Women in Science
Symposium
2010
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Monday 20th – Tuesday 21st September
Contents
Welcome
p4
Timetable:
Monday
p5
Tuesday
p6
Keynote Address Biography : Dr Vivienne Cox
p7
Participant Biographies
p8
Important information
p 11
Acknowledgements
p 13
Useful Websites
p 14
Survey
p 15
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Welcome to the
Warwick Women in Science Symposium 2010
Thank you for joining us by participating in the inaugural Warwick Women in Science Event.
We are looking forward to the next two days and hope you will find them inspirational,
stimulating, useful and fun. We are extremely lucky to have participants from various walks
of life who can share their amazing stories and insights with us.
Mission Statement
The event will seek to inspire, educate and establish a supportive network for female PhD
students and early-career researchers in the sciences at Warwick.
Many of us have a passion for science and the desire to pursue a career in the scientific
world, however as women, we face some unique obstacles and challenges. All of us may
have asked ourselves similar questions during our academic careers: Can we succeed in
Academia?... Can we become successful leaders?... What steps can we take, now, in our early
careers, towards this goal?... Can we leave Academia and succeed in Industry?... Are the
challenges different?... How much does having a family have to interfere with our career?...
Do we have to make a choice?... Why aren't there more women in prominent positions in
scientific fields?...Should there be more women in prominent positions in scientific fields?...
What can women offer to science that is unique?
We hope that by the end of the event that we all will have gone some way toward answering
these questions for ourselves.
WIS
Warwick Women in Science began as an after dinner discussion between four people, in the
middle of rural Wales. In the company of three budding female scientists the natural
discussion revolved around why women leave science and how the fourth member of the
conversation (Ann Canham) became successful, while maintaining her enthusiasm, personal
life and sanity. We considered the unique challenges faced by women and how those
challenges have been overcome by several inspiring women of our acquaintance. We
formulated the idea of WIS and holding a Symposium where like-minded women could
come together. We hope to enable women who would like to be successful to interact with,
and learn from, women who are successful in the many diverse facets of science.
We were lucky to find kindred spirits in Professor Alison Rodger and Dr Ann Canham,
without whose support the event would have been impossible.
We all believe that becoming a success requires one to be proactive and is truly about
meeting our own potentials, whatever we as individuals consider those to be.
With many thanks,
Lauren Hepple, Kate Jordan & Helen Playford
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Monday 20th September
Morning
Welcome & Keynote Address
10.30
Registration and Coffee
10.50
Welcome
Lauren Hepple, Kate Jordan, Helen Playford- Chairs
11.00
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Dr Vivienne Cox, Chairman, Climate Change Capital
Lunch
Afternoon: Developing Leadership Potential
13.00
Maximising your leadership potential
Dr Ann Canham
Coffee
Monday 20th September
Afternoon
Vignettes: Stories of Success
17.00
Professor Laura Green
Professor, Biological Sciences, Warwick University
Dr Anna-Karin Tidén
Associate Director, Medicinal Chemistry, AstraZeneca R & D Charnwood
Dr Emma Tomlinson
Research Funding Manager, Cancer Research UK
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Dr Rachel O’Reilly
EPSRC Research Fellow, Chemistry, Warwick University
19.30
Dinner
Tuesday 21st September
Morning
Welcome & Breakout Sessions
09.30
Welcome & Breakfast
10.00
Breakout Session 1
11.15
Breakout Session 2
12.30
Breakout Session 3
Please note, each breakout session will be offered 3 times. Available breakout sessions
include:
- Academic, being a good manager in science: Professor Laura Green
- Academic, being a good manager in science: Dr Rachel O’Reilly
- Leaving academia, succeeding in industry: Dr Anna-Karin Tidén
- Leaving academia, succeeding in science funding: Dr Emma Tomlinson & Dr Julia
Mitchell
- Further exploring your personal leadership potential: Dr Ann Canham
13.45
Panel Lunch: What are the keys to success? Why do women leave science?
15.00
Close
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Keynote Address Biography:
Vivienne Cox
Vivienne Cox is the Chairman of Climate
Change capital – an investment manager
investing in renewable energy businesses –
and a non-executive director of Rio Tinto the
mining company and Vallourec, a French
speciality steel manufacturer. She is also an
adjunct professor at Imperial College in
London, and a member of the Board of
INSEAD, the French business school. She
retired last year from the position of
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive
of the BP Group's activities in Alternative Energy - a portfolio of some of the fastest
growing energy businesses in the world today. The BP Alternative Energy portfolio
includes solar, wind power, biofuels, hydrogen energy and natural gas-fired power
generation.
In 2005 Vivienne was running the Gas, Power and Renewables segment in BP and led
the creation of BP Alternative Energy with the aim of becoming a major low carbon
power producer and wholesaler. In 2008 BP expanded Alternative Energy to
incorporate a broader range of renewable and alternative energy activities and doubled
its annual investment rate to $1.5 billion.
Vivienne held a variety of increasingly senior roles in BP over more than 25 years in the
company.
