Do women have to overcome the most difficulties to be able to dedicate themselves to science? Why, if women predominate in medical or biology classrooms, the positions of greater responsibility in research centers are mainly occupied by men? Does the scientific career discriminate against women, even nowadays? To highlight the decisive role of women in our research system, and also to bring their work and struggles closer to society, IDIBELL is organizing the sLHam of scientists, a successful initiative that this year reaches its fifth edition.
Created to join the International Day of Women and Girls in Science commemoration, the sLHam aims to make science more accessible and lively, and to bring it closer to the public in a festive way. The 5th edition, which will take place on Friday 11 February at 7 pm in the Barradas Auditorium in L’Hospitalet, will also be special: it will be starring the researchers and scientific professionals who got the most votes from the public in the four previous sLHams.
Under the motto “All stars”, the sLHam will put on the stage eight researchers and science professionals from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute: Avelina Tortosa, Marisa Mena, Mercè Martí, Isabel Fabregat, Susana Jiménez, Meritxell Rovira, Carmen Ardanuy and Mireya Plass. Each of them will explain, in a five-minute informative talk, how they developed a passion for science, what challenges they pursue, what obstacles they had to overcome, and which discoveries have marked their careers. The event will be led by Carla Serra, IDIBELL’s scientific communicator, and Olga Bellorbí, IDIBELL’s head of financial management and administration. The young musical group Ottocelli, from the School of Music and Arts Center of L’Hospitalet, will be in charge of livening up the event with an artistic touch.
As is tradition, the audience will take an active part in the event by choosing, by popular vote, the best presentation of the sLHam. The event, with free admission, will raise funds in the form of a reverse ticket office, and all the voluntary contributions of the spectators will be donated entirely to the solidarity project of IDIBELL Salvem vides, which promotes the research of the center.
The sLHam is organized in collaboration with L’Hospitalet City Council, the Barradas Auditorium, the L’Hospitalet School of Music and Arts Center and the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT). The initiative is also supported by Aire Ancient Baths, BioNova Científica, Labclinics, Sarstedt, Tebubio and Ecobétulo, who provide prizes for participants.
The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).
