From the program:

1. Women in scientific research: a European evaluation.
2. Strategies for achievement the gender equality in science: the Stages Project.
3. How do I see the gender equality in science?

The theme of the workshop was: "Gender and Science. Structural changes in the research institutions: enhancing excellence, gender equality and efficiency in research and innovation". The main presentation was delivered by prof.dr. Doina Balahur and her team of Ph.D. students (Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences). Among the participants: prof.dr. Rodica Dimitriu (Faculty of Letters), prof.dr.Alexandra Iordan (Faculty of Chemistry), prof.dr. Elisabeta Jaba (Faculty of Economics), prof.dr. Liliana Mitoseriu (Faculty of Physics), conf.dr. Iuliana Breaban (Faculty of Geography and Geology), lect.dr. Christiane Balan (Economics), lect.dr. Vera Popescu (Letters), young post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D. students. The event took place at the UAIC Building R, room 205.

In the 1st session of these Info-days (on the 28 September 2012) there were presented the two existing institutions integrated in the UAIC’s program for supporting and improving the work-life balance conditions of women in academic and science: the UAIC's "Junior" Kindergarten, inaugurated on the 1st October 2003, for children between 3 and 6 years old, the first initiative of this kind in a Romanian University, (link) and the UAIC's "Junior" Primary School, inaugurated on the 12 September 2007, (link) which offer childcare services for the families of the UAIC employees and students.

The theme of this meeting that took place on the 5 October 2012 was the STAGES Project implementation at the UAIC. Among the participants in debates there were: prof.dr. Odette Blumenfeld (Letters), conf.dr. Iuliana Breaban (Geography), lect.dr. Veronica Popescu (Letters), lect.dr. Teodora Ghiviriga (Letters), dr. Ana Maria Oiste (Geography), drd. Lorena Tarlion, drd. Irina Popovici, drd. Diana Didilica (Sociology) and Marina Cacace, Giovanna Murari (ASDO, Italy), Marino Di Nardo (DPO, Italy). The event took place at the office of the STAGES project at the UAIC, B-dul Independentei nr.7.

Invited speaker: Marina Cacace (ASDO representative) who presented the theme "Towards gender equality in scientific careers. Negociating change: the STAGES Project" (pdf). Also invited participants: Giovanna Murari (ASDO) and Marino Di Nardo (DPO). The discussions focused on the role of various types of negociations in the structural changes. The event took place at the UAIC, Building R, room 316, on the 5 October 2012.

Training module organized for PhD students, post-doctoral researchers and young scientists from the Faculties and the Doctoral Schools of UAIC. See program (pdf). Thematic curricula and professor participants:
Prof.dr. Adriana Prodan, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration: Career and professional development in science (pdf)
Prof.dr. Liliana Mitoseriu, Faculty of Physics: Practical Hints for Success in Science. Success or value? (pdf)
Assist. Prof. dr. Snejana Sulima, Law Faculty: Work arrangements for young researchers: European and national regulations (pdf)

The event took place at UAIC, Building R, Conference room on the 23 October 2012.

This Network meeting's main objectives were the retrospective evaluation of the 2012 activities of the UAIC Women Network and the prospective evaluation of the action plan for 2013. Among the participants in debates: prof.dr. Maria Magdalena Zamfirache (Biology), prof.dr. Elena Bicu (Chemistry), prof.dr. Luminita Bejenaru (Biology), prof.dr. Alexandra Iordan (Chemistry), conf.dr. Iuliana Breaban (Geography), conf. dr. Irina Manolescu (Economics/Management), lect.dr. Christiane Balan (Economics/Statistics), assist. dr. Snejana Sulima (Law), drd. Cristina Fantaza (Sociology), drd. Diana Didilica (Sociology), drd. Diana Arhire (Sociology). The discussion was moderated by prof.dr. Doina Balahur.
The event took place at the Office of the STAGES project at the UAIC, B-dul Independentei nr.7, on the 4 February2013.

The website of the STAGES project at the UAIC is conceived as an informative medium for a better communication as well as for an extensive dissemination made both internally – for the members of UAIC Network of Women in Academics and Research - and externally – for our project partners and any other interested reader, from Romania and abroad. In the same time, it is a useful support for growing the public visibility of the scientific results and professional career issues of the women in academics and research involved in the activities of the STAGES project at the UAIC. The Website was launched on the 20 February 2013.

"UAIC Profiles of Women in Science" is a form of documentary compendium that offer public information about the women scientists who are recognized through their outstanding achievements in academics and research and are role models for young researchers. This Compendium is conceived as an open source database, permanently actualized with new profiles.

Within the frame of the STAGES project at the UAIC a series of documentary films promoting the outstanding achievements of women scientists from the University will be produced (in collaboration with the TVR Iasi Broadcasting Company).

The 1st documentary film within the series "UAIC Profiles of Women in Science" is dedicated to prof. dr. Liliana Mitoseriu and her young researchers team from the Faculty of physics, Dielectrics, Ferroelectrics and Multiferroics Group, who have internationally recognized results in their scientific careers. (See the film on this website/home).

For the first time in a Romanian University, a public event for celebrating, in a special day ceremony, the women in science and academics with prestigious careers and international scientific visibility was organized at the UAIC. Similar public events are planned to be annually organized for the next years, in order to establish a tradition of celebrating women in academics and research at the UAIC.

Program of the first edition: Opening speech by Prof.dr. Vasile Isan, Rector of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Iasi. * Women and Scientific excellence: a brief overview by Prof.dr. Doina Balahur.* The official ceremony "Women's Annual Science and Technology Exclence Award 2010" and "Women's Annual Science and Technology Distinction for Young Researchers 2012".* The UAIC Women in Science. Film presentation: Prof. dr. Liliana Mitoseriu and the young researchers group from the Faculty of Physics.

The event took place at the UAIC, Building A, Senate Room, on the 29 March 2013.

The scientific personality who received the "Women's Annual Science and Technology Excellence Award 2012" was prof. dr. Liliana Mitoseriu, from the Faculty of Physics (see the CV on the UAIC Profiles of Women in Science). Three young researchers from the group leaded by the professor L. Mitoseriu were awarded with the "Women's Annual Science and Technology Distinction for Young Researchers 2012": dr. Lavinia Curecheriu, dr. Cristina Ciomaga and dr. Felicia Gheorghiu (see their CV on the Young women researchers’ career development – steps towards excellence in science). Related to the event see the photo gallery on this website/home.

The TV report covering the public event organized at the UAIC on the 29 March 2013 was transmitted by TVR Iasi (TV channel with regional audience) on 2 April, and then by TVR 3 (with national audience) on the 6 April 2013.

This second open source database aims at bringing to public attention the young women researchers who have remarkable results in their scientific communities and to encourage them in career development by increasing their visibility. It will be permanently filled in and actualized with new profiles from different research groups of the UAIC.

For more details about this event please visit - link.

Within this session, 28 young researchers from the UAIC’s Doctoral School and post-doctoral researchers met Prof. univ. dr. Teresa Maria Lago, from University of Porto (Portugal), and Dr. Brigitte Ratzer, from Technical University of Vienna (Austria), invited experts of the STAGES project at the UAIC, who talked about the European competitions for the ERC grants and the strategies for stimulating young researchers’ scientific excellence.

Training Seminar given by Dr. Teresa Ratzer, Director of the Center for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from the Technical University of Vienna (Austria), invited expert of the STAGES projet at the UAIC, with the participation of the managers and staff members of Human Resources Department of the UAIC Iasi.