A graduate of Oxford and INSEAD, Vivienne has also been awarded an Honorary
Docorate from the University of Hull. In April 2006 she was awarded the prestigious
Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award. She is married with two young
daughters.
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Participant Biographies
Dr Ann Canham
Ann retired from BP, where she was Vice President HR, at the end of 2005. During her
career at BP Ann held several sales and marketing roles before moving to HR where
her roles included a mix of Global Generalist HR and OD. Leading diverse global teams
and working with diverse groups across the world provided enormous motivation
and stimulation and opportunities to continue to work with such groups and
individuals remains a major source of enjoyment and fulfilment. Ann has a first
degree and Ph.D. in Psychology
Since leaving BP, Ann is now pursuing a varied work lifestyle doing only the things
that she enjoys and feels passionate about with an overall aim of providing
stimulation, challenge and fun. Her work portfolio now includes coaching senior
executives, facilitation for senior executive leadership programmes and dialogues,
women’s leadership development, transferable skills training for PhD students and
transition coaching for graduates. She is also called upon to act as a member of
assessment panels for appointment of senior University positions.
In the Charity sector Ann is trustee of a leading independent school and Chair of a
charity that supports families affected by Drug and Alcohol abuse. She is also a
member of a Lord Chancellor’s sub-committee assessing suitability of candidates for
the magistracy.,
Ann lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband Richard. She has two daughters who
remain a source of challenge, learning and enormous enjoyment and fulfilment.
Professor Laura Green
I graduated from the University of Bristol with a BVSc (hons) and spent one year in
practice before being awarded a Wellcome Trust Scholarship which provided three
years funding for a taught course MSc followed by a two year PhD. We had our first
child in 1992 whilst I was completing my PhD and I was appointed to a lectureship
one year later. I was a lecturer at Bristol from 1993 – 1999 with quite a high teaching
load. During this time I established a research group and had two more children. With
a desire to improve my research I moved to Warwick in 1999 and was appointed to
senior lecturer in 2000, reader in 2004 and chair in 2005. Over this time I widened my
research portfolio and collaborated widely and was successful in competing for grants
and writing papers. Since 2006 I have had strategic advisory roles to DEFRA, RELU,
BBSRC and FAWC and am currently chair of Committee A for BBSRC that decides
which of 450 grants per annum should be funded, funding of ~ 40 million pounds is
available. I am also a member of FAWC (Farm Animal Welfare Council) who advise
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government on issues relating to farm animal welfare in GB. I have acted as director of
postgraduate studies for biological sciences since 2007. I owe my success to hard
work and determination and being strategic but could not have achieved my goals
without support from my husband and family throughout and my PhD supervisor and
several colleagues who have never doubted my ability to have a career and a family. I
am passionate about ensuring that women (and men) understand how to be
successful in their careers.
Dr Julia Mitchell
My first degree, BSc, was from the University of Aberdeen in Cell and Immunobiology
(1995-1999), after which I attended the London School of Hygiene and Tropical
Medicine obtaining a MSc in Immunology of Tropical Diseases (1999-2000). I then
returned to the University of Aberdeen for my PhD titled ‘Antibody Responses to
Ectoparasitic Arthropods as an Indication of Exposure History and Disease risk’
(2000-2005). My PhD involved me travelling and working with collaborators in the
USA and Tanzania; as well as some time in Oxford for an industrial placement. On
obtaining further funding I returned to Tanzania as a Research Field Assistant
working at the Joint Malaria Programme. On completion of my PhD I then, on
obtaining funding, took a Research Fellow postdoctoral position at the University of
Aberdeen.
On completion of my postdoctoral position I embarked in a new direction, moving
from the academic sector to the charity sector. I worked in India for several months
for a youth development charity and on returning to the UK gained my position with
Cancer Research UK as a Research Funding Manager where I am currently employed.
Dr Rachel O’Reilly
Dr O’Reilly is currently an EPSRC fellow in at the University of Warwick. She
graduated from the University of Cambridge (1999) and completed her PhD at
Imperial College in 2003. She then moved to the US to work at IBM Almaden and
Washington University in Saint Louis, under the joint direction of Professors Craig
Hawker and Karen Wooley.
In 2004 she was awarded a Royal Commission 1851 fellowship and in 2005 she
moved to the University of Cambridge with a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin
Fellowship. In 2008 she was awards the RSC Meldola award and in 2009 the Macro
group young researchers medal. She moved to Warwick in 2009 and is currently an
associate professor in the chemistry department.
Dr Anna-Karin Tidén
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Anna-Karin Tidén was born in Sundbyberg Sweden in 1960. She was the second child
out of three (two brothers) with two working parents. At this time being a female
parent in the workplace was extremely rate, so Anna’s mother was among the first
generation highly educated working mothers.
