Career development

Cluster formal & natural sciences

In the formal and natural sciences, around six out of ten MA degrees go to men. The proportion of women declines steadily up to the professorship level, interrupted only by tenure track positions, where there is almost gender parity – the proportion of women in these positions has grown significantly in recent years. There are two tendencies within the cluster: in the more theoretical and formal sciences (computer science, mathematics, physics), the barriers to entry for women are high, but the losses in the proportion of women over the course of their scientific careers are relatively low. In chemistry and the geosciences, slightly more women than men complete an MA degree, but the leaky pipeline is more pronounced.  

 

Data in table chart, 2025

Career development | Cluster formal & natural sciences | 2025 | percentage
Cluster Formal- und Naturwissenschaften (Anzahl gesamt) Jahr Frauen Männer
MA-Absolvent*innen (408) 2025 42% 58%
Praedocs (567) 2025 36% 64%
Dok-/PhD-Absolvent*innen (122) 2025 33% 67%
Postdocs (385) 2025 30% 70%
Senior Scientists (77) 2025 22% 78%
Tenure Track (36) 2025 44% 56%
Professor*innen (156) 2025 16% 84%

Data in table chart, 2024

Career development | Cluster formal & natural sciences | 2024 | percentage
Cluster Formal- und Naturwissenschaften (Anzahl gesamt) Jahr Frauen Männer
MA-Absolvent*innen (403) 2024 44% 56%
Praedocs (580) 2024 37% 63%
Dok-/PhD-Absolvent*innen (85) 2024 32% 68%
Postdocs (331) 2024 27% 73%
Tenure Track (38) 2024 42% 57%
Professor*innen (157) 2024 16% 84%

Data in table chart, 2023

Career development | Cluster formal & natural sciences | 2023 | percentage
Cluster Formal- und Naturwissenschaften (Anzahl gesamt) Jahr Frauen Männer
MA-/Dipl.-Absolvent*innen (325) 2023 38 % 62 %
Praedocs (558) 2023 33 % 67 %
Dok-/PhD-Absolvent*innen (69) 2023 22 % 78 %
Postdocs (336) 2023 29 % 71 %
Tenure Track (36) 2023 39 % 61 %
Professor*innen (154) 2023 16 % 84 %

Data in table chart, 2022

Career development | Cluster formal & natural sciences | 2022 | percentage
Cluster Formal- und Naturwissenschaften (Anzahl gesamt) Jahr Frauen Männer
MA-/Dipl.-Absolvent*innen (325) 2022 38 % 62 %
Praedocs (544) 2022 30 % 70 %
Dok-/PhD-Absolvent*innen (69) 2022 22 % 78 %
Postdocs (368) 2022 30 % 70 %
Tenure Track (39) 2022 28 % 72 %
Professor*innen (151) 2022 17 % 83 %