Do men and women pay a different price for pursuing a professional career? To what extent are the decisions we make truly our own, and to what extent are they influenced by the context around us? These were some of the questions addressed during the morning session of Passion for Knowledge, which was dedicated to mental health and well-being in the field of research. The session focused particularly on the inequalities and challenges that women face throughout their scientific careers. It was organised in collaboration with Emakumeak Zientzian.
Psychiatrist and science communicator Rosa Molina opened the session by offering insights into the topic from a clinical perspective and highlighting differences in the prevalence of certain disorders.
Molina then led a roundtable discussion, sharing her experiences and perspectives alongside researchers María Vallet-Regí and Susana Carregal, who come from different generations and professional backgrounds. The conversation went beyond asking whether women can attain certain positions, exploring the cost of doing so. They also questioned the extent to which our personal decisions are truly free, or whether they are decisions made within the current system.
Afterwards, the question-and-answer session gave way to a warm and relaxed exchange, in which many people felt encouraged to participate and share their insights and concerns.
The event provided an opportunity for reflection, prompting us to consider a career in science not only in terms of achievements and opportunities, but also in terms of the well-being of those who pursue it. This is because discussing mental health in science necessarily involves examining the conditions under which we conduct research, the pressures we face, and the personal and collective cost of achieving our goals.
