Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

Equal Opportunity STEPS

The STRUCTURES Training and Education Programme for Success (STEPS) supports early-career researchers and promotes a diverse and family-friendly workplace. The approach behind STEPS is based on the fact that a successful career is made by advancing step-by-step. and that each step along the career path requires specific skills and competences. STEPS focuses particularly on transition points – such as from doctoral researcher to postdoc or from postdoc to tenured/tenure track faculty. These transitions are particularly critical for women in academia. The main components of STEPS' equal opportunity measures are a strong mentoring programme, a recruitment and hiring strategy, and building a family friendly work environment.

Young African Mathematicians (YAM) Initiative

The STRUCTURES-YAM fellowships are a crucial element in our efforts to promote equal access and diverse international collaboration with early-career researchers from the Global South. YAM is an exchange programme in partnership between four German clusters of excellence and the African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS). YAM enables outstanding graduates from the AIMS Master Programme to spend an academic year at a leading German research institution, where they conduct research under the supervision of a professor, participate in a structured course programme and immerse themselves in a rich and stimulating environment.

DEI Workshops & Talks

To promote a culture of inclusion, respect, tolerance and fairness, STRUCTURES organizes workshops on key issues for its members, in close collaboration with university partners such as UNIFY and IsoQuant. Topics range from unconscious bias and microaggressions to active bystander training, civil courage training and stereotype threat. These sessions aim to raise awareness about systemic and interpersonal dynamics, to educate participants on their effects, along with giving practical ways of identifying and approaching problem behaviour. Through the development of these skills, STRUCTURES strives to create a culture of respect for others, improve communication, and actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

We regularly inform members about workshops and talks via our regular email lists. The STRUCTURES Project Management Office is happy to answer questions.

Trust Professors

The Young Researchers Convent (YRC) has designated four trusted professors to provide confidential assistance to STRUCTURES members who seek it. Our trust professors offer their support and guidance for early-career researchers. They can mediate in case of issues with your group or your supervisor, or if you are simply in need of helpful advice.

KIDS – The Parent Child Offices

The Parent-Child Offices “KIDS”, jointly organized with our partner ISOQUANT, offer child-friendly workspaces to all participants of the STRUCTURES and ISOQUANT projects, and to all active members of the involved faculties at two locations in Heidelberg. The Parent-Child Offices are meant to provide parents with the uncomplicated option of taking their children “to the office” in the case of unexpected childcare issues and enable their children’s care in a family-friendly environment. With KIDS, we contribute to making the reconciliation of family and work life a natural part of university culture.

Girls'Day

Together with our partner organization ISOQUANT, STRUCTURES and its participating departments are supporting and participating in the Girls' Day, an annual event that encourages young girls to explore and engage with careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on activities and mentorship. Offers for the next Girls'Day will be displayed here. In addition we also refer visitors to the initiatives Physik Hautnah and MINTmachen developed by the departments of physics & astronomy, and mathematics & computer science:

• “Physik hautnah”
• “MINTmachen!”