Valencia (EP). Biologist Anna Crespo She became the first woman to head the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences of Spain, an institution founded in 1847 that had until now always been run by men.
“We are all good at the same things, we are not all equally smart, we are not all equally Einstein“A person is measured by his qualities but not by his gender,” Crespo says in an interview with Europa Press.
In this sense, she stressed that “you can in no way” measure a person’s gender intellectually. “Let girls know that they can compete on equal terms, absolutely on equal terms, if they are equally talented,” she stressed.
With a degree in biology from the Complutense University and a doctorate in evolution, evolutionary biology, ecology, biodiversity, DNA coding, fungi and lichens, Crespo conveys to girls “that they are capable of doing relatively the same thing as boys.” “It is a real hoax that women are more valuable in one thing and men are more valuable in another, and this is unproven and untrue,” he says.
Regarding whether it is more difficult for women to reach positions of responsibility in the scientific field, the researcher regrets that there are still biases. “There are still biases, a lot has been improved but there are still biases,” she explains.
The first bias that still exists in the scientific sector, she says, is that “women in general are less visible” because until now, “it has mostly been men who have been at the forefront, in the forefront, leading.”
“Men have become more visible, but if things change now and there is a desire to accelerate it, very good women will become visible, and this is already happening. When you choose, you will have men and women to promote in anything, but it does not happen alone.”
The Royal Academy of Sciences, according to Crespo, has “absolute confidence in women, in the scientific capacity of both women and men.” He points out that “in the statutes (of the Regional Activities Committee) the minimum ceilings were set so that approximate parity is achieved, which is not exactly 50 and 50, but perhaps 47.”
The biologist says it is a “real honour” for her to be the first woman to head the foundation, having been chosen by her colleagues. “The fact that I am a woman has motivated me a lot,” she says. “And not just for me, but for all the women and girls who may not have enough references to know that this suit is also for them.”
“The scientific profession is exciting, fun and engaging.”
That’s why Crespo wants to pass on to young girls and boys the “joy and enjoyment” she had in her work, because a scientific career “is an exciting, fun, and engaging profession if there is one.”
“To get there, you don’t have to be a martyr or someone who doesn’t live for anything else. You have to enjoy the science, you have to enjoy the profession. Having a position doesn’t mean having a burden,” he advises.
At this point, the President of the Royal Academy of Sciences evaluated the areas in which Spanish scientists stand out the most: “Some areas of physics; and of course some areas of biomedicine, which are characterized by enormous competition with a large number of disciplines and there are excellent Spaniards or in the field of ecology.”
He also addressed the challenges facing the scientific community in combating misinformation and hoaxes and expressed his “absolute interest” in this “battle.”
“I think the fight has to be fought by scientists, even individually because social networks now allow that. Scientists have to be there, and of course, institutions have to welcome scientists’ ideas and spend their time and effort because misinformation is huge,” he warns.
To combat “fake news,” he also recommends that when a person reads a piece of news, “they must first know how to analyze what they are reading.” He explains that analysis starts from knowing what the sources are, as well as having the critical ability to make judgments.
Improve knowledge transfer
On the other hand, the President of the Royal Academy of Sciences warns that “it is very possible to improve the flow of knowledge transfers even more and better”. So remember that knowledge transfers “are not automatic” and it is necessary to “reach an agreement” between the public sector, where research is carried out, and the private sector, which must launch this progress with public support.
In this way, Crespo emphasizes the importance of working in Spain on private investment in research, development and innovation and that “the process of knowledge transfer is flowing.” He added: “Spain, with the difficulties it has faced, is a wonderful country, with enormous scientific weight.”
The biologist urges scientists to move temporarily to other countries. “Scientists have to move. No matter how good the professor who directed your thesis, who was always there to guide your projects, you have to see other ways of thinking, even other cultural pockets, other environments, which seems absolutely essential to me.”
After getting to know the “other environments”, the next step for scientists will be to settle in the position they occupy or direct projects. “There it depends on the offers you have and what happens to all of us, since what we would like most is to return to your country, which must find the tools to welcome you and of course the instability, which until now has been increasing, is not a good tool rather than shrinking”, he says regretfully.
However, Crespo stresses that the situation is now “changing” in public research organizations, as well as in programs that allow universities to receive a better reception. He points out that “Europe helps us extraordinarily, because European programs allow us to move and bring people to Spanish places and we must continue to promote this.”
Referring to his goals as head of the Royal Academy of Sciences, he stressed that his main lines of work are to continue developing the new statute to modernize the institution, which was voted on “almost unanimously.” He says: “The Academy has set out to achieve this, and I will take the lead and lead the realization of these goals.”
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