The young female and male students who recently graduated MA in Sociology and Social Work have been informed on the career perspectives in their scientific and professional fields by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, the coordinator of the two master programmes (European Master on Children's Rights and, respectively, Probation, Mediation and Social Protection of Crime Victims), together with Dr. Roxana Necula, representative of The National College of Social Work, Georgiana Onici, representative of the Probation Agency Iasi and Dr. Catalin Fedor, from Social Sciences Institute of Romanian Academy, branch Iasi. The event, attended by more than 60 participants, has been organized within the frame of the Master Graduation Ceremony of the 2013 generation of MA graduates in Social Sciences from the UAIC, in the Conference Room of Building R.

The 2nd Annual Thematic Workshop (2013), organized by the UAIC Network of Women in Academics and Research, had as main theme Gender Equality in Romania and its statistical presentation in European reports. Starting from statistical data highlighted in two recent European surveys – She Figures 2012 and Gender Equality Index – the presentation given by prof. dr. Doina Balahur also included comparative indicators for gender equal opportunities in the Romanian Universities and particularly at the UAIC. The debate has reveled that beyond the figures there are really relevant issues like those directly experienced by women researchers from the UAIC. Among the speakers there were: prof. dr. Elena Bâcu (Chemistry), prof. dr. Liliana Mitoșeriu (Physics), prof. dr. Alexandra Raluca Iordan (Biology), prof. dr. Iuliana Gabriela Breaban (Geography), lect. dr. Christiana Balan (Economics/Statistics), assist. dr. Mihaela Danu (Biology), dr. Cristina Ciomaga (Physics), dr. Felicia Gheorghiu (Physics), dr. Nadejda Horchidan (Physics), dr. Zina-Violeta Mocanu (Physics) and the young PhD students Diana Didilica, Daniela Caltea (Sociology), Alexandra Sandu, Madalina Paiu and Ana Ioana Breaban (Geography).

After the first 18 months, the UAIC's retrospective on the activities initiated, organised and realised within the STAGES project includes 35 events and actions (that were presented throughout the course of the project on our website so that they are already known beyond the academic community). In the report submitted to the DG Research and Innovation of the European Commission there are firstly mentioned the creation of the new organizational structures that support the objectives of achieving gender equality in science: the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research, and the UAIC Research Group on Gender Equality in Science. There are also presented the main public events organised at the UAIC: "Women Researchers Day. Celebration of the UAIC Women in Science", International Colloquium "Women in scientific research: achievements and challenges for gender equality management", the thematic workshops on gender policies in European context, the training modules on gender mainstreaming in human resources management, seminars on career development and info-days for young researchers. Last but not least there are mentioned the communication actions like the setting up of the Open source databases UAIC Profiles of women in science, the first documentary film in the series Awards for excellence in science, the UAIC STAGES website and the other communication campaigns aimed at increasing the public visibility of outstanding feminine personalities in science and academia from the UAIC.

What are the provisions of the Romanian labour law regarding the balance between professional and personal life? Are Romanian labour law provisions harmonized with the European standards in the field? What regulations are foreseen in the other EU countries' labour laws? Dr. Snejana Sulima (Law Faculty) answers these questions asked many times by young researchers from UAIC who are interested in the possible arrangements for a better balance between the demands of their professional work and personal life.

On the occasion of the official inauguration of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, the STAGES project organized two days International Conferences & Debates under the title Science and Gender Equality Management in European Research Universities. The invited guest speakers were Dr. Katrien Maes, Chief Policy Officer of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), researcher at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), and Dr. Anne Pepin, Director at the National Centre for Scientific Research of France (CNRS), Mission for the Place of Women. The two guests who visited our University were invited to present their research institutions achievements related to gender equality policy, action plans and best practices, and to share experience and knowledge that could be transferred in the UAIC training programmes on gender equality in science.

The guests invited at the official inauguration of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science had a meeting with the UAIC Rector, Prof. univ. dr. Vasile Ișan, and other senior managers from the University. The main theme of discussions was Gender Equality Management in European Universities. At the meeting with Dr. Katrien Maes, representative of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), participated prof. dr. Ovidiu Cârjă, Director of UAIC Doctoral School (IOSUD), prof. dr. pr. Emil Dumea, Dean of the Catholic Theology Faculty, prof. dr. Gabriela Pascariu, Director of the Centre for European Studies and prof. dr. Doina Balahur, Director of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science, coordinator of the UAIC- STAGES project. During the dialogue there was advanced the proposal of an eventual cooperation/partnership between LERU and the UAIC on the programmes concerning Gender equality in science.

Dr. Katrien Maes, Chief Policy Officer of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), presented a conference on “Scientific excellence and gender equality in the European Research Universities: LERU’s vision and policies” (pdf). The debate following the presentation was moderated by prof. dr. Doina Balahur. Among the over 50 participants there were senior managers, academics and researchers from the UAIC, post-doctoral fellows, PhD and MA students. The questions and contributions of some participants (assoc. prof. dr. Daniela Șoitu, assoc. prof. dr. Iuliana Breabăn, senior lecturer dr. Nina Mihalache, dr. Diana Arhire, PhD student George Ichim and others) pointed out the relevance of the issues in debate

Dr. Anne Pepin, Director at the National Centre for Scientific Research of France (CNRS), Mission for the Place of Women, presented the conference "Gender Equality in Science: the experience and achievements of the CNRS France". Anne is also coordinator in FP7 project INTEGER, which is similar ("twin") in its aims with the STAGES project, both of them having as main objective structural change to achieve gender equality in science. Her presentation has been attended by more than 70 participants, academics and senior researchers, Human Resources staff, early-career researchers, PhD and MA students from the UAIC. The debate was moderated by prof. dr. Doina Balahur.

The UAIC is among the few (if not the single one) Universities from Romania which provides childcare services to its academic staff and students. The Kindergarten "Junior” (set up 10 years ago) and the Primary School “Junior" (inaugurated in 2007) are real organizational support for the families who work or learn at the UAIC. Interviewing prof. univ. dr. Gheorghe Iacob, vice-rector of the UAIC, we offer more information about childcare services and other facilities that our University provides to its employees, both women and men, in order to improve the conditions for "work-life balance".

One of the outstanding personalities of our University, professor and scientist Magda Noela Petrovanu (1923-2008) is acknowledged as the founder of the Scientific School of Organic Chemistry in Iasi. She published over 250 scientific papers, obtained 50 patents and was visiting professor and member of scientific associations from Belgium, France and Germany. Since 5 editions, the annual National Contest of Chemistry for young students is called with her name. The personality of the professor, scientist and inventor Magda Petrovanu was evocated recently, at the UAIC’s Museum, by Prof. dr. Elena Bîcu (photo right), one of the former PhD student mentored by Magda Petrovanu, today herself being mentor for young PhD students of the Faculty of Chemistry

The Romanian Academy has communicated the list of researchers who have been awarded with the most prestigious prizes in science for their publications in 2011. Two women scientists from the UAIC are among the nominees for the Academy’s awards: Prof. dr. Liliana Mitoseriu, from the Faculty of Physics, who has received the prize “Stefan Procopiu”, and Prof. dr. Marina Aura Dariescu, from the same Faculty, who was awarded (together with Prof. dr. Ciprian Dariescu) with the prize “Constantin Miculescu”. The colleagues from the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research send them - as well as to the men researchers from the UAIC who received this year the Academy’s distinctions (Doris Mironescu- Literature; Marian Munteanu and Cătălin Galeș – Mathematics; Marius Mihășan, Lucian Hrițcu, Gheorghe Zarnea and Octavian Popescu – Biology; Gabriel Ciobanu – Informatics) congratulations for these achievements.

