Breaking gender stereotypes by highlighting women scientists and their discoveries throughout history: this is the challenge which is brilliantly approached by the theatrical series Les Fabuleuses. The plays are written by Elisabeth Bouchaud — a physicist, playwright, and prominent patron of the ENS Foundation. They shine a spotlight on these remarkable scientific figures.
On January 9, about thirty students, patrons, and friends of the ENS Foundation were invited to a performance of the play “The Rosalind Franklin Case”, dedicated to the scientist who discovered the helical structure of DNA.
The play was followed by a post-show panel during which Elisabeth Bouchaud and Charlotte Jacquemot, director of the Cognitive Studies Department at ENS-PSL, engaged with the audience about the story of this little-known scientist. They also explored pathways to encourage young girls to pursue careers in science.
“It is essential to showcase female scientist role models who are fulfilled both in their personal lives and in their professions, not only to legitimize women in science, but also to help girls envision themselves in these careers,” explained Charlotte Jacquemot.
This evening served as a preview of the Women and Science Month, which will take place starting in February at the École Normale Supérieure. The event invites students from the École, as well as middle and high school students, to learn about the careers of women scientists and to explore solutions in encouraging female pursuit of scientific fields.
For several years, the Women and Science scholarship program at ENS has been working to increase the number of female students in its science departments. Each student admitted to ENS through the CNE (Concours Normalien Étudiant) receives a monthly scholarship of €1,000 for the three years of their studies. This program, fully funded by donations to the ENS Foundation, has already enabled the physics and mathematics departments to achieve their first gender-balanced CNE cohorts.