Inspiring the female academics of the future

Networking and mentoring event at Imperial aims to promote women in science - News

Monday 4 June 2007
By Naomi Weston

A new event to promote women in research at Imperial College London was held last week with keynote speaker, Dot Griffiths, Deputy Director of Tanaka Business School.

Female students from the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Medicine attended the event which was organised by the Graduate Students Association.

Female speakers including alumni, researchers and women from industry and business inspired the students with a short presentation on their experiences and gave them advice on how to succeed in their careers.

Professor Dot Griffiths, who kicked off the evening’s talks, has been at the College over 30 years. She explained: "When I first joined Imperial in the 1970s there were no senior women, however, now there is a group of fairly feisty women in senior positions." In her presentation she explored the issues surrounding why more women drop out of science, medicine and engineering courses, for example promotion and maternity leave. Advising the students to be more assertive, she said: "You can do it, women can become great scientists and engineers."

But what is being done at Imperial to help female academics? Professor Griffiths is Chair of the Academic Opportunities Committee which works to create a level playing field for women academics here at Imperial. In addition, the Elsie Widdowson Fellowships allow women academics returning from maternity leave to have six months relief from teaching and administration to focus on their research.

Professor Anne Dell, from the Division of Molecular Biosciences, also gave an inspiring talk. She said: "I started at the College in 1975 and have never encountered any discrimination as a female. I became a lecturer in 1979 and a professor in 1991 and moved up the career ladder quicker than some of my male colleagues!"

She added: "There have been dramatic changes in attitudes to women over the years and it is no longer expected that women will stay in one profession for their working life. There are so many more opportunities out there and women need to realise this and put themselves forward." Professor Dell also encouraged the students to take advantage of the fact that they are in the minority as they are more likely to be noticed. "As a post-doctorate student I used to speak at meetings and as a female I stood out to my advantage," she concluded.

The panel of female role models also included Margaret Adams, a mechanical engineering alumnus of the College who has worked at a number of global corporations, Anita Hall, a lecturer in Molecular Cell Biology and Dr Judit Nagy, a Research Scientist in Proteomics in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

The evening also provided an opportunity for the students to network and talk to the panel of speakers. It is hoped this inaugural event will take place on a yearly basis and continue to inspire the female scientists of the future.