The theme of this workshop has been "Strategies to increase the women scientists' visibility at the UAIC". Presenting the topics, Prof. dr. Doina Balahur stressed that making known the achievements of the UAIC's women scientists is a major component of "Fixing the transformative and formative praxis", the action model and strategic approach carried out by the UAIC-STAGES team for promoting gender equality objectives. During the 4 hours discussions, the participants have analyzed and evaluated the relevance and the impact of various strategic modalities already followed and which will be continued (like the annual public event "Women Researchers Day", the Annual Awards for Excellence in Science, the Compendium "UAIC Profiles of women in science", the films with outstanding feminine personalities) as well as new ones (like the future exhibition "UAIC's Women in Science"). Among the participants: Prof. dr. Elena Bâcu (Chemistry), Prof. dr. Rodica Dimitriu (Letters), Prof. dr. Luminița Bejenaru (Biology), Assoc. Prof. dr. Iuliana Breabăn (Geography), Assoc. Prof. dr. Nina Mihalache (Sociology), Lect. dr. Snejana Sulima (Law), Lect. dr. Christiane Balan (Economics), Lect. dr. Veronica Popescu (Letters), Dr. Diana Arhire (Sociology) and PhD candidates Ștefania Cojocaru (Chemistry), Mădălina Puiu (Geography), Ana Maria Mandiuc, Maria Munteanu and George Ichim (Sociology).

A scientific seminar on “Women in science” has been organized by the Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration in collaboration with the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science on the 6th March 2014. Invited speakers were Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Director of the Centre, coordinator of STAGES project at the UAIC, who presented the theme “Gender in science” from a European perspective, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Costel Istrate, from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEEA), who spoke about “The woman's role in accounting”. There were also present Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan, Director of the Doctoral School, and Prof. Dr. Adriana Zaiț, from FEEA. More than 25 PhD students and young researchers in Economics and Business studies have attended this seminar that integrated the topics of gender equality in science in their doctoral programme. The seminar took place at the UAIC, Building R, Room 502.

The second edition of this annual public event had the main objective making known the scientific achievements of women researchers and professors from the UAIC by presenting documentary films about their professional profiles and awarding their most relevant results in science as well as their contribution, as role models for young researchers, at the promotion of gender equality in science at the UAIC. The event organization has been ensured by the Center for Social Management and Community Development, the UAIC's Center for Gender Equality in Science and the UAIC's Network of Women in Academics and Research, within the frame of FP7 European project STAGES – “Structural Transformation to Achieve Gender Equality in Science”.

The Programme of this year included: *Opening speech: Prof. univ. dr. Vasile Ișan, Rector of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi * Women and Scientific Excellence in Life and Earth sciences - a brief overview. Moderator: Prof. univ. dr. Doina Balahur, Director of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, coordinator of the UAIC-STAGES project * Film presentation: “UAIC Profiles of Women in Science (2). Life and Earth sciences”. Prof. dr. Elena Bâcu and Prof. dr. Alexandra-Raluca Iordan (Chemistry), Conf. dr. Luminița Bejenaru, Conf. dr. Zenovia Olteanu and Prof. dr. Maria-Magdalena Zamfirache (Biology), Conf. dr. Iuliana Breabăn (Geography-Geology) and young researchers groups from the Faculties of Chemistry, Biology and Geography–Geology.* The official ceremony “Women's Annual Science and Technology Excellence Awards 2014” and “Women's Annual Science and Technology Distinctions for Young Researchers 2014”. The event was attended by more than 170 participants – professors, researchers, managers, Post-docs, PhD, MA and BA students from the UAIC. (see the ceremony photo gallery on this website/home).

The academic and scientific personalities who received "Women's Science and Technology Excellence Award" for the whole career were: Professor emeritus Odette Blumenfeld (Faculty of Letters) and Professor emeritus Elisabeta Jaba (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration). The same awards with the mention of “Magda Petrovanu” Prize have been attributed to the scientists from the field “Life and Earth Sciences”: Prof. dr. Elena Bâcu and Prof. dr. Alexandra-Raluca Iordan (Faculty of Chemistry), Assoc. Prof. dr. Luminița Bejenaru, Assoc. Prof. dr. Zenovia Olteanu and Prof. dr. Maria-Magdalena Zamfirache (Faculty of Biology), and Assoc Prof. dr. Iuliana Breabăn (Faculty of Geography-Geology). At the same ceremony with the "Women's Annual Science and Technology Distinction for Young Researchers" have been awarded: Assoc. Prof. dr. Lenuța Alboaie and Assoc. Prof. dr. Corina Forăscu (Faculty of Computer Science), Dr. Mihaela Aurelia Danu (Faculty of Biology), and Dr. Alina Ghineț (Faculty of Chemistry).(see their resume on the “UAIC Profiles of Women in Science” and the ceremony photo gallery on this website/home). The Award Ceremony took place at the UAIC, Building A, Senate Hall.

Within the programme of the “European Women Researchers Day”, CNRS France (direction Mission for the Place of Women) and the UAIC Iasi have jointly organized an international video-workshop for early career researchers, post-doctoral fellows and PhD students interested in Research Networks in Europe, with the participation of several European universities involved in FP7 projects on Gender Equality in Science. The theme of this workshop was Financing in European research, mobility opportunities and grant application support. Among the speakers, Dr. Vannesa Campo Ruiz, Vice-Chair, European Commission Horizon 2020 “Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Advisory Group” and Member of the Horizon 2020 ad hoc Advisory Group on Gender, presented some topics and opportunities for funded research within the programmes Marie Curie Actions( see pdf), and Professor Helen Gleeson, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, has given useful advices on “Winning a fellowship”(see pdf). More than 25 young researchers from the UAIC have attended online this international workshop. The video-workshop has been held at the CNRS France and UAIC Iasi, Romania, Building A, Faculty of Philosophy Council Room.

The TV report covering the public event “European Women Researchers Day” organized at the UAIC on 28th March 2014 was realized by journalists from TVR (the Romanian National Broadcasting Company) and transmitted on TVR 3 (TV channel with national audience) and TVR Iasi (TV channel with regional audience) on 1 April 2014.

Questions regarding gender equality in science have special relevance in “Horizon 2020”, the new EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. To highlight the importance of these issues, the European Commission has recently published the Vademecum on Gender Equality in Horizon 2020 as a practical guidance on the application of the new Gender Equality provisions in the implementation of Horizon 2020. The main novelty in this respect is integrating Gender Equality issues as a horizontal dimension at each stage of the research cycle: from programming through implementation, monitoring and programme evaluation. This vision support the formulation of the three objectives aiming to improve Gender Equality in research projects funded by the EU Framework Programme, namely: Fostering gender balance in Horizon 2020 research teams, in order to address the gaps in the participation of women in the Framework Programme's projects; Ensuring gender balance in decision-making, in order to reach the Commission’s target of 40% of the under-represented sex in panels and groups (50% for advisory Groups); Integrating gender/sex analysis in research and innovation (R&I) content, which help increasing the scientific quality and societal relevance of the produced knowledge, technology and/or innovation. (Read more here). At the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science a special team meeting was dedicated for studying the document guidelines and discussing their applications in the UAIC research activity.

