2

ABOUT SETTING AN EXAMPLE

If you are a woman considering a career in science, engineering or technology (SET), you have probably noticed that women are not in the majority in those fields. Whether you’re in your A-levels, at university or returning to work, a SET career may look like a lonely or isolating choice for you. This book aims to show you that although women are scattered among a variety of diverse SET careers, we do exist, we love what we do, and we have each taken a different path to get here. With funding from the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering & Technology, women from the University of Leicester and the LeicestHERday Trust combined forces to bring together as many regional women in SET that we could. Lunchtime talks and a public event at the National Space Centre allowed us to meet many wonderful women role models in diverse SET careers who shared their stories with us. This booklet introduces those motivational women to you. You will notice that the careers

highlighted in this booklet are varied and possibly not what you have been led to believe being in SET is all about. The truth is the SET community is more than the stereotypical “boffins in labcoats” you’re used to seeing. For SET research and industry to thrive, it needs communicators, managers, techn ic ians, teachers , IT specialists, and mechanics – as well as scientists and engineers.

Being in SET is about being part of an integrated team all striving to improve the world we live in

through knowledge and practical advancements. As we all have witnessed, developments in SET are part of our daily lives, from the latest mobile phones to medicines that can halt diseases.

Understanding the everyday relevance of SET and then meeting the people behind the work can help us to realise the humanity of its efforts. At the time of writing, the UK is in the middle of its 10-year investment framework for Science and Innovation, w h i c h i n c l u d e s t h e

recognition that women are underrepresented in SET. In fact, although the UK has the highest percentage of employed women among the major EU countries, women make up only 18.7% of the SET workforce. Why? Isolation, gender p a y g a p s , a n d employers’ lack of flexible work schemes cause women to look e l s e w h e r e f o r employment . The male-dominated SET workplaces are not going to change until more women get in there and balance them out, and the UK G o v e r n m e n t i s committed to helping support this move. The authors hope that you will meet in the pages of this booklet a SET woman whose story speaks to you, inspires you, answers your questions or simply makes you smile; and that perhaps you will decide to join us as we help discover more about the world and design the future.

3

DR GILLIAN BUTCHER Post-doctoral Researcher in Physics and Astronomy

“AT PRIMARY SCHOOL I LIKED THE IDEA OF BEING A MAD SCIENTIST – BEING ECCENTRIC, BUT NO-ONE MINDING AS YOU WERE A GENIUS!”

Even though physics was her favourite subject at school, Gillian also hoped for a career that would let her have some positive impact on people's lives. “I wanted to care for the world and change it.” Now, as a successful scientist, she has a clearer picture of how much physics is useful to the rest of society. “Whatever your interests - whether it's art, music, history, medicine, sport, or whatever -- there is a way in which you can use physics with it. The skills you learn as a physicist are much sought after by all types of employer.” Gillian attended Strathclyde University and remembers the thrill of it, “My lab partner and I spent weeks trying to set up a holography experiment. When we finally managed to produce our first hologram, we were literally running up and down the corridors, grabbing people to drag them off to show them what we'd achieved!” She received an Honours Degree in Applied Physics but hesitated about going on to pursue a PhD. Like many women considering the sciences as a career, Gillian was unsure of whether or not she could handle it. “I didn’t think I’d be clever enough. I guess I also needed confirmation that I would do OK at the next level (which I kept needing and still do).” Her parents supported her at every turn, and good advisors encouraged her to realise her abilities and raise her confidence until doing a PhD was all she wanted. Determined to get into a good programme, Gillian decided to take a slightly different route into her PhD. “My first degree wasn't good enough (a 2:2) to go straight to do a PhD, so I chose to work for a company that sponsored staff to do further study.” For three years she worked part of the week as an airfield lighting engineer at Thorn Lighting and the rest as a postgraduate completing an MSc in Architecture: Light and Lighting. With the MSc, Gillian was accepted onto the Physics PhD at Essex University. “Getting my PhD was one of my proudest moments, with all of the hard work, dedication, planning and personal sacrifice.” She then came to the University of Leicester as a post-doctoral researcher and member of its acclaimed Space Reseach Group. There, she has worked on designing, building and testing various scientific instruments that have flown in space or are currently in orbit. “I also have an instrument working/waiting to work/splatted over or buried on the surface of Mars!” She is referring to the

