Join us for an inspiring conversation with Prof. Margriet van der Heijden, physicist, science communicator, and co-author, of Women in the History of Quantum Physics – Beyond Knabenphysik.
This session will explore the historical role of women in quantum physics, the cultural context that shaped their recognition (or lack thereof), and what these histories mean for today’s scientific community.
About the Speaker
Margriet van der Heijden is Professor of Science Communication in Physics at the Applied Physics Department of Eindhoven University of Technology. She has a background in particle physics, having studied the quark structure of protons and deuterons at the NMC experiment, and Cerenkov detection at the Delphi experiment at CERN.
Alongside her research, she has had a long career as a science journalist and columnist, and is an award-winning author of nonfiction books.
Prof. van der Heijden currently chairs the international working group Women in the History of Quantum Physics. In June 2025, Cambridge University Press released the collective volume Women in the History of Quantum Physics: Beyond Knabenphysik, co-authored by members of this working group.
Her upcoming book, a double biography of Tatiana Afanassjewa and Paul Ehrenfest, titled The Delight of Thinking, will be published by Oxford University Press in April 2026.
Event Details
📅 Date: October 22
🕓 Time: 13:00 – 14:00
📍 Location: Online – link will be sent to you via email before the event
🎟️ Tickets: Free, registration required
Why You Should Attend
- Discover untold stories of women who helped shape quantum physics.
- Reflect on inclusion, visibility, and recognition in science.
- Connect with others passionate about history, communication, and the future of quantum.
