Conference Program

Gender disparity in scientific careers is not merely a quantitative imbalance but the result of cultural and symbolic structures that shape expectations, roles, and models of competence recognition. As Ernst Cassirer highlights, the symbolic categories through which we interpret reality contribute to consolidating dualisms and hierarchies that influence the distribution of opportunities. Within this framework, the gender gap in technical-scientific environments cannot be addressed solely through access policies; it requires interventions capable of influencing the cultural mechanisms and organizational practices that ensure its reproduction. This contribution analyzes the training experience developed at the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), conceived as a pedagogical device aimed at transforming organizational culture. The assumption is that the staff of a research institution are not only recipients of training but also social actors. Researchers operate as mentors, contributing to the transmission of cultural models. In line with John Dewey’s vision, training is understood as a transformative educational experience: a process of rethinking judgment capable of transforming the work environment into a space of dialogue and respect. From this perspective, deconstructing gender bias acquires a value that transcends the professional sphere, influencing the educational and social role of employees. As suggested by Erving Goffman’s sociology, individuals act according to social “scripts” and gender representations. The objective of the training is therefore to lay the groundwork for rewriting these models, providing researchers with the tools to act as multipliers of change within socialization processes. The aim is to counter stereotypes that influence educational trajectories and aspirations toward STEM disciplines among younger generations. The program, launched approximately eighteen months ago, has involved a significant percentage of the Institute’s personnel through courses dedicated to Gender-based Violence in the Workplace: Stereotypes, Recognition, and Effective Interventions. The phenomenon of violence was addressed through multidisciplinary contributions and considered the extreme outcome of specific cultural dynamics. The project’s different editions focused on several themes—particularly stereotypes and socialization—and included workshops designed to translate theory into reflective practice. The initiative aimed to reveal the mechanisms that shape thought and to examine the role of socialization in the normalization of discriminatory behaviors. Gender biases were interpreted as “habitus” (Bourdieu), understood as embodied social structures that guide individuals’ actions through forms of symbolic violence. The courses were designed according to the principles of experiential pedagogy. Moving beyond a purely transmissive model, an interactive communicative style was prioritized. Through storytelling, personal examples, and the analysis of regulations using historical case studies, the training became a dialogical process capable of generating emotional and cognitive engagement. This experience provides a framework for understanding the cultural structures and superstructures underlying inequalities. The educational goal is to encourage a revision of staff members’ interpretive lenses, positioning training as a lever that extends beyond institutional boundaries. The intention is to foster participants’ development as promoters of awareness, enabling them to rethink relationships within the organizational context and to support, in schools and homes, the aspirations and freedom of choice of those who will shape the science of tomorrow.