Its aim is to give visibility to women who have made significant contributions in the field of marine and environmental sciences, as well as to promote scientific vocations among the youngest.
The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) in Barcelona has unveiled two 2.5 m high and 8 m wide murals that pay tribute to women who have made significant contributions in the field of marine and environmental sciences throughout their scientific careers.
The work, reproduced by the muralist Laura López, is based on the illustrations of the exhibition "dONes: motor de la recerca marina I ambiental", created in collaboration with Shook Studio within the framework of the ICM-CSIC's PlanctON project, funded by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) and headed by the researcher Magda Vila.
The contribution of the youngest
With the aim of promoting scientific vocations among the youngest, the ICM-CSIC invited around sixty primary school pupils from the Mediterrània and Alexandre Galí schools in the Barceloneta neighbourhood to participate in the preparation of the mural.
Specifically, the pupils focused on painting the symbols that represent, complement and connect the portraits of the six protagonists of the mural: Marta Estrada, Pepita Castellví, Ángeles Alvariño, Lynn Margulis, Sylvia Earle and Rachel Carson.
"This mural created in collaboration with the neighbouring schools represents very well the spirit of the cooperative network that the ICM-CSIC has established with various organisations in the neighbourhood and the city, and emphasises our desire to encourage scientific vocation among the youngest", states the ICM-CSIC.
Two familiar faces from the Institute
Among the artwork’s protagonists are Josefina Castellví and Marta Estrada, both ICM-CSIC researchers and pioneers of the scientific trips to Antarctica. Castellví travelled there up to eleven times, working tirelessly in the field of marine bacteriology, while Estrada specialised in the interactions of phytoplankton with physical and biological factors in marine ecosystems.
The creation of the mural, promoted by the centre's Equality Working Group with the support of the European Resbios project, is part of the activities planned for the ICM-CSIC's 'Equality Awareness Month', which runs from 11 February, the Day of Girls and Women in Science, to 8 March, Women's Day, and aims to highlight the work of women in the research field.
"With this action we seek to make the contribution of pioneering women in the fields of marine and environmental research visible, firstly, in the schools that have participated in the preparation of this collaborative artistic work and, secondly, within the public, who can now enjoy it when they walk near the centre, as the murals are located outside and are visible to everyone", conclude the initiative’s promoters.