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Department of Physics and Astronomy “Augusto Righi” – DIFA

Exhibition Hidden variables

25 September 2026

Women in Physics beyond the footnote

A picture from the show

How to partecipate

Requirements: Free entrance
Free admission

Why partecipate

To discover the many women who have shaped the history of science.

Program

An exhibition and outreach project originally created for the 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science and curated by the Department’s Working Group on Equal Opportunities and Inclusion, coordinated by Prof. Sara Valentinetti, now presented again as part of the European Researchers’ Night.

The exhibition offers a critical re-examination of the history of science, highlighting the contributions of women scientists who played a fundamental role in the development of physics, astronomy, mathematics and related disciplines, but who were long overlooked in mainstream accounts of scientific history.

In particular, the exhibition explores the “Matilda Effect” — the systematic underestimation or lack of recognition of women’s contributions to science — showing how cultural and institutional dynamics have shaped the attribution of authority and recognition within the scientific community.

Curated by
A. Mucciarelli, M. Brusa, L. Fabbri and S. Valentinetti
University of Bologna

Concept, layout and graphic design
Lorenza Vianello
Independent Communication Consultant for DIFA

Learn more

Event Within the Framework of:

DIFA European Researches' Night 2026

from

This page presents DIFA’s initiatives for the European Researchers’ Night, an event promoted by the European Commission since 2005 and involving thousands of researchers and research institutions across Europe every year. Held across Europe and neighbouring countries on the last Friday of September, the European Researchers’ Night brings research closer to the public, creating opportunities for people to meet researchers, discover their work and learn more about careers in research. Through an informal and engaging programme of activities, the initiative aims to foster scientific culture and encourage dialogue between research and society.