New interdisciplinary research project in the field of security
Getting more women interested in security-related professions − that is the aim of the new research project F Sie- Women for Security, Innovation and Deployment, which was officially launched in spring 2025. The interdisciplinary project is funded as part of the BMBF's MissionMINT - Women Shaping the Future initiative and sends a strong signal for more diversity in safety-related STEM professions.
Together with the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection (vfdb), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OvGU) and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Furtwangen University is contributing its expertise in safety engineering, fire protection and disaster prevention.
Safety meets visibility
“We don't just want to get young women interested in technology, we also want to introduce them to safety-related topics such as fire protection, emergency response and the protection of critical infrastructures,” explains Prof. Dr. Marion Meinert, who is responsible for the project at HFU. “The additional social value of these topics in particular − such as sustainability, climate adaptation and disaster prevention − offers many points of contact for women who want to make a difference.”
The project combines scientific research with practical support − in workshops, excursions and digital learning formats, participants not only receive technical know-how, but also support in career planning − through targeted mentoring, role models and networks.
HFU as a driving force
Furtwangen University is contributing its safety engineering expertise to the project − with responsibility for modules ranging from the analysis of gender-specific barriers in the STEM field to the development of practical content on firefighting, disaster prevention and building resilience and the scientific evaluation of the programme content.
The focus is particularly on female students, graduates and career changers who are to be inspired by technical topics − especially in the Security & Safety Engineering and Risk, Reliability and Safety Engineering degree programmes.
HFU uses the interface between technology and social relevance − and makes security an attractive career path for women.
A network for the future
In the long term, F SIE will lay the foundations for a nationwide initiative to promote women in civil security. The findings will be translated into practical guidelines for universities and companies. A network of female participants and mentors will be embedded in HFU's alumni structures to strengthen the visibility of successful career paths in a professional field that is still dominated by men.