Members
BeWiSe is a community that supports women at all levels of STEM careers by fostering growth, inspiration, and camaraderie. We also welcome individuals who advocate for gender equality in science.
Why become a BeWiSe member?
By becoming an affiliated member of BeWiSe, you can access the mentoring programme, shape our future during the General Assemblies and take part in special events such as Lunch & Learn sessions.
You benefit from all networking and skills-building opportunities, can share your views through our newsletter, and be regularly updated on issues facing women scientists in Europe and beyond.
BeWiSe bridges our language communities and counts Belgian and international members from all parts of the country. We warmly invite you to become a member of BeWiSe.
BeWiSe mission
Our mission is to open dialogues on important topics such as gender bias, gender-fair recruitment in academia, pursuing leadership roles as a woman, the EU gender action plan, and more. We offer a variety of activities, including Lunch & Learn sessions, a mentorship programme and workshops designed to equip our members with the tools and skills needed to have a fulfilling scientific career.
BeWiSe is entirely run by volunteers. We take pride in the diversity of our members, who all have unique reasons and motivations for being part of the BeWiSe community. Here is what they say about their commitment:
Testimonials
Ljuba Ponomarev
Mentoring programme coordinator
“I got to know BeWiSe for the first time through their advertisements on LinkedIn. They were advertising for their WiS day where they still needed some extra volunteers. Not only do I agree completely with BeWiSe’s views but I also want to try to help in its goal; supporting women in science. It was then also this moment that I decided to volunteer for BeWiSe.
By helping out with the mentoring programme and attending all of their events, I already got so much feedback about myself, career advice, but also inspiration from mentors and other members. I can only recommend everyone that wants to achieve gender equality, but also others, to commit to this beautiful organization, BeWiSe.”
Tania Van Loon
Vice-President
“I started volunteering for BeWiSe in 2012, in order to contribute to a world where women are on equal footing with men, and can pursue a happy scientific career. This represents a significant personal investment that is handsomely rewarded: in exchange for passing on small insights gained by experience, I get inspired by bright and strong girls and women who take their future into their own hands. Together we will achieve gender equality.”
Ann Van der Jeugd
President
“I am not only a woman working in science, but also a passionate supporter of other women in science. It is my personal mission to change and challenge the stereotype of science as a lone male preserve. Through my position at KU Leuven, at BeWiSe and in my daily life, I am striving to make science exciting, accessible and inclusive for all.”
Liselotte De Ligne
Treasurer
“I started volunteering for BeWiSe one week before the COVID lockdown started. What would have been a period without many personal development opportunities or interaction with female role models, became an inspiring two years with exciting webinars on going for an academic career, applying for postdoc positions, handling work-life balance and many more.
The yearly BeWiSe Women in Science days have become pivotal moments for discussing gender balance in scientific careers in Belgium, providing excellent opportunities to hear and exchange views with actors of change in the field. The ‘Going for leadership’ event, where 3 female leaders in STEM shared their life paths and experiences, was one of the most energizing and inspiring evenings of 2022 for me. I am really glad that BeWiSe decided to host it as a yearly event.”
Greeshma Gowda
Secretary
“I was first introduced to BeWiSe during the Women in Science day event in February of 2021. As a PhD student who is just starting out in academia, the event was a source of great inspiration. As a researcher in an engineering field, I don’t often see many female role models in my daily life. This is where BeWiSe has been particularly valuable to me.
By volunteering during their events, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many remarkable women and have been thoroughly impressed by their achievements. As a member of BeWiSe, I am committed to doing my part in the pursuit of gender equality in my own way.”
Honorary Members
We are grateful to the following outstanding scientists and inspiring women who support BeWiSe
Marleen Temmerman
Senator Temmerman is an obstetrician-gynaecologist by training, with a MPH, PhD in HIV and Reproductive Health, and over 30 years of experience in sexual and reproductive health worldwide. She has extensive field experience with over 5 years in Kenya, and shorter periods in other countries. She is also a Professor of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Ghent University. Read about the work of International Center for Reproductive Health.
Patricia Lampens
Patricia Lampens has been conducting research for more than 35 years at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. She is an observer-astronomer at various international observatories: ESO (Chile), Boyden (South Africa), OHP/Pic du Midi (France), Hoher List (Germany), Belogradchik/NAO Rozhen (Bulgaria), Calar Alto (Spain), Humain (Belgium), La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain). She is a founding member of BeWiSe and a lifelong supporter of gender equality.
Véronique Dehant
Véronique Dehant is Head of Section “Time, Earth Rotation, and Space Geodesy” at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. She is also an Extraordinary Professor in Unviersité catholique de Louvain, and Part time lecturer at Université de Liège and Université de Nantes. Her main research interests are geodesy and geophysics, with a specific interest in rotation, interior modelling of the Earth, Mars and Mercury, and gravity studies of Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Wilfrida Decraemer
Professor Wilfrida Decraemer is a biologist who spent her career studying nematodes, in marine and terrstrial environments. She studied in Ghent University, and worked in the Royal Belgian Institutes of Natural Sciences and Ghent University. She has received several international awards for her work throughout her career. She was always an advocate for the representation of women in sciences and was a founding member of BeWise. She has been Bewise’s treasurer until 2009.