Equal Opportunity at PDI

At the Paul Drude Institute, we believe that excellence in science thrives where diversity, fairness, and equal opportunity are lived values. This commitment applies to all members of our institute: scientific, technical, and administrative staff alike. We aim to create working conditions in which people at every career stage and in every professional role can contribute their expertise, develop their potential, and pursue long-term career perspectives.

Our work is guided by PDI’s Equal Opportunity Plan (Gleichstellungsplan) and aligned with the standards of the Leibniz Association and the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FVB). These frameworks define clear objectives for equal participation, transparent procedures, and accountability in recruitment and career development.

A Long-Term Approach

Broadening participation in science and research support roles requires sustained engagement across the professional journey. Structural barriers can arise at different points, from early educational choices to doctoral and postdoctoral phases and into leadership and senior specialist roles. Addressing these challenges means ensuring transparent pathways, offering mentoring and development opportunities, and maintaining fair and open procedures in recruitment and advancement.

We provide structured support for doctoral researchers, assist qualified candidates in their pursuit of leadership and mentorship programs, and ensure that career opportunities are widely visible so that excellent candidates can apply within open, competitive processes.

Early Engagement

Equal opportunity begins before employment. Through initiatives such as Girls’ Day and our participation in Sendung mit der Maus, we introduce young people to scientific work and research environments. By opening our laboratories to the public through outreach activities, we contribute to strengthening participation in physics over the long term.

Family- and Life-Phase-Conscious Policy

Careers develop alongside personal responsibilities. For colleagues with caring duties, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential. PDI has been certified by berufundfamilie for many years, demonstrating our commitment to a family- and life-phase-conscious personnel policy. Flexible working arrangements and transparent communication structures help ensure that professional development remains possible at different life stages. Our goal is to create conditions in which long-term careers, in research, technical infrastructure, or administration, are compatible with family and care responsibilities.

Fair Processes and Dialogue

Equal opportunity is embedded in our internal processes. The Equal Opportunities Officer and Deputy are involved in evaluations and decisions concerning personnel, organizational, and social matters to help ensure fairness and transparency. In addition, PDI’s Scientific Advisory Board includes a dedicated equity representative, providing an external perspective on equality and diversity standards at the institute, and ensuring that equity is considered at Board level.

For further information or confidential advice, colleagues are encouraged to contact the Equal Opportunities Officer or her Deputy.

On the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026, we recognize both the achievements of women in physics and the structural challenges that continue to shape career pathways in our field.

Following an initiative by the Equal Opportunity Officers of the Forschungsverbund Berlin, all FVB institutes have appointed an Equal Opportunity Representative to their Scientific Advisory Boards. At PDI, Professor Jeremy Levy has taken on this role, working closely with the Equal Opportunity Officer to ensure that equality, diversity, and family-friendliness are actively embedded in SAB discussions and decisions.

On United Nations International Equal Pay Day 2025, we took a moment to reflect on fairness and equality in our workplace.

PDI scientist Dr. Mingyun Yuan has been recognized as an Emerging Leader in the latest special issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics (JPhysD). This acknowledgment reflects Dr. Yuan’s contributions to the field of applied physics, placing her among a select group of early-career researchers identified for their potential and achievements.

Interview with Safa Shoaee, expert in the photophysics and optoelectronics of disordered semiconductors and recipient of the Leibniz Professorship Program for Women. Holding a joint appointment at PDI and the University of Potsdam, she leads the Heterostructure Semiconductor Physics group, advancing low-cost, large-area photovoltaic technologies.