Chairman Suzanne Hulscher of the UT Ambassador's Network, supporting `More women at the top,' thinks that there is too little use of available funds, specifically designed to promote women to top positions.
This year the fund is over two thousand euros, says Hulscher, professor of water management at the faculty of Engineering Technology. `The fund must be used. The money is there, so I want to encourage all female scientific staff of the UT to create new ideas to give their career an extra jolt.' There are no official guidelines for submitted proposals. `Everything can and should be allowed. For example, a female researcher can request for extra money to go abroad. A female lecturer can submit a proposal for funding to hire an extra teaching assistant, allowing more time for research work. But you can also think about following a course or a training- even hiring a recruitment bureau to find a female top scientist. Anything that will help women to make small steps ahead in their career.'
Last year, a sum of money was spent on the acquisition of a female professor by special appointment. Hulscher does not understand why so little of the money is being used. `I think the scientific staff doesn't know the money is available. That's a shame. The Executive Board might reverse this measure because it's not being used.' To prevent that from happening, the professor is asking female researchers to submit ideas as soon as possible to the Personnel Department. `The women need to file their own proposals, together with their professor or the faculty dean. I think there is a reasonable chance of succeeding once the proposal is submitted.'
A proposition, together with a letter from the dean or professor, a budget estimate, list of publications and a CV, can be submitted to Monique Duyvestijn of the Personnel Department ([email protected]).