Beagle 2, the r o b o t i c geologist built by Gillian and her team at Leicester that was to be Europe’s first Mars lander – h a d i t s spacecraft functioned properly. “It was a thrill watching Beagle 2 being launched, feeling part of a great team and thinking about how momentous this could be. OK it didn't work out, but we'll be back!” Currently, Gillian is working on an X-ray interferometer that is still in its design phase in the laboratory. To illustrate the investment scientists make in their work, Gillian says, “If all goes well (and we continue to get funding) then we would maybe see our telescope being launched into space in twenty years time.” She says that the reality of being a space scientist is “challenging in both the negative and positive connotations of the word, but there is still the thrill of getting your experiment to work, particularly after days/weeks/months of hard work.” In addition to working on space missions, Gillian is involved in several projects that support women in Physics, including serving as the Treasurer for the Women in Physics Group of the Institute of Physics. She is also the mentor coordinator for the University of Leicester’s SET for Women programme and an advocate for getting more women into the physical sciences. Like many scientists, Gillian does find time for a hobby. She enjoys playing the piano for her own enjoyment and more recently in local recitals. “I love all aspects of the piano, not just the sound and music I can create, but also the physics, engineering and craftsmanship behind it.” Gillian is an example of how SET is more than just white coats and steel labs. “Whatever your motivation, whether it's money, changing the world, contributing to the knowledge base, teaching the next generation … there is something there for you in SET.”

Learn more about Gillian Butcher’s work: www.src.le.ac.uk

4

ANGELA CHORLEY Multimedia Designer

“FOR ME BEING A DESIGNER IS A LIFESTYLE, NOT JUST A JOB.”

Although at first she did not consider herself a woman in SET, Angela admits that after consideration of the fact that she uses cutting edge computer technologies to create her designs, she realises she must be. But it wasn’t always that way. Her first job after earning her BA (Hons) in Graphic Design from De Montfort University (then Leicester Polytechnic) was as an illustrator with the Leicestershire Museums. “At that time the only technical tools in my possession were my set of Rotring pens! I spent much of my working day painstakingly drawing exhibits such as pots and knitting machines in black and white. This was before print became relatively cheap, and in those days a black and white line drawing reproduced far better than a photograph.” Angela says that her skills with the use of technology in her art came early in her career. Her first boss was very interested in computers and developed a program to generate TV captions on a BBC computer, one of the first home PCs. “I created the alphabet for the generator, and in doing so found that I had the levels of patience and perseverance required to really enjoy the process. Although it took months to build, we only used the caption generator for a while before a much better commercial system became available. And then came word processing, not as we know it today, but on a horrible green and black screen.” After a couple of years, she changed jobs to the University of Leicester’s Audio Visual Services where she was the only designer producing art and publications for the university’s diverse needs. During the twenty years she has been there, she has turned the design department into a team of nine design and photographic professionals using a suite of Apple computers and the best design technology money can buy. “With the invention of the Apple Macintosh computer, desktop publishing was born. This invention has dramatically affected my working life. Everything – photography, illustration, page layout – is created digitally, of astounding quality and in double quick time.” Being a manager has not taken the edge off of Angela’s practical and artistic skills. “Colleagues are respectful of those who can also do the job.” Admitting that she is still an artist at heart, Angela continues to do illustrations for books. And she finds it an essential part of her job to

remain up-to-date with the l a t e s t advances in d e s i g n technologies. “I am not a n a t u r a l ‘techie’ and k e e p i n g abreast of everything has not been a breeze. However, I am noted for ‘reading the manual’ -- even while sitting on a Spanish beach on holiday -- instead of relying on intuition and bluff. To this simple fact I attribute my success, along with a little bit of talent!” She also says that good communication skills, bravery and an all-rounder’s approach to the craft are essential skills for any designer. Even as she has worked hard to become a successful designer, manager and mother, Angela feels very privileged to have built her career in a university environment and under a female boss. “I know that I might not have been able to sustain my career in the commercial world. The creative industry is generally youth and male dominated even now, and driven by constant deadlines. Creatives expect to work long into the night to complete work at short notice, and these working patterns do not fit in with trying to raise a family.” She explains that many other successful women designers have either decided not to have children, chosen to be self-employed or moved into public sectors where, compared to industry, she says there is “more tolerance and an awareness of equal opportunities.” There have been massive developments in print and design technology that have altered the profession over the twenty-five years Angela has been a designer; she feels strongly they have all been positive. “It’s been a great time for designers and others in the creative industries, changing the perception of their roles from relatively lowly paid artisans to technical professionals. I could not have dreamt that this would be so when I first started my career and cannot imagine where it will end.”

Learn more about Angela Chorley’s work: www.le.ac.uk/avs/

5

DR SARAH DAVIES Geologist

“I CANNOT EXPRESS JUST HOW GLAD I AM TO HAVE PURSUED A SET CAREER.”

