Nathália Beretta Tomázio

    Age: 24 years old
    Current course: Master at Applied Physics (IFSC/USP)

    Nathália, tell us about your academic experience.
    Since 2013, I have a degree in Physics by the São Carlos Institute of Physics (IFSC/USP). In 2014, I started my master's in Applied Physics, also in IFSC/USP.

    Why did you choose a scientific career?
    I started my Scientific Initiation on my second year of graduation, at the Biophotonics Group of the São Carlos Institute of Physics. Later, I did Scientific Initiation at the Photonics Group (IFSC/USP). I liked these working experiences a lot, because of its novelties and I felt independent while making decisions. I felt I could choose what I researched and always discovered new things. This was very stimulating for me. During my graduation, my experience was stiffer, since I had to performing certain protocols, such as doing works and tests. But in my Scientific Initiation I had more freedom to develop my own logic, my creativity and my own interests.

    Currently, has the presence of women in exact sciences been increasing? How do you see it in your own course?
    I think it has increased, but the progress has been slow. There is a good part composed of women, but we are still not in an ideal scenery. I cannot understand why traditionally there are less women in exact science careers. For me it is very complicated to understand this. In biological and human courses, for example, there is a very heterogeneous public and sometimes women are the majority in class. Therefore, we are progressing, but there still exists this difference in science careers. I see the necessity to bring out this topic and stimulate women by showing them successful feminine examples as Angela Merkel, who graduated in physics. In my course, specially, there is at maximum ten women, the other thirty students are men. But I do not feel out of place in this area because I am a woman.

    Would you say there is any kind of gender segregation or discrimination, even if it is subtle? If yes, would you say happens unconsciously?
    We live in a very prestigious surrounding, because people have a good education. In general we do not face prejudice. Not directly. I see that sometimes there are some prejudiced comments that happens unconsciously. At the beginning of my course, for example, it was very common to hear that women would become manlier over the course. I do not think this is a comment that intends to be prejudiced, but it was done unconsciously. I think in our institution, the prejudice is more subtle. Often people say it without thinking. I understand this situation is not always valid… There is a lot of prejudice that is done openly. But, at IFSC/USP, for example, it is more subtle.

    An academic career, with graduation, master and doctorate, most of the time stabilizes at 30 years old. How does it impact you? Does it depend on the gender?
    When thinking about finishing an academic career, there is not a lot of difference between genres. Both finish it at about 30 years old. But I find that women have more responsibilities when they get pregnant, since she needs to divide herself between the career and maternity in a critical age, since it is the time she studies for public tenders, etc. But, if the woman has a comprehensive family that backs her up, this process can be easier.