children were chemistry women are more present than in other disciplines, young, which involved high pressure and almost no time for men continue to dominate, notably having the strategic po- anything. However, the French system helped with adapted sitions. The glass ceiling is not yet shattered, nevertheless schools and institutions. Now, with two superb grown-up things have changed in 20 years. Working hard, it is now children and the constant support of my husband, I can possible for female chemists to overcome most obstacles better focus on chemistry, both on the innovative as well as and to be considered equal to men... in particular if they on the responsibility aspects. do not aim for key positions. 3568 © 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.eurjoc.org Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 3567Ϫ3579 PROFILES Alessandra Lattanzi (Universita` di Enjoy work and enjoy life. Women should do their best to Salerno, Fisciano, Italy) be successful in their research, and their success will show Research interests: Organocatalysis, that they are as excellent as their male counterparts. Women asymmetric metal-catalyzed oxi- should enjoy their daily lives, the sunshine, the blue sky, the dations, geometrical and algebraic flowers, etc. approach for the description of chi- ral structures. Berit Olofsson (Stockholm Univer- DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100282 sity, Stockholm, Sweden) Research interests: Synthesis and application of hypervalent iodine compounds as environmentally be- What is the secret to being a successful female scientist? nign reagents in asymmetric syn- In a world largely dominated by men, being successful as a thesis. female scientist requires a great deal of personal motivation, DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201100360 curiosity, and enthusiasm.