Our university has received the logo "Human Resources Excellence in Research" which is conferred by the European Commission to the research institutions that implement the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their Recruitment in their policies and practices. According to the EC "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R), by gaining this logo within a multi-staged evaluation process, an institution is identified as a provider and supporter of a stimulating and favourable working environment for researchers. (read more). Since the adoption of the Commission Recommendation on the Charter&Code in 2005, over 1200 institutions from 35 countries in Europe and abroad have expressed their explicit support for the principles of these policy and normative documents and about 180 have obtained the Commission's "HR Excellence in Research" badge. By obtaining the logo, UAIC has received at the same time the acknowledgement that its regulations and practices are in alignment with the European values of Ethics, Freedom and Transparency and the principles of “Human Resources Excellence in Research”. Among these principles the promoting of Gender Equality in Science is also assumed as a priority concern, so as it is explicitly written both in the UAIC Evaluation Report and in the Action Plan for the next two years (for more information ).

The UAIC team has contributed at the Mid-term Research Report prepared to be submitted to the DG Research and Innovation at the end of this month. Our main contribution is a preliminary study on a cross-cutting issue faced by all the STAGES partners who implement self-tailored action plans within the framework of STAGES project: the choice of an appropriate strategy for structural changes in order to achieve the objectives of improving gender equality in science in their organizations. The research concluded, based on interviews and documents analysis, that the dilemma “cooperation paradigm” vs. “conflict paradigm” is a relevant question that could determine the real effectiveness of gender programmes in various organizational contexts of the research institutions (see the text).

The international programme “For Women in Science”, based on the collaboration between UNESCO and L'Oréal, offers grants and awards to exceptional women scientists in the field of life sciences around the globe. Founded in 1998 on the premise that the world needs science and science needs women, the programme is designed to promote a greater participation of women in science, by recognising their contributions and awarding promising women scientists with fellowships to help them further their research. Since 2009 the programme is also functional in Romania and offers national grants for the young researchers under 35 years old, who are either PhD candidates or post-doctoral fellows in a Romanian university. More information about the 5th edition of this programme in Romania read on cnr-unesco.ro.
One of the Romanian laureate of the grants UNESCO-L'Oréal is Dr. Alina Ghineț, who studied at the Faculty of Chemistry of the UAIC, where she has obtained her BS and MA degrees and then continued PhD studies in Medicinal Chemistry at the Lille University from France. Recently, she was also awarded by the UAIC- STAGES project within the European Women Researchers Day. On this occasion, Dr. Alina Ghineț gave us an interview about her remarkable achievements and the importance of the grants UNESCO-L'Oréal in the professional development of young researchers' career.( read here the interview).

Dr. Emilia Moroșan is one of the numerous young women researchers who started their scientific formation at the UAIC and then developed a successful scientific career abroad. After graduating with a BS in Physics from the UAIC in 1999, she got her PhD in Physics from Iowa State University (USA) in 2005, and then moved on to a postdoctoral position at Princeton University. Today, Emilia Morosan is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and Chemistry at Rice University (USA). Prof. Moroșan's research focuses on materials design and discovery, with particular interests in itinerant magnetism, superconductivity, heavy fermions and quantum criticality. For her scientific activity, she received several early career awards, including the ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientist and Engineers (PECASE), offered by the USA President Barack Obama, and the NSF CAREER. Invited to give a conference on her current research, Dr. Moroșan had also a meeting with young researchers, PhD and MA students from Physics Department of the UAIC, who were interested to learn more about her road to success in science. The meeting took place at the UAIC, Building A, Room L1.

Integrated in the two-days programme of the 1st International Conference “Perspectives in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Hinting at Interdisciplinarity”, that took place at the UAIC on 23-24 May 2014, the workshop entitled “Career Development Opportunities for Young Researchers” was also an occasion to meet some UAIC professors and researchers who have been involved in international projects and have shared their experiences. Among the speakers, Prof. dr. Liliana Mitoseriu presented COST programme, Prof. dr. Cecilia Arsene referred to Marie Curie Actions, Prof. dr. Ionel Mangalagiu spoke about the international cooperation with Republic of Moldova, and Dr. Ionut Topala gave information on “The Researchers Night” event. Prof. dr. Doina Balahur, coordinator of the FP7 Project STAGES at the UAIC presented the European programmes of Gender Equality in Science. The debates were introduced by Elena Radu, Head of Research and Projects Management Department, and coordinated by Prof. dr. Dumitru Luca, Vice-rector, responsible for research programmes at the UAIC. The workshop took place at the UAIC, Building A, Ferdinand Room.

For a new generation of master students who have graduated and obtained their MA degree, at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences there is a tradition to be organized a last course, beyond the academic curriculum, but scrutinizing the links between the school and society. This course is about the perspectives open by the competences and skills gained during the University studies and their correlation with the workplaces demand in the labour market, that is about graduates' future professional careers. This year, the graduates of the European Master on Children’s Rights as well as of the MA programme Probation, Mediation, and Protection of the Victims of Crime, discussed about career opportunities in social research, social work activities and justice system with their professors: Dr. Doina Balahur (Sociology and Social Work Department), Dr. Snejana Sulima (Faculty of Law), Drd. Niculina Karaksony (Deputy Director at the Social Work and Child Rights Protection Iasi), Dr. Diana Nastac (Probation Counselor) and Dr. Cătălin Luca (Director of Social Alternatives Association). The event took place at the UAIC, Building R, Conference Room.

The documentary exhibition “UAIC – A Place for Women in Science” has been organized by the UAIC-STAGES project and the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science in the famous space named “the Hall of Echoing Footsteps” (Sala Pasilor Pierduti).The exhibition reflects, like a public mirror, the activities and events held at the UAIC on the last 30 months period under the aegis of the European Project STAGES in order to promote gender equality in science. The themes of the 24 panels that gather more than 250 documents and photos are correlated with the main objectives of the UAIC-STAGES Action Plan and illustrate the setting up of new institutional structures and practices, the organizing of public events and scientific workshops, training sessions and many other activities aiming to make more visible the scientific achievements and social responsibilities of the women academics and researchers from the UAIC. In their introductory discourses, Prof. Dr, Vasile Isan, the Rector of the University, and Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur the coordinator of the UAIC-STAGES project, have highlighted the significance of this documentary exhibition that shows the European development of our academic community in accordance with EC gender equality policy and programmes. The varnishing event has been attended by more than 50 professors and researchers, managers and administrative staff, PhD students and post-doctoral fellows. The exhibition will be open in the interval 23 June-11 July 2014. (see photos gallery on the page home). The event took place at the UAIC, Building A, The Hall of the Echoing Footsteps.

A TV report about the documentary exhibition “UAIC – A Place for Women in Science” at the UAIC was broadcast on TV Regional Iasi a short time after the opening day. The report has been produced by journalists from TVR Iasi/ the Romanian National Broadcasting Company – Branch Iasi. The images have been taken at the varnishing event and the accompanying commentary gave information about the relevance of the exhibition for the UAIC academic community. In the photos above: some moments from the preparation of the TV report, the interviews with Prof. Dr. Vasile Isan, the Rector of UAIC, Prof. Dr. Dumitru Luca, Vice-rector of the UAIC and Prof. Dr Doina Balahur, coordinator of the STAGES project at the UAIC, the organizer of the exhibition.

The training module provided by the UAIC-STAGES project for the managers and staff of the UAIC Human Resources Department had this year the theme “Human Resources Excellence in Research and Gender Equality Programme”. As UAIC has recently received the EC's logo “Human Resources Excellence in Research”, and the observance of the gender equality principle is among the criteria taken into consideration for accessing this distinction, Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur has presented the new provisions on Gender Equality in Science included in the Horizon 2020 and in the other policy documents of the European Research Area (ERA). The presentation has also focused on the gender statistical indicators included in the recent European research studies and the importance of completing a corespondent database at the UAIC in order to facilitate permanent comparative analysis. The elaboration of this database is a task assumed by the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, and will be accomplished in the next two years with the technical support of the Human Resources Department from the UAIC. The training took place at the UAIC, Buiding A, Room S5.

