The Women of V4F

February once again saw the world celebrate the “International Day of Women in Girls in Science”. Within the V4F project, we feel proud to have two amazing female researchers as part of our team: Our coordinator Regina Gumenyuk, head of the “Advanced Coherent Sources” group at Tampere University, and Katrin Wondraczek, head of the “Optical Fiber Materials and Structures” group at Leibniz Institute for Photonic Technologies.

Both are outstanding researchers and have faced challenges and overcome obstacles during their career. We believe that sharing real stories about challenges, doubts, and growth can be very powerful. It helps make scientific careers feel more human and achievable and can inspire a new generation of women to pursue their ambitions. Here is what our female leaders say about their experience.

Regina Gumenyuk, coordinator, Tampere University:

“I was drawn to science by curiosity and the excitement of understanding how things really work. Discovering that laser physics could be translated into powerful, real-world technologies is what led me to engineering. What keeps me engaged today is tackling difficult problems and seeing ideas grow into functioning systems and successful teams.

Early in my career, I often felt I had to prove my competence more than others in technical discussions. Building confidence through experience, results, and persistence helped me navigate this, but having more visible female role models and mentors would have made a real difference at that stage. After initially focussing almost entirely on technical achievement, I have come to value leadership, mentoring, and creating a supportive research environment just as much. For me, success now means both scientific progress and helping others grow.

I try to lead by example and create an atmosphere where questions and ideas are welcomed. I encourage women to step into visible roles, trust their expertise, and not underestimate their abilities. Small gestures of support and honest conversations can have a lasting impact. Almost everyone experiences doubt at some point. Belonging in science is not about fitting a stereotype, but about curiosity and perseverance. If you love what you do, that is already enough reason to stay.”

Katrin Wondraczek, PI, IPHT:

“Combining parental and business responsibilities is a challenge faced by many women. When leading a research team and family at the same time, it is important to listen to each individual and respond to their needs without neglecting others. It can be difficult to switch between my role as a group leader and my role as a parent multiple times a day, while staying focussed on science.

Initially, I tried to do everything by myself. Over time, I have realised two key components of being a successful woman in photonics research: focus and delegation. Without a clear list of priorities – in both professional and family life – it is easy to get overwhelmed. I need to be able to trust my research team and delegate tasks to them without doubting if they will be completed. At the same time, a supportive and understanding home environment is key to keeping the balance between being a scientist and being a parent.

I think it is important to make people aware of different roles, work and family cultures. Allowing for smooth switches and providing flexible working schemes allows us to tap into the talent of female researchers that might otherwise be marginalised in a male-dominated area”.