Girls' participation in the various editions of the IPhO is not enough. The Société Française de Physique, organizer of the event in France in 2025, has already been working for several years to encourage and promote the participation of women in the physics professions (notably through its Women & Physics Commission). In keeping with its commitment to making physics more inclusive, combating gender stereotypes and encouraging new generations of women to take up scientific careers, the French Physical Society is keen to promote the presence of young women scientists at the 55th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO 2025). The journal distributed daily to the 1,000 participants will include a “Women and Physics” section to highlight their contribution to the world of research.
Two prizes designed to highlight the participation of young women and the gender balance of the various delegations will be announced when registration opens.
In addition, a specially-created exhibition, “Women pioneers in physics”, will pay tribute to 20 women physicists from around the world, from different eras, who have marked the history of physics through their major contributions. Sometimes overlooked or forgotten, these pioneers have pushed back the frontiers of science, from astrophysics to particle physics to quantum physics.
The exhibition will highlight the international nature of their careers and discoveries, demonstrating that science is a universal language that transcends geographical and temporal boundaries. Through this retrospective, the Société Française de Physique hopes to inspire younger generations, and young women in particular, to pursue scientific careers and celebrate female role models who have shaped physics as we know it today.