Women in Physics in Slovenia
Slovenia from past to the present
Female students of Physics at University in Ljubljana
(By courtesy of Andreja Gomboc, Primož Ziherl and Jasmin Anžiček)
History
The first Slovenian female student of Physics and
Mathematics – Henriette (Jetti) von Aigentler
(1854-1938), the famous Boltzmann’s wife
As a first woman, Jetti has
got the permission to study
physics at University in Gratz
in 1873 upon the
recommendation of her fiance
Boltzmann.
Behind every successful man there
is a carrying able wife
Jetti never published any
scientific papers under her
own name, but she was in
correspondence with the best
minds in her era. Her polite
worldwide connections
helped a great deal to her
husband’s achievements and
enabled his frequent changes
of university chairs. She
helped the success of her sonin-law Ludwig Flamm (1885194) and grandson Dieter
Flamm in their physics
research.
(By courtesy of Stanislav Juznic)
Women in Radiation and Nuclear Safety
Slovenia is the smallest nuclear country in a world with one nuclear
power plant and less than 2,000,000 inhabitants. The women in
physics in nuclear and radiation safety study at the Universities in
Slovenia but often gain working experiences in other countries. The
women in physics are employed in the largest research institution for
physics in state, the Jožef Stefan Institute, as well as in
governmental institutions and agencies.
In the year 2003 a group Alpha was established as a part of the
Nuclear Society of Slovenia (http://www.drustvo-js.si/indexen.html)
with the aim to help women in nuclear science as well as to perform
informing of general public about issues in nuclear safety and
radiation. (By courtesy of Helena Janžekovič and Nadja Železnik)
Until 15 years ago, Slovenia was a socialist country
with declared social and gender equality and with a
high percentage of employed women. The equality
was in many cases only declared and the promotion of
women and men was frequently dependent on
membership in the communist party or on relatives.
The transition period to democracy induced
many changes in the society and brought new
worth scale distribution. Previously highly
valued work for the society, including
partially enthusiastic work in science and in
teaching, became less attractive with respect
to profitable jobs in market economy.
Popularity of studies with certain and wellpaid future employment drastically increased,
for example in economy, law, management,
medicine, etc. These trends reflected in the
structure of students entering the physics
studies more than in their total number.
In 2004, Republic Slovenia became a
regular member of European Community and
many challenges opened to our citizens,
including a high mobility of students and
possibility for applying for grants in other
members of the Community. It is reasonable
to predict that many young talented women
will apply for scholarship in other states,
partially due to better economical perspectives
and/or due to natural wish for changes, which
is genetically built-in to female population.
Due to various difficulties, including the acquirement of an appropriate or permanent job, which female
physicists encounter in a typically male controlled physical society, it is not strange that the relative
number of women finishing the basic physics studies (diploma degree) dropped from 30 % in period
1985-1990 (before the transition) to 20 % in the next decade (1991-2000). In the last few years (20012004) this trend even worsen: despite the indices that more technologically oriented jobs will open in
future, the relative number of female physicists obtaining diploma degree dropped to only 12 %.
It is interesting to note that the analysis of the separated data shows that a large number of matriculated
female students does not pass the first year of physics studies (80%, compared to 50 % for male
students), but practically all of those, who do, finish their study and many of them also obtain a PhD.
Possible reasons for this larger drop out of women in the first year are under current investigation.
Establishement of informal Network of Women in Physics in Slovenia
After the attendance at the first International Conference on Women in Physics, Paris 2002, Slovenian
female physicists associated into informal network, which at present incorporates already 49 women
working in physics, from academia, research institutes, to government and industry. They share
information important for their work and contribute to positive recognition of female physicists in physical
society in Slovenia and in general public. The goals of this network are also prevention of the feeling of
isolation or pushing away of female scientists in predominantly male society and presenting role models
for young students and for women who work in totally male teams. The network is kept at informal stage
due to the known psychological fact that women do not like hierarchically organized society, if it is
composed only of women. Therefore all members in our network are equal and all relationships are based
only on personal respect and friendship. Young students of physics are invited to join the network every
year.
mojca.vilfan@ijs.si, andrejas@fiz.uni-lj.si, mojca@fiz.uni-lj.si, alenka.razpet@ijs.si, anamari@fiz.uni-lj.si, spela.stres@ijs.si,
andreja@fiz.uni-lj.si, jasna.stokanovic@hpe.si, irena.drevensek@ijs.si, lea.spindler@uni-mb.si, magda.gabrijelcic@salonit.si,
nada.razpet@guest.arnes.si, maja.remskar@ijs.si>, mojca.cepic@ijs.si, nadja.zeleznik@gov.si, ursa_fegus@yahoo.com,
jana.padeznik@uni-mb.si, urska.bogataj@student.fmf.uni-lj.si, Dasa.Grabec@biofiz.mf.uni-lj.si, Norma.S.Mankoc@ijs.si,
ana.sepe@ijs.si, urska.mikac@ijs.si, marjetka.conradi@ijs.si, Marija.Ipavec@gov.si, nina.gartner@kiss.uni-lj.si,
marjana.egredzija@telesat.si, vanja79vesel@hotmail.com, marjeta.sentjurc@ijs.si, nina.gartner@pinkponk.com,
svjetlana.fajfer@ijs.si, DALIJA@slon.de, sabina.markelj@cmok.si, jasmina.logar@ijs.si, mika.vilfan@ijs.si, ursa.opara@fe.unilj.si, mojca.rangus@email.si, veronika.kralj-iglic@fe.uni-lj.si, Helena.Janzekovic@gov.si, Barbara.Horvat@student.fmf.uni-lj.si,
natasa.grlj@student.fmf.uni-lj.si, jana.campa@email.si, maja.jeromel@email.si, alenka.bajec@student.fmf.uni-lj.si,
astrobinci@yahoo.co.uk, marija.vidmar2@guest.arnes.si, slavujka3001@yahoo.com, evellyn@volja.net, petra.sinkovec@siol.com
Participating in the Commission for the Promotion of Women in Science, Ministry for Science, we together proposed
many changes in the regulations of the science in our country and many of them were widely accepted. For example,
the titles of academic and research positions now have to be used in both sexes (Slovenian grammar has male, female
and neutral sex), the age limits for scholarships and promotions are in many cases shifted for the period of maternity
leave, the statistical data on salaries started to be collected separately for men and women, the web-site has been created
with information important for women in science and presenting instruction how to identify the secret discrimination
and how to fight it, etc. (http://www.mvzt.gov.si/index.php?id=342) (in Slovenian language).