Greetings!
Welcome to this month's newsletter. This month we feature articles on what WES members have been up to. If you have any news, experiences, travels or anything you would like to share with us please contact the WES office and we will include it in the newsletter. Don't forget you can also follow WES on twitter, WES1919.
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| Former WES Pres Pam Wain in South Korea - INWES |
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Haeundae Beach in Busan, South Korea is really beautiful. I know because I had glimpses of it during the August meeting of the board of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists. But believe me, none of us had the time to actually swim! We only meet face-to-face once a year, and our time is filled. Those of us who arrived before the formal start were immediately involved in various discussions. We also took part in the impressive international conference on women and sustainable engineering which had been organised to coincide with the board's visit. (Asha from India was presenting there - WES have sponsored her through the ICWES UK fund to a couple of ICWES conferences, and she subsequently hosted Margaret Ajibode during her Winston Churchill Fellowship visit to India.)
Most of the meeting was unexciting, in that we were deciding matters of detail over building a solid structure for the organisation as it expands through the building of regional networks. The African and Asian Regional Networks are forging ahead - the Asian one is looking for a more inclusive name as Australia and New Zealand wish to join them. The proposed European Network is on hold, looking for a joint project where we could make a difference, there isn't interest in building a network just for the sake of having a network. Sue Bird is proving a magnificent constructive leader, in her unostentatious style.
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| New President for Mining Institute of Scotland
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Margaret Copland, MWES and a Fellow of the IOM3, has been elected president of the Mining Institute of Scotland (MIS), an affiliated local society of the IOM3. Margaret has been a MIS Council member for many years and is also a board member of the Petroleum and Drilling Engineering Division. Margaret gave her presidential address on the subject of "A comparison of mining and offshore safety legislation". Margaret is a Wells Technical Authority with BP in Aberdeen and is married with one son.
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Quick Links
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278 YEARS TO ACHIEVE GENDER PARITY IN ENGINEERING IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH SAY UKRC AND ETB
Paul Jackson of the ETB estimates "it will take another 278 years to achieve gender parity in engineering at the current rate. This is not good enough. There need to be more largescale engagement initiatives with an increased focus on gender targeting. With engineering set to play a key role in the economic recovery, it is vital to encourage more young people, particularly women, to take key subjects such as physics and maths."
Membership News |
| WES Conference 2010 Volunteers Required |
Following on from the success of this years conference discussions are already underway for next years annual conference. Volunteers are required to sit on the Conference Commitee to help plan and organise the event. If you can help please contact the WES Office. |
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And finally....
If you have any articles you would like to have featured please contact the WES office by clicking here. We'd love to hear your stories of your schools outreach activities or ideas to inpsire young people that we can share across our community.
Don't forget to forward on our e-newsletter to your friends and contacts, male and female and help to inpsire more young women to consider engineering and technology as a career.
With good wishes
the e-News team. | |
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| Virtual Connections |
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Several WES members, including Suzanne Speed, Sally Sudworth, Pam Wain and Milada Williams, attended a discussion on Virtual Connections, Supporting Women in SET Online in Cardiff City Hall on 21st October 2009. The event was organised by the UKRC Connect team as part of their programme to offer useful information to strengthen women's networks. It was attended by representatives of Welsh and English universities, local and national companies, engineering institutions, media and special interest societies. Ayo Bakare and Ruth Wilson of UKRC presented the variety of "new" media being used by the organisation to communicate. Merits of Facebook, Twitter, Second Life, LinkedIn, Ning, etc. were vigorously debated and the conclusion was drawn that the personal preferences may be driven by the group aims and needs. Pam Wain was invited to talk briefly about Daphnet. Most people agreed that although they used a wide variety of electronic media, so much of their working time is spent in front of the computer screen that there are limits on how much of their free time they are willing to give up to electronic communications. Most companies actively block social networking websites, though LinkedIn may be allowed.
The event began with a speed networking session, and there was generous networking time, including an excellent sit-down meal. As usual, Milada and Pam made sure that everyone knew that the Women's Engineering Society was there - and Milada ensured that everyone got a Doris Gray Conference leaflet.
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| Gude Cause March |
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WES members Ruby Raheem and Nina Baker carried the flag for the society at the recent Gude Cause march in Edinburgh. This march celebrated the centenary since the huge march of the same name in 1909 in support of the votes for women campaign, which was ultimately successful in the year of WES's foundation, 1919. Some four thousand men women and children joined this very colourful parade, with banners, balloons, sashes and period costume. A female pipe lead the way and marchers were grouped in "Past", "present" and "future" themes. The WES banner, made by Nina from our original badge and current logo, was near the front of the "Past" section, appropriately near groups representing the female chain makers of the english midlands, and the Association of Scottish Businesswomen. The banner is now held by head office for use at suitable occasions. If you want to borrow it, please ask head office, but bear in mind you will need two long bamboo poles as well. More pictures can be seen on Flickr by searching for "Gude Cause"
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The Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award 2010
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The Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award is designed to promote women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and is funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The award, consisting of a medal and £30,000 is made annually to an individual for an outstanding contribution to any area of STEM. As part of the nomination process, nominees are asked to put forward a proposal for a project that would raise the profile of women in STEM in their host institution and/or field of expertise in the UK. The recipient of the award will be expected to spend a proportion of the £30,000 award fund on implementing their project.
There are no restrictions on the age of nominees, but it is anticipated that the award will be made to someone in their mid-career and actively involved in scientific research. Nominations are welcomed for both women and men.
For full details of the Award and guidelines for nomination, including the online nomination forms, visit the website or email
Closing date for nominations: Monday 25 January 2010
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The 50th William Menelaus
Memorial Lecture
Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of WISE
(Women into Science, Engineering and Construction)
"Towards a Silent Aircraft"
Presented by:
Professor Dame Ann Dowling
DBE FREng FRS
Head of the Department of Engineering, Cambridge University
6.00pm, Wednesday 2nd December 2009
In the Birt Acres Lecture Theatre,
Bute Building, Cathays Park, Cardiff | |
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