New Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Department and appointment of its Director, Mariana Mesel-Lemoine

Below is the message sent by the President of the Institut Pasteur on February 7

 

Dear all,

As I said in my New Year's address, I can't conceive of my mandate at the head of our institute without a commitment to serving the common good. From my point of view, and I'm sure you share this conviction, there can be no scientific enterprise without the will to contribute, even a little, even on a small scale, to a better world.

The first of these commitments is diversity. Throughout its history, the Institut Pasteur has always stood out for its care and attention to others, its interest in difference, and its profoundly plural and cross-disciplinary vision of science: more than 50 nationalities coexist here on our campus, disciplines work alongside one another, and complex systems thinking unfolds almost naturally in the study of living organisms. This diversity is an undeniable strength for our collective. It is, of course, the source of our scientific excellence. It is also a source of resilience and a lever for adaptation in the face of the difficulties and turbulence that our institution sometimes experiences.

But diversity is also a challenge. In our unequal societies, where racism and sexism still poison part of our social relations, it is first and foremost a global challenge. Women, in particular, suffer from flagrant inequalities compared to men, and these inequalities begin at an early age in terms of representation. A recent report by the French High Council for Gender Equality (Haut Conseil à l'Egalité entre les Femmes et les Hommes – HCE) highlighted the alarming prevalence of macho stereotypes in French society, and even their progression among men, particularly younger men. But diversity is also a challenge more specifically related to the world of science and to our institution. In 2023, a survey conducted by Ipsos for the L'Oréal Foundation on nearly 5,200 scientists in 117 countries showed that almost half of all scientists (49%) is a victim of sexual harassment, and that 80% of women scientists are victims of sexism. What's more, although women account for around half of all science students, their presence is diminishing in the upper echelons: according to a 2019 CNRS study, women represent just 27% of research directors and 19% of university science professors. At the Institut Pasteur today, women head 24% of research units. We have to face up to this reality if we want to change things.

On the gender equality front, real progress has been made at the Institut Pasteur in recent years, including with achievement of the European "Human Resources Strategy for Researchers" (HRS4R) award in 2021, and the publication of the Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in 2022. But we need to go further.

This is why I have decided to launch a new department in charge of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), whose director will report directly to me, and who will be represented at the highest hierarchical level of our institute. Upon my suggestion, the Institut Pasteur Board of Governors recently appointed Mariana Mesel-Lemoine to this position, as Director in charge of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. With this decision, Institut Pasteur becomes the first French academic research institute to have such a position.

Born in Brazil and having suffered the consequences of the military dictatorship during her childhood, very early on Mariana was determined to fight anything that threatened fundamental rights and freedom of expression, but also to help build a world where everyone has a voice and a place. Introduced to science at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Mariana devoted her early research to plague and filariasis. Arriving in France in 1997, Mariana earned a DEA and a PhD in immunology, specializing in graft-versus-host disease at Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris. She joined the Institut Pasteur in 2006, where she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in virology. Her passion for science quickly spread to the women and men who do research, and Mariana nurtured the desire to support them and contribute to their professional development. It was with this objective in mind that in 2014 Mariana became involved in the launch of the welcome and support structure for contract researchers (MAASCC), now known as CARE, the career support service for scientists. This structure, the only one of its kind in France, has supported almost 2,000 scientists over the past decade and proposed concrete solutions to certain worrying phenomena observed in French research, such as the declining attractiveness of science and the flight of female talent. In response to these challenges, Mariana Mesel-Lemoine has developed and implemented cross-functional projects involving the Pasteur community and several Institut Pasteur departments. These initiatives have led to major achievements, including the HRS4R award in 2021 and the publication of a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) in 2022.

In her new role, Mariana Mesel-Lemoine will be responsible for proposing the main lines of the policy and strategy dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion in the "Pasteur 2030" strategic plan, ensuring their implementation – by developing innovative solutions and challenging non-inclusive practices – and supporting the organizational change they imply. Mariana Mesel-Lemoine's experience and professional qualities will be essential to her success in these assignments, and I have every confidence in her ability to carry them out. She will also benefit from the support of other departments, in particular the Human Resources Department (DRH), the Technical Resources and Environment Department (DRTE), which is responsible for coordinating issues relating to social and environmental responsibility, the Careers and Scientific Evaluation Department (DCES) and the Communications and Public Affairs Department. The DEI directorate will also work closely with the resource employee groups (ERGs). It will be responsible for promoting the DE&I strategy beyond the institute’s walls and structuring its deployment with stakeholders, including the Pasteur Network.

In the run-up to February 11, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, this decision enables us to reaffirm the eminent contribution of women to science, and to make tangible progress in the level of responsibility they hold in the management of research institutions. Throughout this mandate, we will be working to give them ever greater visibility, to facilitate their professional development and to combat the inequalities in life and destiny that separate them from men. In this way, we hope to contribute to a fairer world and inspire young women and men to commit themselves to this essential cause.

Yasmine Belkaid
President of the Institut Pasteur