Pham, L.B.S. ; Bingen, C. ; Piccialli, A. ; Lamort, L. ; Lefever, C. ; Yseboodt, M. ; Jonas, C.

published in Memorie della Società Astronomica Italiana (MemSAIt), 95 issue 2, pp. 46-51 (2024)

Abstract: Soapbox Science is a public outreach platform whose purpose is to promote the visibility of women and non-binary scientists and their research by bringing them on to the streets to meet the passers-by. Soapbox Science aims at tackling stereotypes about science and scientists by showing, in an interactive way, attractive role models for women and nonbinary people, who represent a minority in sciences. This initiative was founded in London, UK, in 2011 and has been spreading worldwide since then. In 2019, the idea to endorse the organisation of Soapbox Science events in Brussels started germinating in the head of a small group of scientists from two Belgian Federal Scientific Institutes. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the first Brussels event was held online in the fall of 2020, but, since 2021, the team succeeded in organizing Soapbox Science events every June in Brussels. These proceedings present the development of the Soapbox Science initiative in Belgium and describe the motivations, challenges, issues and opportunities encountered throughout the process, and how Soapbox Science Brussels gradually takes its place in the Belgian context of the promotion of women in sciences.

Keyword(s): Soapbox Science ; Women ; Science
DOI: 10.36116/MEMSAIT_95N2.2024.46
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