On past 11th of February, we team-up with MatSoc and Syracuse University London for a celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2020!
First and foremost: a big thank you to all who were able to join us in this fantastic event, as well as to our organising partners!
In case you missed it, here’s a quick summary:
The event started with a fantastic presentation by members of the “Electryfying Women Project”, Dr. Elizabeth Bruton (Science Museum – Curator for Technology and Engineering) and Dr. Emily Rees (Electryfying Women and University of Leeds). Their presentation focused on the deep and historical contributions of british women to STEM from as early as the 1800s! From women who were lucky enough to have visionary families who allowed them to pursue studies and a career in a time where women were only to be seen at home, to women who quietly (yet strongly!) contributed through the work of their husbands – the “true” engineer at the eyes of society. The “Electrifying Women Project” is an on-going research project that aims to find such women as well as find more about, bring to light and credit the long history of women in engineering.
This was then followed by a panel discussion. We had some incredible and inspiring panellists joining us (Thank You!) who discussed how the number of girls and women in STEM paths has changed with the years; how society and our background play a role in the opportunities one has; the challenges and stigma a lot of girls still face for wanting to pursue a STEM career; the challenges of being a women in a male-dominated field. The highlight of our panel discussion perhaps relates to our panellists experience on what it means to be a women in STEM and how can society support, inspire, mentor and lead younger generations to a STEM discipline.
As a side note – prior to our event, members of our committee were able to attend the talks organised by Syracuse University London. We had the pleasure to co-organise a gathering of current students and alumni from the university, to learn more about the history of Syracuse Womxn in STEM.
Syracuse University London hosted four panellists – 2 current students and 2 alumni – of different cultures as well as STEM fields. On a question-led discussion, the panellists were able to describe their experience within the university as well as in society from a women in STEM point-of-view. Panellists described who and what has inspired them to pursue a career in STEM, what challenges have they faced, how have they overcome such challenges. From windshields to chocolate cookies, it was an incredibly inspiring discussion that ended on a lighter note when asked which was their favourite every-day-object that had been invented by a women.
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Read International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2020 – highlights! in full
