The Glass Ceiling Through the Lens of Science: Gender Inequality in Astronomy, at INAF and Beyond
Carlotta Gruppioni (INAF OAS)
Tuesday 27/10/2026 @ 14:00, Sala Antonio Sollima (IV piano Battiferro)
Women are still underrepresented in senior positions in astronomy, even though their academic performance is comparable to, and sometimes better than, that of their male colleagues. In this talk, prepared by a group of INAF researchers, we place INAF's response within the broader international context. We try to analyse where we are, and what are the main causes of gender bias: e.g., structural factors, implicit biases that begin to form in childhood, differences in self-promotion and in how people assess their own abilities, and the so-called "competence penalty": highly competent women may face negative interpersonal reactions that equally competent men do not experience. We argue that reducing the gender gap will require both effective institutional policies and a broader cultural change in the way scientific merit is recognised and rewarded. This cultural change will inevitably take time. In the meantime, we examine what INAF is already doing, where further action is needed, and which practical steps can be taken along the way.