Anna became interested in Chemistry from her first acquaintance with it through her
school years. She received her Chemistry BSc at Stockholm University and continued
her studies there to achieve her PhD in 1992. She then had the opportunity to do postdoctoral work in New Zealand at Victoria University of Wellington. She was in New
Zealand for a year before returning to Sweden and starting her first job at Astra in
Södertälje, just south of Stockholm. She has been working for Astra-AstraZeneca since
then in Chemistry. Anna has taken on various positions, therapeutic areas and has
worked in different countries. Anna was honored to be asked to come and speak at
WIS, however, she is also a bit nervous as the subject of WIS is very natural to her and
it will be a challenge to make an interesting talk.
Dr Emma Tomlinson
Emma joined the Personal Awards and Training team at Cancer Research UK in
summer 2010. As a Research Funding Manager her role is coordinating Clinical
Fellowship portfolio. This role involves advising applicants; processing and peer
review of applications and the interview process; organising meetings and events; and
promotion and policy associated with the clinical schemes. Previously she worked for
the Wellcome Trust as a Grants Adviser for over two years. Emma processed and peer
reviewed applications for all schemes for presentation to Committee meetings; coordinated the clinical MB/PhD graduate fellowship and ran the programme of basic
PhD studentships. Emma has also worked for a high street bank and a computer
manufacturing company and worked for two years as a post-doctoral research
assistant at the University of Nottingham, prior to joining the Wellcome Trust. Emma
has a BSc in Biological Sciences and a PhD in Cancer Studies.
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Important Information
Lunch & Dinner: Please be advised lunch and dinner will be provided in the MOAC
seminar room. If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know.
Vegetarian options will be available for all meals.
Coffee/Tea: Mugs will be provided for coffee and tea at all times, we ask that the
delegates please help us keep the area tidy by putting their used mugs in the
dishwasher.
Symposium Location: The WIS Symposium will be held in the MOAC area of Coventry
House on the Main Campus of Warwick University. Please find a detailed map below.
MOAC is on the 2nd (top) floor of Coventry House, please turn left at the top of the stairs.
Please do not ask at reception as they are associated with the NHS and not MOAC.
Accommodation for presenters: Accommodation for presenters from out of town
(pre-arranged) will be provided at Scarman House (see map below). Please note
breakfast for these guests will be provided at Rootes Restaurant (a light breakfast for all
other conference delegates will be provided in MOAC).
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Acknowledgements
The organisers of the Warwick Women in Science Symposium would like to extend their
warmest gratitude to Professor Alison Rodger, Dr Dorothea Mangels and MOAC for all of
their support, without which the Symposium would not have been possible.
We would also like to thank Dr Ann Canham for her inspiration and support.
Further thanks are extended to all our participants for generously donating their time,
stories and expertise to the event.
Finally, our thanks to all the delegates who made this inaugural WIS event a success.
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Useful Websites
http://www.womeninscience.co.uk/
L’Oréal-UNESCO’s For Women in Science is an international
programme which recognises the achievements and contributions
of exceptional females across the globe, by awarding promising
scientists with Fellowships to help further their research.
http://theukrc.org/
The UKRC is the UK Government's lead organisation for the provision of advice, services and policy
consultation regarding the under-representation of women in science, engineering, technology and the
built environment (SET). We work with employers; professional bodies; education institutions; women's
organisations and networks; policy institutes; sector skills councils; the government and many others to
promote gender equality in SET. We offer tailored services and support for women at all career stages.
http://www.wisecampaign.org.uk/about_us/overview.cfm
(STEM).
WISE (Women into Science, Engineering and Construction) works
with industry, schools, colleges, business and industry to reach out to
girls by promoting activities that bring colour and relevance to the
careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
http://www.athenaswan.org.u
k/html/athena-swan/
The Athena SWAN Charter recognises
and celebrates good employment
practice for women working in science,
engineering and technology (SET) in
higher education and research. Any university or research institution which is committed to the
advancement of the careers of women in SET in higher education and research can apply for membership.
http://girlgeekdinners.com/
Girl Geek Dinners: for like-minded women
interested in Science, Engineering and Technology
to meet, network, learn from each other and listen
to a speaker.
http://www.camawise.org.uk/resources.html
Cambridge’s Association for Women in Science and Engineering has a website with lots of helpful
resources for obtaining funding, international and national women’s organisations and events taking
place throughout the year.
http://www.setwomenresource.org.uk/
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Survey
Please tell us how you felt the inaugural WIS event has gone and what we can do to improve
future events and Symposia.
Please rate the following from 1-5 (1 = dire; 5 = ideal) and leave any comments you would
like to make.
Overall success of the event?
1 2 3 4 5
Usefulness of the Developing Leadership workshop?
1 2 3 4 5
Impact /usefulness of the Vignettes: Stories of Success?
1 2 3 4 5
Usefulness of the Breakout Sessions?
1 2 3 4 5
Impact/Usefulness of the Panel Lunch?
1 2 3 4 5
Quality of the speakers?
1 2 3 4 5
Catering?
1 2 3 4 5
Facilities?
1 2 3 4 5
Would you come to future WIS events (circle one)?
YES
NO
Any other recommendations (future speakers, future events, improvements, general
comments, etc):
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