Physicist of the Month

Are you a physicist and would like to introduce yourself and your research or work? Don't hesitate to write to us at chancengleichheit@oepg.at!

September 2026

Marta Gibert, University Professor for Topological and complex Materials

About myself and my research

I am an experimental condensed matter physicist. We grow ultrathin layers of oxide compounds with atomic-scale precision and investigate how their properties are modified at interfaces or shaped by reduced dimensionality: conductivity can emerge between insulators, or magnetism between non-magnetic materials.

I have been a Professor at TU Wien since 2021. We came to Vienna through the dual career program — a scheme that finally made it possible for both my partner and me to establish ourselves as Professors in the same city, at the same university. Until then, we had lived in different cities and different countries for many years, including when our first child was born. During this period, which was key to achieving the positions we have today, we learned a lot about resilience and logistics, and to always see the glass half full. Throughout all of this, it would have been impossible to continue without the invaluable support of our families, who were ready to travel wherever I was living whenever needed.

What can be done to achieve more equal opportunities in physics? 

My experience is that, fortunately, I did not begin to feel the weight of gender inequality until I became a Professor, which coincided with becoming a mother. Until then, I had always worked in groups where everyone was treated equally, and I had not (consciously) experienced a difference. Structural barriers become most visible when professional seniority and family responsibility converge, with the beginning of both journeys often overlapping in time.

Without deliberate measures to support equality, it is clear we will never reach the goal. Quotas can help. So can mentoring programs and dedicated funding schemes that target the specific career stages where women tend to drop out. Family-friendly schedules and travel support address another shared need. When children are very young, they require constant presence and care. But even once they start school, they cannot easily miss days to travel with a parent to a conference, which creates a distinct and underappreciated challenge for people with high-mobility careers.

Beyond the biological realities, which do pose obvious challenges (long-distance travel while breastfeeding, or attending important job/grant interviews, are examples I and many of us have faced), the demands of juggling family and work affect all caregivers regardless of gender. Efforts towards equality must also acknowledge this if we want to create an inclusive environment and retain talent across all career stages, regardless of family situation.

In our everyday lives, we can directly advance equality by supporting each other, sharing experiences, and speaking openly about these challenges so that younger generations feel less alone in facing them. In this direction, two years ago, with a group of female colleagues, we established fem*PHYS, a network of women to promote valuable networking opportunities, share information and experiences, showcase the achievements of female scientists, and promote visibility.

If you would like to learn more about Marta Gibert and her work, you can find a link to her TU Wien profile here, the website of her research group here, and her LinkedIn profile here.