Soňa Ertlová is the “Female Physicist of the Week”
20 June 2025
Linda Qerimi featured as “Female Physicist of the Week”
Soňa is a scientific assistant at PhotonLab, the student laboratory located at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching, which is part of the MCQST outreach program. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Physics from LMU Munich, where her Master's thesis focused on microcavity-based laser spectroscopy of atmospheric gases. In addition to her passion for lasers and photonics, she enjoys teaching and popularizing physics, which she began pursuing as a tutor during her studies.
Currently, Soňa works in the student lab, where she explains concepts such as laser physics, attosecond physics, and entanglement on a daily basis. Her main responsibility is to demonstrate the single-photon experiment on behalf of Munich Quantum Valley. She also delivers public lectures, creates outreach programs, and participates in events for the general public, such as "Quantenfreitage im PhotonLab" and "Sheldon vs. Leonard". This outreach role is a dream come true for her.
About the "Physikerin der Woche" Initiative
Since January 2018, the Equal Opportunities Working Group of the DPG has been introducing you to a female physicist each week in a short report. Dr. Ulrike Böhm, curator of this initiative, explains the idea in an DPG article: “We want to show that studying physics and becoming a female scientist is a real opportunity and excellent career choice for all women. That is why, every Monday, our task force for equal opportunities at DPG introduces one female physicist and her field of research in Germany or a female German physicist abroad.”