‘My daughter Charlotte had a great time and (in her words), she said she ‘felt inspired’. As a parent of girls – and a science teacher – I really appreciate the opportunity for girls to see role models in science and hopefully increase the number of women in STEM roles.’
Parent of Marie Curious Warwick attendee
The Department of Physics has held four events so far this year dedicated to increasing women’s participation with and engagement in science – physics in particular.
For February’s International Women and Girls in Science Day, three women from the Department of Physics were on hand to share the story of their research. Katherine Trinkaus, Nora Martin and Oana Bazavan talked about their career paths, their passions and their inspiration. Some 150 people attended the event at Oxford’s History of Science Museum for families and curious adults.
The Department of Physics organised a Women in Astronomy Day for schools which took place on 3 March. To mark it, there was a hands-on study day aimed at promoting astronomy and astrophysics to girls in Key Stage 4 (age 15-16). Hosted both at the History of Science Museum in Oxford and at the Department of Physics, Professor Kimberly Palladino gave the keynote talk while, through hands-on workshops, girls were able to explore observation, telescopes and the role of computer simulation. A panel comprising Jayanne English, Namrah Habib, Aru Beri and Belinda Nicholson rounded off the day which gave attendees an opportunity to put their questions to the academics and researchers about their work in astronomy and astrophysics.
Fuelling a passion for STEM
Another home-grown initiative, Marie Curious, is a free one-day science event for girls aged 11-14 run by the Department of Physics and funded by the Beecroft Inspire Programme. The event aims to build confidence in girls with an interest in science and fuel a passion for continuing to pursue STEM subjects at a higher level. It is a busy day that begins with a quick introduction before participants have the opportunity to join different 40-minute, hands-on workshops all about science, technology, engineering or maths. The workshops are run by passionate role-models from a variety of fields. The workshops are followed by a lively Q&A session with leading scientists from all stages in their careers, ready to answer questions and the day concludes with an interactive science show. Marie Curious Oxford took place on 23 March where 60 girls from local schools in and around Oxford were invited into the Department of Physics. Marie Curious Warwick then took place on 13 May at Kings High School with eight interactive workshops and more than 25 early career researchers helping out; 112 girls signed themselves up and took part.
‘We want to see more women in STEM and in particular in physics,’ explains Dr Sian Tedaldi Outreach Programmes Manager at the Department of Physics. ‘To do that, we need not only to reach out to girls while they are at school – from primary age upwards – but also showcase as many female role models as possible. There is still a long way to go but by organising events such as these, we are doing what we can to change the face of physics.’