Manchester scientists celebrate IWD 2016

The University of Manchester’s female scientists celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016 with a conference on advancing careers in science. Organised by Dr Hema Radhakrishnan, who chairs the equality and diversity leadership team at the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University, the conference entitled ‘Becoming the Best’ was a programme of events designed to provide a platform for Women in Science and Engineering to discuss strategies that help in progression in research, academia and industry. The conference, which for the first time featured an all-female panel, also heard a keynote speech by Professor Teresa Anderson MBE, Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, University of Manchester.

Professor Anderson’s all female senior leadership team is responsible for public engagement and research impact for this social enterprise which has an annual budget with £1.6 million. Jodrell Banks attracts 160,000 visitors including 21,000 school visitors, who are inspired and taught by scientists, mainly women with physics degrees! The site hosts BBC Stargazing Live, science fairs and a range of events including festivals. To celebrate the city’s accolade as ‘Manchester City of Science 2016’, Jodrell Bank will be hosting a music festival in July and the team are awaiting the outcome of its application to become a UNESCO world heritage site. In 2020, Jodrell Bank is also planning to open its new £12 million visitor and teaching centre.

The conference started with a panel debate focusing on personal case studies and an open discussion with the audience. Diversity UK Founder & CEO Lopa Patel moderated a panel discussion on ‘Roads to Success’ with women who have pursued a range of careers in science; from academia through research, clinical testing and commercial pharmaceutical experience to working for a corporate company and an NGO. Panellists include Dr. Heather Williams, Senior medical physicist for Nuclear Medicine at Central Manchester University Hospitals, and Director of ScienceGrrl; Dr Nermeen Varawalla, Chief Scientific Officer, Accord Healthcare; Dr Santosh Bhanot, Chair of Asian Circle, a charity to help support vulnerable and poor women in the Indian subcontinent and Professor Susan Kimber, Co-Director North West Embryonic Stem Cell Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester.

The afternoon panel debate moderated by Professor Amanda Bamford, Associate Dean for Social Responsibility, Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, examines ‘Lessons Learnt’ from other successful women and how to develop or adopt habits and strategies to advance a career in science. Professor Bamford was joined by Angela Saini, science journalist, author and broadcaster; Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, Deputy Director, The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London; Professor Aline Milner, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, University of Manchester and Professor Teresa Anderson, Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, University of Manchester.

The ‘Becoming the Best’ IWD Conference, was held at the Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, on Tuesday 8th March 2016.