Initiatives such as the Global Women’s Breakfast (GWB) have become increasingly important. Since its launch by IUPAC, the GWB has offered a unique opportunity to connect scientists worldwide, not only to celebrate achievements, but to reflect on the culture of science and on how we work together.
Previously the Global Women’s Breakfast has addressed themes such as empowerment, visibility, leadership and inclusion. What has remained constant is the emphasis on dialogue and shared responsibility. Each year, we have seen how these conversations create lasting connections and stimulate actions at local, national and European levels.
Many Voices, One Science
This year’s theme, “Many voices, one science”, captures a central idea: scientific excellence and responsibility go hand in hand with diversity of perspectives. Chemistry today is deeply interconnected with society. It influences education, technological development, environmental protection and policy-making. As chemists, we are increasingly called upon not only to produce knowledge, but to guide its responsible use.
Why focus on women in this context? Not because responsibility, education or interdisciplinarity are exclusive to women, but because women’s professional paths have often required crossing boundaries — between disciplines, between roles, and between science and society. This experience has contributed to approaches that value collaboration, long-term impact and inclusive leadership.
Women Create Bridges
In education, women have played a crucial role in shaping curricula, mentoring students and fostering the next generation of scientists. In interdisciplinary research, women have often acted as bridges between chemistry, physics, biology, materials science and the social sciences. And in scientific governance, women increasingly contribute to policy discussions, ethical frameworks and strategic decision-making.
Responsible chemistry, therefore, is not only about what we do in the laboratory, but about how we educate, how we collaborate across disciplines, and how we engage with society. These are areas where diversity of voices strengthens outcomes and builds trust.
EuChemS #GWB2026
This year on the 10th of February, EuChemS organized an online event within the framework of the Global Women’s Breakfast with a panel of speakers from universities, scientific societies and interdisciplinary environments, offering complementary perspectives on the role of women in shaping the future of chemistry in Europe. You can read more about it here, while the recording is available on the EuChemS YouTube channel.
This exchange not only highlighted achievements, but also identified concrete ways forward — for institutions, for scientific societies, and for each of us individually.
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