The theme "Gender Equality in Science" is proposed for the PhD studies, the second year consecutively, in the competition call for the admission session September 2014 of the UAIC's Doctoral School. This is until now a singular initiative in a Romanian University. Prof. dr. Doina Balahur, scientific coordinator for PhD in Sociology at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences, announced the topics and the bibliography on "Gender, Career and Performance in Scientific Research" and "Structural Transformations in Universities and Research Institutes for Achieving Gender Equality in Science". The research on these themes will be carried out in cooperation with the FP7 European project STAGES at the UAIC. (more info here)

As a recognized specialist in Archaeozoology (the study of animal bones from archaeological sites), Professor Luminita Bejenaru, from the UAIC Faculty of Biology, has gained a remarkable scientific reputation in this interdisciplinary community, both in Romania and abroad. Recently, she was the first of two co-editors (together with Dr. Dale Serjeantson, from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Southampton, UK) for a Special Issue of the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (May/June 2014, volume 34, Issue 3, Pages 245-437). The volume is titled Special Issue on Birds and Archaeology: New Research. The next period, Prof. Bejenaru will participate with original papers based also on the work of research teams she is leading, at important scientific meetings and conferences in this field: the 10th Meeting of the Worked Bone Research Group of the ICAZ, Belgrade, Serbia, 25-30 August 2014 (http://www.wbrg.net/meetings/beograd-2014), the European Association of Archaeologists 20th Annual Meeting, Istanbul, Turkey, 10-14 September 2014 (https://www.eaa2014istanbul.org/site), and the 12th ICAZ International Conference of Archaeozoology, San Rafael, Argentina, 22-27 September 2014 (http://www.icaz2014argentina.com/inicio/). Prof. Bejenaru is a founder member of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and this year, at the 2014 edition of the UAIC Women Awards for Excellence in Science, within the event European Women Researchers Day, she has been laureate for her outstanding achievements in research.

The topics of gender equality in science that have been advanced through the UAIC-STAGES project activities increasingly became a trigger for rising gender awareness and this positive effect can already be observed. In a paper presented at the International Conference ELECTROCERAMICS XIv (fourteenth edition), which has been held in Bucharest, on the interval June 16th- 20th, 2014, Dr. Cristina Ciomaga, a dedicated young researcher in Physics from the UAIC, has proposed the theme: Woman Scientist. Women models in science. Gender balance in science, referring to her own experience with women scientists as role models within the COST project (COST Action MP0904, SIMUFER) where she was team member, as well as at some issues on work-life balance in women scientific researchers career. Cristina is among the founder members of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and, for her scientific achievements, she has been awarded at the first edition of the UAIC Women Awards for Excellence in Science (2013). We publish here her interesting, grateful and convincing paper (pdf) in order to stimulate other young researchers and colleagues to reflect on their own experiences of gender in science.

Dr. Lenuta Alboaie, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, has been recently appointed in a Vice-Dean position, responsible with didactic activity. Its for the first time in the history of the Faculty of Computer Science when a women is elected in an important managerial position in the field of Informatics, a domain known, from relevant gender studies carried out in the European and worldwide Academy, as having a strong masculinized culture. Dr. Lenuta Alboaie is a member of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research set up within the frame of the UAIC STAGES project and this year she was among the laureates from the Faculty of Computer Science of the ''Womens Annual Science and Technology Distinctions for Young Researchers 2014''. One can read her CV on our website and more information on the site of the Faculty of Computer Science. The colleagues from the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research are pleased to send congratulations to Dr. Lenuta Alboaie and friendly wish her future success.

Between 30-31 October the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi and the School of High Studies on Engineering from Lille (France) have organized the 3rd edition of the French-Romanian Colloquium on Medicinal Chemistry. Held since 2010, at the initiative of Dr. Alina Ghinet, winner of the prize and scholarship L'Oreal-Unesco for Women in Science, who donated the 10000 Euro award for the organization of the first edition, this French-Romanian scientific event brings together researchers in medicinal chemistry from academia, research institutions and industry from France and Romania. Within the frame of the 3rd edition, at the joined initiative of the main organizers of the Colloquium, Dr. Alina Ghinet and Prof. Dr. Elena Bicu, who are also members of the UAIC Network of Women in Science, and Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Director of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science and coordinator of the FP7 UAIC-STAGES project, on the 30 October, a Round table has been organized as an open, interdisciplinary dialog on Gendered Science in Medicinal Chemistry. On this occasion Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur gave a presentation of the STAGES project at the UAIC and also introduced the theme of gendered innovation underlying the benefits of taking sex and gender into consideration in the content, methods and all the stages of the research. It was followed by debates and a Q&A session on how gendered innovation could be introduced in the research on Medicinal Chemistry. Interventions and observations on the potential benefits of gendered content in Medicinal Chemistry research have been made by Dr. Alina Ghinet, Dr. Solo Goldstein (France), Dr. Alin Dirtu, Dr. Mariana Pinteala and Dr. David Perry (France). Both young female and male researchers and PhD candidates have also raised questions. The Round table has been attended by more than 40 young and senior researchers from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Chemistry, the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Petru Poni, Iasi, the School of High Studies on Engineering from Lille (France), University of Havre (France), and University Paris South (France).

After the successful results of the first project COST coordinated by Romania in the field of Physics, for which she has been the project leader, Professor Liliana Mitoseriu, from the UAIC Faculty of Physics, continues to be a remarkable presence at international and national scientific events. Next year, Professor Mitoseriu will be co-Chair in the organizing committee of the symposium entitled "Ceramics for electro-magnetic and optical applications" included within the 14th Conference of the European Ceramic Society (ECERS), that will take place at Toledo, Spain, on 21-25 June 2015. The Symposium is designed as an interdisciplinary forum for scientists and engineers from various theoretical and experimental areas, involved in fundamental as well in applied research or in industrial implementation of such materials in multifunctional devices. The thematic announced for the symposium will cover recent developments of design, preparation, and properties of electronic materials, manufacturing, sustainability and cost reduction issues. For more information read here. Like in other relevant occasions, we are glad to inform our readers about the scientific successes of feminine personalities from UAIC, by considering that their constant international and national presence contributes to the scientific recognition and increasing prestige of our university.

At the solicitation of the academic and research staff in our university, the UAIC-STAGES project, in cooperation with the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, has organized on the 9 December 2014 a one day training on Scientific excellence in Horizon 2020 projects: gender in projects life cycle. The training was delivered by Ms. Catarina Arnaut, gender expert from Yellow Window, Belgium, and took place in the UAIC Senate Room, from 9:00 to 17:30. The training was divided in two sessions: the morning session comprised an overall introduction into gender and research and show how gender is interwoven with all aspects of research. The topics were then examined in pragmatic terms in order to underline how a gender dimension of research content contributes to excellence in research. This way, various aspects of gender equality in science have been zoomed in into the framework of Horizon 2020 and its gender specific requirements included in the projects applications. During the afternoon session, case studies were analyzed based on concrete examples drawn from two specific research fields: nanosciences and biotechnology and inclusive, innovative and reflective societies.(more info on the programme). The training, based on interactive methods, was attended by 44 professors and researchers, members of Senate, Doctoral Schools and Departments managers as well as post-docs fellows, PhD candidates and MA students, who manifest their interest to learn more about gender dimensions that should be taken into consideration when applications in European research projects are to be initiated. The training had as a documentary and working document the toolkit Gender in EU-funded research and innovation provided by Yellow Window (Publication Office of the European Union, 2014).

