The Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) at the University of Granada participated in the Conference on Best Practices and Lessons Learned in the Implementation of Gender Equality Plans, held on April 27 at the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) in Barcelona. The event was organized by the SOMMa Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group in collaboration with the ICM-CSIC.
The objective of the conference, which brought together over 80 representatives from more than half of the SOMMa centers, was to share strategies and actions promoted by various research institutions. By sharing experiences and results, the participants aimed to define a common roadmap for implementing effective equality, diversity and inclusion policies within the scientific system.
The session was opened by Isabel Márquez, the current President of SOMMa, alongside Valentí Sallarés, Director of the ICM. Both attended and participated actively throughout the meeting, symbolizing SOMMa's institutional support and commitment to equality in science.
During the morning session, CIMCYC’s Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity Officer, Laura C. Torres Vega, presented the center's strategy for fostering greater wellbeing, equality and respect for diversity within the scientific context, as well as the transfer of these values to society at large. This strategy, centered on the creation of a full-time professional role for a Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity Officer, was pre-selected for presentation alongside the practices of five other SOMMa centers.
Highlighting and sharing this strategy served to emphasize the importance of having dedicated professional roles within research centers. This approach allows for the more effective promotion of concrete actions while reducing the professional and emotional burden often carried by female researchers—who typically volunteer to lead equality and diversity initiatives at their workplaces.
In the afternoon, attendees joined various discussion groups to address specific challenges. The CIMCYC participated in the working group on "Intersectionality," which debated the need for training and awareness actions for all staff. The group also discussed the importance of organizational strategies that improve the visibility of diversity within research centers. A key consensus was the need for participatory methodologies, ensuring that those directly affected by inequalities can express their needs and help shape solutions from an intersectional perspective.
The meeting was highly productive and will lead to a roadmap that allows SOMMa centers to work more cohesively toward the effective promotion of equality and diversity in the scientific system.