165 breakfasts, 45 countries, 1 global network
This morning women from academia and industry, and at all stages of their careers, gathered in the library at Burlington House, the Royal Society of Chemistry’s headquarters in London, to network, form collaborations, and discuss women’s progression in chemistry.
The event formed part of the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast, which aims to empower women in chemistry. 165 breakfasts were held in 45 countries around the world, from New Zealand to Nigeria and from Italy to Indonesia.
Dame Carol Robinson, the president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, opened proceedings. "It’s exciting, and humbling, to think that there are groups of women, just like us, all over the world, hosting breakfasts just like this, sharing this moment together", she said.
She went on to explain that networking events like this one are one way to address the challenges women in chemistry face, as highlighted in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s recent ‘Breaking the Barriers’ report.
Dr Katie Perry is Chief Executive of the Daphne Jackson Trust, which offers fellowships to help STEM researchers return to their careers after a break. "It’s been fantastic to come together and meet and network with people that perhaps I wouldn’t have met before," she said. "There’s been a really good mix of people from different sectors and areas. And there’s a real buzz about an event like this."
Among the attendees was Dr Eileen Cheng, Safety & Facilities Manager at King’s College London. "I really enjoyed the breakfast session with some very inspirational ladies," she said. "I definitely got a few ideas to take back to my department in terms of how to promote more women applying for grants, jobs and promotions."
Dr Theodora Stewart, a researcher at King’s College London, said she found it interesting as a younger chemist to network with more experienced women. "There’s definitely a new wave, a new trend that’s coming, so it’s much easier for women to climb up the ladder – the landscape has changed dramatically. I think I made a new collaboration at the table just now. I think women are natural collaborators – that’s in our nature. And in the context of science that’s incredibly powerful."
She added, "We were talking about the underlying causes of why women aren’t more self-confident. We were talking about mentorships, schemes to develop women’s confidence and help them to trust themselves, and what it means to be intelligent."
Dr Julia Hatto, Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry Council, said: "For me it’s about trying to understand what the Royal Society of Chemistry can do to help young women progress in their careers. Women have struggled over the past 40 years or so, but now we’re starting to see more and more women come through."
"But they still need support, they still need mentorship, and they need help. And an event like this really gives us the chance to make those connections, and help each other. I think what women like to do is to help. So helping each other will be rewarding for everybody."
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