This semester, Prof. Dr. Elena Hassinger is once again offering the seminar "The Big Bang Theory Syndrome: Why should we care about stereotypes?" in the Studium Generale.

What gender stereotypes are there and how do they affect academic careers? What are the consequences of gender-specific prejudices and how do they influence behavior? With the English-language seminar "The Big Bang Theory Syndrome: Why should we care about stereotypes?", Elena Hassinger aims to raise awareness of gender stereotypes that scientists encounter in the course of their academic lives.

Broadening perspectives
The course is aimed at students who want to broaden their perspective and professionalize their interactions," explains Prof. Hassinger. "As a result, it should enable them to make decisions that are not driven by stereotypes, but are based on clearly defined criteria." Based on academic literature, weekly interactive courses are held to discuss the specific contexts in which gender-specific role models have an impact and how to respond to them. Examples include the media portrayal of scientists, the evaluation of employees, leadership quality and career goals.

Impressive scientific career
Prof. Dr. Elena Hassinger researches the precise functioning of unconventional superconductors at the Institute of Solid State and Materials Physics at TU Dresden. The scientist is a member of the Grete Hermann Network, a Max Planck Fellow and has been a ct.qmat Cluster Professor since September 2022. Milestones in her career include heading a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden from 2014 and a tenure-track professorship at the Technical University of Munich from 2016 to 2022.

Prof. Dr. Elena Hassinger has been selected for her interdisciplinary seminar "The Big Bang Theory Syndrome: Why should we care about stereotypes?" has received the Diversity-Sensitive Teaching Award 2023 from the TUD Dresden University of Technology. The award recognizes teachers or concepts that focus on the topic of diversity and sensitize students to it.

You can find the program here: Course offer studium generale