On the 13 December 2014, the UAIC-STAGES project, in cooperation with the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Political Sciences, organized the first course on Gender and science: Interdisciplinary perspectives on sex and gender. The 4 hours course (10:00-14:00) was given by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, who presented an introduction into the main scientific perspectives to approach the topics of sex/gender in science, namely the sociological, psychological, neurobiological, anthropological, and juridical frameworks and at the same time argued on the necessity to integrate these approaches in an interdisciplinary perspective able to highlight new findings concerning the relevance of gender dimension in science (as for example in the content, methods and applications of research). The documented examples from the social sciences research have been provided to sustain the argumentation. The course was attended by 19 PhD students in the fields of Sociology, Political Sciences and Communication Sciences.

At the joined initiative of the Centre for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from Vienna University of Technology, Austria and the Centre for Gender Equality in Science from Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania, set up within the European project STAGES, an on-site visit for exchange of experience and transfer of knowledge on Gender Equality in Science has been organized on the 15-16 December 2014 at the Vienna University of Technology (TU-Wien).
The UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science (CGES) has been represented by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Director of CGES, Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan, Deputy Director of the UAIC Doctoral School, Associate Professor Luminita Bejenaru, member of the Senate of the UAIC, Associate Professor Lenuta Alboaie, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, Associate Professor Iuliana Breaban, member of the management board of CGES, Adina Cojocariu, representative of the Rectors Office and Sonia Giorgiu, Gabriela Enasescu and Cristina Holban, representatives of the Department of Human Resources from the UAIC.
The transfer of knowledge programme has started with the meeting with Dr. Brigitte Ratzer, head of the Centre for the Promotion of Women and Gender Studies from TU-Vienna, who gave a presentation about Women at TU Vienna Challenges and perspectives for the future, with special focus on gender issues in curricula, mentoring and role models programmes as well as on the initiatives aiming at high-lightening womens scientific excellence. The delegation of the UAIC Centre had then the pleasure to meet Professor Anna Steiger, the Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Gender from TU-Wien, who presented the strategic vision on the Human Resources and Gender Equality Management, speaking especially about the main policies, strategies, measures and plans for advancement of women. The third session of training took place at the Office of Human Resources, where Ms. Heidemarie Pichler, the Head of the Office, presented the operational dimensions of the HR Development and Corporate Health at Vienna University of Technology, which provided the opportunity to understand how the strategies and measures in place on the development of human resources and gender equality are working in everyday life at the TU Vienna. At the same office, Ms. Eva Vesely, the Coordinator of the TU Vienna programme on Dual Couple Career explained that for partners of newly appointed professors are offered different services, support and advice tailored for each situation. The exchange experience programme included also a visit at TU-Kids, the kindergarten of the university. Presenting the specific activities, Ms. Astrid Schowdorfer, the Head of the institution, emphasized that the programme of the kindergarten complements the strategies in place at the TU-Vienna aiming at creating a friendly environment for the students and staff and being also an important support for the professional work and family life balance. The series of meetings, presentations and visits was followed by group discussions on the good practices and experiences that could be transferred at the UAIC. (more info and photos here).

The Faculty of Computer Science, in partnership with the UAIC-STAGES project and the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, organized the workshop Following Anita Borg, that aimed at bringing together Women in Information Technology of Iasi (WITchIS) to celebrate the memory of Anita Borg and her dedication to advancement of women in technological education and career. The workshop was opened by Prof. Dr. Henry Luchian, Vice-Rector of the UAIC, who congratulated the organizers for their initiative and reminded that at the origin of the IT domain there is a lady-scientist, Ada Lovelace, the daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron. The two organizers from the Faculty of Computer Science, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lenwa Alboaie and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Corina Fosscu, are members of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and have been awarded in 2014 for their scientific and academic activities. The programme of the workshop included a presentation of the funding opportunities for women in Information Technology. Within this frame, Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur gave a talk on the UAIC-STAGES project by emphasising its contribution to raising awareness on the need to bring more women in STEAM domains. She also presented the model of 4 is (I know, I can, I want, I do) developed to support female and males self-efficacy and confidence in their capabilities to take a career in science and technology. The second part of the workshop, Meet the ladies in It, was dedicated to the launch of the initiative of setting up the Association of Women in IT from Iasi. The event brought together more than 70 participants from the UAIC academic and research staff, members of the Department of Sciences, Department of Interdisciplinary Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, representatives of the industrial and business environment, IT teachers and scholars from High Schools in Iasi.

Professor Maria Magdalena Zamfirache, from the Faculty of Biology, has been appointed as a member in the National Council of Scientific Research (CNCS). From the UAIC, Professor Tudorel Toader, Dean of the Faculty of Law, was also appointed in the same important scientific council that play a major role in research agenda setting and national research funding. Professor Maria-Magdalena Zamfirache is known for her outstanding achievements in research and was awarded in 2014 with our UAIC Women Awards for Excellence in Science. The documentary film UAIC Profiles of Women in Science (Life sciences) presents some aspects of her academic and scientific career. She is also a founder member of our UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and is actively contributing at our programme for gender equality in science promoted by the STAGES project at the UAIC. We congratulate our distinguished colleague and wish her good luck in this new responsibility.

The 4th annual thematic workshop of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research, entitled Moving towards Sustainability, has been organized at the Centre for Gender Equality in Science. The main topic selected for this year was dedicated to the strategies for sustainability and future development of the practices on promoting gender equality in science developed by the UAIC-STAGES project. After a presentation given by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, the participants advanced preliminary proposals for a gender equality plan and expressed engagements to contribute to its implementation. The meeting has been attended by 17 senior and young researchers, members of the Network, from the Faculties of Biology (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luminia Bejenaru, Dr. Mihaela Danu), Chemistry (Dr. Br�ndwa Alina Petre, Dr. Laura Ion), Computer Science (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lenwa Alboaie), Economics and Business Administration (Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan), Geography (Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iuliana Breacn), Letters (Prof. Dr. Odette Blumenfeld), Physics (Dr. Lavinia Curecheru, Dr. Mirela Aitimioaei) and Sociology (Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Prof. Dr. Maria Cojocaru, Drd. Petronela Munteanu. Drd. George Ichim, Drd. Florentina Curu. Drd. Rarg Miron) and also from the Department of Projects Management (Elena Radu Felice). The debates have underlined the need to continue the activities of international exchange of experiences and good practices with similar Centres and networks in European Universities and Research Institutions.

The purpose of the documentary films in the series UAIC Profiles of Women in Science" is to present the scientific achievements of women researchers from our University who have obtained nationally and internationally acknowledged results in their scientific careers, becoming this way role models for early career researchers, PhD candidates and MA students. The protagonists of the third edition are the women scientists and professors who work within the field of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities, respectively. By watching this promotional film one can meet Prof. Dr. Violeta Fotea (Faculty of Mathematics), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lenwa Alboaie and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Corina Forscu (Computer Sciences) as well as Prof. Dr. Rodica Dimitriu (Letters), Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan (Economics-Management) and Lecturer Dr. Snejana Sulima (Law). (please click to see the film)

Two years after the first edition (2013), the annual public event Women Researchers Day has already become a new tradition at the UAIC. Its main objective is to make known the scientific achievements of women researchers and professors from our University by presenting their professional profiles and awarding their most relevant results in science as well as their contribution, as role models for young researchers, at the promotion of gender equality in science at the UAIC. Like the previous editions, the event has been organized by the Center for Social Management and Community Development, the UAICs Center for Gender Equality in Science and the UAIcs Network of Women in Academia and Research, within the frame of FP7 European project STAGES  Structural Transformation to Achieve Gender Equality in Science.

