UNESCO invites institutions worldwide to contribute to Women in Science: A story in motion, an exhibition part of its Virtual Science Museum, launched in December 2025 and co-created with museums and scientific institutions. Contributions should broaden the exhibition’s geographical, disciplinary and historical perspectives.
Who can contribute
Eligible institutions include museums and science centres; research institutions, laboratories and universities; UNESCO Category 2 Centres and associated scientific bodies; academies, learned societies and scientific networks; and foundations and organizations with a scientific or science communication mandate. Institutions may submit multiple contributions. Individuals should participate through a contributing institution.
Submission guidelines
Texts must be submitted in English or French and based on reliable, traceable sources, including institutional collections, archives, research or exhibitions. An original version in another language may accompany the submission. Each contribution should include:
- The research and its significance: Explain the scientist’s work, its main research question, what it has made possible and why it matters beyond the laboratory. Include concrete examples connecting the research with familiar issues, technologies, environments or experiences relevant to audiences globally or within a particular region.
- A day in her working life: Provide an immersive, documented account of a particular day or moment, such as an experiment, discovery, obstacle, field visit or encounter. Recreate the scene through details of place, time, surroundings, instruments, people, exchanges, gestures and impressions, rather than summarizing her career.
- Biography and further information: Provide a concise, factual profile of her background and the main stages of her scientific career.
The first two sections should total 300 to 400 words. They should combine scientific accuracy with a strong human dimension and be clear, engaging and accessible to a broad, non-specialist international audience.
Each submission must include two to ten high-resolution images, at least 300 dpi, relating to the scientist and her work, including at least one portrait.
Optional but strongly encouraged materials include video links, audio recordings, archival documents and educational resources. For currently active scientists, a short quotation encouraging the next generation of women in science is also welcome.
Copyright and selection process
Institutions must hold or clear all necessary rights and permissions, including required consent. Selected institutions will be requested to sign UNESCO’s Grant of Rights authorizing publication, editing, translation, adaptation and use in educational resources. UNESCO may revise texts; final versions will be shared with contributors for validation.
UNESCO selects contributions in consultation with the Museum’s Expert Advisory Committee, considering accuracy, accessibility, source traceability, story relevance, media quality and geographical, disciplinary and historical diversity. Institutions are credited on their contributions and the Museum’s partner page. Selected material will reach an international audience through a free, multilingual platform and may support educational resources. Participation is free and contributions are not remunerated.