The Programme of this year focused on Women and Scientific Excellence at the UAIC, including the presentation of the third documentary film UAIC Profiles of Women in Science (with two sections - Mathematics and Computer Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities, respectively) and the official ceremony Womens Annual Science and Technology Excellence Awards 2015 and Womens Annual Science and Technology Distinctions for Young Researchers 2015. As invited speaker, Dr. Marina Ranga, from Stanford University, H-STAR Institute, presented a conference on Gender and Context in Academia. From the Ivory Tower to the Next Generation Entrepreneurial University. The top management of the UAIC was represented by the Vice-rectors Prof. Dr. Ovidiu Gabriel Iancu and Prof. Dr. Dumitru Luca. The moderator of the event has been Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Director of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science, coordinator of the UAIC-STAGES project. The event was attended by more than 70 participants  professors, researchers, deans and vice-deans, Post-docs and PhD students from the UAIC. (see the ceremony photo gallery on this website/home).

The invited speaker of the 2015 edition of Women Researchers Day has been Dr. Marina Ranga, senior researcher at the Human Science and Technology Advanced Research Institute (H-STAR), from Stanford University. Known by her studies on gender dimension in innovation, technology transfer and entrepreneurship, Dr. Ranga has a rich experience in science and technology policy research as a member of the UN Economic Commission for Europes Expert Group on Innovation and Competitiveness Policies and of the Gender Advisory Board of the UN Commission for Science and Technology for Development. She is also a consultant for the European Commission (DG Research, DG Enterprise and Industry, DG Education, DG Regio) in several initiatives: PRO INNO TrendChart, ERAWATCH Research Inventory and Intelligence Services, METRIS - Analysis of Social Sciences and Humanities in EU27, European Observatory of Research Universities and Funding Agencies in EU27, evaluation of 2007-2013 Cohesion Policy of the European Union, State Aid for RDI, ERALAW, Regional Innovation Monitor. She led or contributed to various research projects for the European Commission, the OECD (Regional Competitiveness Initiative of Investment Compact for South East Europe), national and regional governments (e.g. Lithuania, Northeast and Southeast England, Northern Netherlands, Flemish government, etc.) and government agencies, e.g. the German Research Foundation (DFG). The lecture given by Dr. Marina Ranga has the theme Gender and Context in Academia. From the Ivory Tower to the Next Generation Entrepreneurial University (see the presentation pdf).

The academic and scientific personalities who received "Women's Science and Technology Excellence Award 2015" are: Prof. Dr. Rodica Dimitriu (Faculty of Letters), Prof. Dr. Violeta Fotea (Mathematics), Prof. Dr. Iuliana Georgescu (Economics), Prof. Dr. Diana-Mihaela Mardare (Physics), Lecturer Dr. Loredana Merew (Physics), Prof. Dr. Carmen Gabriela Pascariu (Economics), Prof. Dr. Mcsmioara Petrescu (Letters), Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan (Economics), Lecturer Dr. Snejana Sulima (Law), Prof. Dr. Daniela Tatiana"oitu (Sociology), Prof. Dr. Adriana Zak (Economics), Researcher Dr. Alina Asandei (Physics).

At the same ceremony with the "Women's Annual Science and Technology Distinction for Young Researchers 2015" have been awarded: Dr. Mirela Airimioaei (Physics), Assist. Prof. Dr. Aurelia Apetrei (Physics), Lecturer Dr. Christiane Balan (Economics), Lecturer Dr. Mihaela Breacn (Informatics), Assist. Prof. Dr, Ioana Grancea (Communication Sciences), Dr. Camelia Grdinaru (Communication Sciences), Dr. Nadejda Horchidan (Physics), Dr. Simona Mitroiu (Philosophy), Assist. Prof. Dr. Br�ndwa Alina Petre (Chemistry), Dr. Irina"chiopu (Physics), Lecturer Dr. Mirela"uchea (Physics), and Assist. Prof. Dr. Diana Trandac (Informatics) (see their resume on the UAIC Profiles of Women in Science).

Like in the previous edition, the European dimension of our event was highlighted by organizing an International video-workshop for early career researchers. The theme chosen this year has been Evaluation criteria of excellence without gender bias in the European Research Council (ERC) starting grants. Through online communication system, Severina Shopova, from Support to the ERC Scientific Council and Secretariat of the Scientific Council of the Gender Balance Working Group, and Jhansi Kota, from the ERC Scientific Department, Call coordination, presented information on the scientific excellence and gender balance criteria in the applications selection process for the ERC grants (see the presentation pdf). The participants  young researchers and their mentors - asked specific questions and received detailed answers. The arrangement for this online session was agreed with Prof. Dr. Isabelle Vernos, member of the ERC Scientific Council, Chair of Working Group on Gender Balance from ERC.

The round table on career development in science in Romania started from the facts and figures included in several evaluations reports on Romanias performances in RDI sector, especially the series of annual ERAWATCH Reports Country Profile, produced by the EC and JRC for the EU Member States. As author of such a Report, Dr. Marina Ranga presented some issues and challenges the Romanias RDI sector is confronted with and emphasized the need to increase the innovation rates in universities and research institutions through cooperation and partnership with private industrial companies, this being also a strategy to contribute to better gender awareness both at the level of universities and industry. The event has been attended by scientific researchers, post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D. students from the faculties of Chemistry, Computer science, Biology, Economics, Sociology and Physics as well as by the representatives of the Research Departments of the UAIC and managers of RDI from the UAIC. Among the participants at the debates that followed the presentation have been Assoc.Prof. Corina Fosscu (Faculty of Computer Science), Prof. Dr. Daniela"oitu (Department of Sociology and Social Work), Dr. Nadejda Horchidan (Faculty of Physics), Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur (UAIC-STAGES project coordinator) and Ms.Elena Felice, Head of Project Management Department.

The dialogue with Prof. dr. Vasile Kan, the Rector of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iai, was organized as a part of the activities dedicated to the annual celebration of the Women Researchers Day at the UAIC and was focused on the theme Gender Equality in Science and Innovation Management in Academia in the context of the current international trends and challenges concerning the new mission and the contribution the universities have to have in a world where innovation became the main source of development. During the meeting, Prof. Vasile Kan underlined the impact the participation and membership of the UAIC at different European Universities Networks - like Coimbra Group and Utrecht Network - had on the UAIC strategy towards an entrepreneurial university, the important transfer of knowledge and good practices enhanced by networking with high profile universities in Europe and worldwide. Participants at this 2 hours dialogue have been Dr. Marina Ranga, senior researcher at the H-STAR Institute, Stanford University, Prof. dr. Doina Balahur (UAIC-STAGES Project Coordinator), Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration) and Prof. Dr. Daniela oitu (Department of Sociology and Social Work), members of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research.

A TV report presenting the public event Women Researchers Day organized at the UAIC on 27th March 2015 has been realized by journalists from TVR Iasi (the Romanian National Broadcasting Company- Branch Iasi), our partner media for the STAGES project. The TV material has been included in the news programme Regional Journal under the title A day dedicated to the women researchers.

The Workshop entitled "Territorial resilience and gender inequalities in Romanian cities", jointly co-organized by the Faculty of Geography and Geology, the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science and the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, continued the series of thematic activities aiming to promote the approach of gender in content and methods of science within the frame of the UAIC-STAGES project. The workshop was co-moderated by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur (UAIC-STAGES coordinator), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gabriela Breacn (Geography), Senior Lecturer Dr. Alexandru Cnic (Geography) and Senior Lecturer Dr. Marinela Istrate (Geography). Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur gave a presentation on "Gendered content of science and innovation" which emphasized the high relevance the gender approach is having in the research of resilience and environmental challenges, one of the big problems that world is facing today and a research priority in Horizon 2020 programme. The workshop has been attended by more than 30 participants, senior and young researchers from the Faculty of Geography and Geology and by the representatives of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Science. Among the participants there were: Professor Emeritus Alina Ungureanu (Geography), Assoc. Professor Dr. Ionel Muntele (Geography), Prof. Dr. Adriana Prodan (Economics), Assoc. Professor Dr. Luminka Bejenaru (Biology), Senior Lecturer Dr. Christiana Balan (Economics), Dr. Paiu Mdlina (Geography), Drd. Loredana Ctsu (Sociology). The discussions on the research topics and methods have emphasized the value of the interdisciplinary approach and the importance of the integration of gender dimension in the scientific approach of urban-resilience and environment.

For the new generation of students who completed their MA degree in Sociology, the graduation ceremony included an open course on career development. As the coordinator of the Master programmes Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur talked to the more than 60 postgraduate students about the future directions of professional development. Among the important directions suggested, Professor Balahur underlined the possibility to candidate at the Doctoral School and to continue research, at an upper level, in the generous field of Gender Equality in Science and Gender in Responsible Research and Innovation. Pleading for this perspective, professor emphasized that most of the graduate students in this generation attended the public events organized by the UAIC-STAGES project, growing professionally in a climate where gender equality discourse and practice were present in their everyday academic life. At the graduation ceremony also participated Prof. Dr. Tatiana Daniela"oitu who encouraged the students to take the opportunity of continuing their professional development through a PhD research project.

According to the designed sustainability plan, the UAIC-STAGES project team promotes an active strategy aiming at assuring the continuity of the new functional structures and practices set up at UAIC for promoting gender equality in science. In this respect a series of trainings of the members of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science and of the Network of Women in Academia and Research have been foreseen with the aim to develop their skills and certificate their expertise for gender equality evaluation and monitoring in our university. Following this strategy, within the period 22 June  17 July 2015, a team of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research and of the Centre for Gender Equality in Science participated at an intensive training course on Participatory Gender Audit (PGA) organized by the International Labour Organization at the International Training Centre in Turin, Italy. The Romanian team has been represented by Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luminka Bejenaru, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Corina Fosscu and Ec. Liliana Iftimia, Head of the UAIC Accounting-Financial Department. After three weeks of online course and individual preparation, on the week 13-17 July the training was finalized in Turin, under the coordination of two ILO gender experts, Johanna Lortie and Linda Wirth. The training aimed at promoting organizational learning on mainstreaming gender equality by using a self-assessment tool for institutional multi-level analysis and by involving the organization members to jointly reflect on and to build their capacity to face gender challenges in their own institutions.

Under the same strategy focused on preparation the sustainability of the structures and practices developed within the frame of the UAIC-STGES project, Ms. Elena Felice-Radu, the Head of the Project Management Department, and also member of the UAIC-STAGES team, attended, within 6-24 July 2015, the ILO online and face to face training course on Coping with complexity: Towards a more systemic approach to Project Cycle Management. Based on the recent research and scientific evaluation, the training course challenged the traditional view on project cycle management, especially when the aim is organizational change and institutional capacity building, and this way stimulated the increasing and updating of the knowledge and skills on successful projects applications and management.

An important direction of our sustainability plan focused on the training of the staff of the UAIC Centre for Gender Equality in Science (CGES) and of the members of the Network of Women in Academia and Research. In close complementarity with the already given trainings as well as with the learning and formative effect of different activities performed by the UAIC-STAGES project, this year we aimed at 'fixing the knowledge and skills' for understanding, recognising and evaluating gender equality/in-equality through a series of certified training-courses given by international organizations. Therefore, the Centre for Gender Equality in Science, in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organizations (ITC-ILO), organized a two days (23-24 September2015) certified training course "Gender and Science". Its main objectives have been: to enable the participants to familiarise with the main issues characterizing women's presence in academic and scientific research in the EU; to analyse and discuss the main structural causes of gender inequalities in academic research; to identify the main possible strategies to promote structural change for gender equality in academic research; to elaborate some individual and group level action to support the undergoing projects of structural change in course at the UAIC. During the two days of training course, through interactive and participatory activities, the participants had the opportunity to analyse together different facets of gender equality/in-equality in research. The training course has been given by Benedetta Magri, gender expert from the ITC-ILO. In context, Prof. Dr. Doina Balahur, the UAIC-STAGES coordinator, presented in the situation of gender equality in science at the UAIC. The training benefited by a large interest and wide participation of 51 female and male senior and young researchers, members of the Senate, Heads of Doctoral Schools, Vice-deans and heads of the faculties' departments, as well as Heads and members of the Department of Human Resources, of the Financial and Accounting Department and of the Department of Project Management. The course ended with the certification ceremony of the attendees.

Within the period 1st  30 October 2015, Dr. Magdalena Vicovan, postdoctoral researcher of the UAIC-STAGES project, carried out a research study on the new child care services offered to the academic and research staff from our university within the frame of "Junior programme". The research was based on interviews with female and male academics and researchers whose children are enrolled at the "Junior Primary School" and at the "Junior Kindergarten" and with Liliana Minea, the Director of "Junior Programme", Primary School teacher. From the interviews taken it resulted that the "Junior programme" became more flexible and delivers more services so that to be better tailored, on the one hand, to the irregular working time of the academic and research staff of the university and, on the other hand, to better meet the diversity of learning interests of the children and also their play needs. The interviews with the parents, young researchers and academics from the university, indicated a high degree of satisfaction both with the new daily and weekly programme of the school and with the more diverse offer of extracurricular activities and balance between learning activities and play/relaxing ones. The creation of the "teacher on duty" for emergency situations and the possibility to prolong the daily programme till 8-9 PM was highly appreciated by the interviewed parents. Among the most appreciated new measures aiming at supporting the parents after the close of the school's regular programme are the "summer school" and "summer campus".

The Workshop "Promotion equal opportunities and diversity in academic organizations" was jointly organized by the National Council for Combating Discrimination and the Academic Society in Romania, within an international programme funded by the cooperation agreement Romania-Norway. Its main objectives have been to evaluate the perception of gender discrimination in universities in Romania. The UAIC-STAGES project has been represented by the Prof. Dr. Luminia Bejenaru, member of the UAIC Network of Women in Academia and Research, and by PhD student George Ichim, UAIC-STAGES team member. During the workshop Professor Luminita Bejenaru presented the UAIC-STAGES project and its main achievements and good practices on gender equality at the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi. Talking about the Centre for Gender Equality in Science, Ms. Luminita Bejenaru underlined that the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza " University is the only one in Romania that set up a special functional structure dealing with research, evaluation, monitoring and reporting on gender equality issues in academic life and research. At the workshop participated Mr.Csaba Ferenc Asztalos, the President of the National Council for Combating Discrimination, representatives of the Romanian universities and members of several NGOs representing the civil society.