The world narrowly missed having Sarah as a professional scientist, even with parents who encouraged her to observe and investigate its natural wonders. “Family holidays always involved looking at the world around us, making observations when rock-pooling or walking up mountains, and asking why. We were always encouraged to read more about what we found interesting.” It wasn’t until a Geography field trip taken just before choosing her A-levels that Sarah learned how much she enjoyed taking physical measurements of her observations and connecting them to interpretations of the processes that create the natural world. “I spoke to my Geography teacher to discuss taking an A-level in Geography. He was perceptive and said that my interests in the Physical Geography aspects would suggest I would be interested in Geology.” To be certain, Sarah met with the Geology teacher whose enthusiasm was so contagious that she wanted to learn more. At her Sixth Form college, Sarah finished A-levels in Geology, Chemistry and Maths so that she would be ready for a Geology degree at University. She attended the University of Leeds to earn her BSc degree. During her courses she found she had a love of sedimentology, and she became determined to do her own research in the field for a PhD and beyond. The research work at the University of Leicester appealed to her most, and so she pursued her PhD in their Department of Geology. Her first job after earning her PhD was as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool, a position that was funded by an oil company. “I was able to pursue my own research interests, and these took me to some amazing geological locations around the world from the coast of Nova Scotia to the empty wilds of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.” After a temporary lectureship at the University of Edinburgh, Sarah returned to Leicester as a lecturer in sedimentology. “I mainly look at the ancient record – sediments that are tens to hundreds of millions of years old. My laboratory is the world and I frequently spend time outside recording observations in strata exposed in streams, along the coasts or along the mountains.” Sarah’s research in understanding how the planet worked in the past directly helps her to consider how it might behave in the future. “The Earth is a dynamic system, and processes operating in the solid Earth

beneath our feet, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere (oceans) and the biosphere ( l i f e ) a r e i n t e r c o n n e c t e d . Unravelling links b e t w e e n t h e s e e lements is a complex problem, but rocks and fossils hold clues to resolving the dynamic interactions.” As a lecturer and Careers Tutor, Sarah has taught and advised many undergraduate women of varying ages, including mature students. “Studying the geosciences is incredibly rewarding. Many Geologists are involved in the search for energy, including in the hydrocarbon industry, and mineral and water resources, but many more are in careers that address global and local environmental issues, including pollution, climate change, waste management and environmental monitoring and in geotechnical engineering and geo-hazard assessment and remediation.” She says the work takes many forms, from being in the outdoors collecting data to analysing and modelling data using sophisticated cutting-edge technologies. “The traditional image of the lone geologist working in a remote field area is not representative of the wide range of careers on offer. You will find that teamwork is vital in modern companies, and although you can work abroad and travel a lot, you also can remain based in the UK.” Fifteen years into her career, Sarah has published important and highly cited papers in sedimentology and is Chair of the British Sedimentological Research group, the ‘principle focus for all aspects of sedimentological research in the UK’. It is difficult to remember that this accomplished and enthusiastic scientist nearly became a languages graduate, but she says she has never regretted the decision to be in SET. “It has been fun and challenging, and I continue to learn and discover through solving problems. It isn’t all ‘eureka’ moments, but my work is endlessly fascinating.”

Learn more about Dr Sarah Davies’ work: www.le.ac.uk/geology/staff/sjd27.html

6

TIMELESS QUOTES AND FUN FACTS

Quotable Quotes “I long to speak out the intense inspiration that comes to me from the lives of strong women.”

Ruth Benedict, anthropologist "I think it is a duty I owe to my profession and to my sex to show that a woman has a right to the practice of her profession and cannot be condemned to abandon it merely because she marries."

Harriet Brooks, physicist “Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.”

Marie Curie, physical chemist “The most effective way to do it is to do it.”

Amelia Earhart, pilot “We especially need imagination in science.”

Maria Mitchell, astronomer "If you meet the expectations of women, you exceed the expectations of men."

Volvo’s YCC Project "There is only one thing worse than coming home from the lab to a sink full of dirty dishes, and that is not going to the lab at all!"

Chien Shiung Wu, physicist

“Outcasts and girls with ambition, that’s what I want to see!”

Pink, singer/songwriter

Did You Know? World War II-era Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr invented t h e s p r e a d - s p e c t r u m communication technology that is now being used in wireless communication systems such as WiFi. Florence Nightingale invented the pie chart. All of the craters on Venus and all of the moons of Jupiter are named after women. Volvo’s 2004 Your Concept Car was designed and built by an all-woman team. Four women have received the Nobel Prize for their research in physical science; Marie Curie won twice. The world’s first computer programmer was Lady Augusta Ada Lovelace of England in 1852. Thirteen American women were secretly trained as astronauts in the early 1960s but were denied flight, even though their abilities equalled and often surpassed those of their male colleagues.

7

JACKIE EDWARDS IT Lecturer and Aurora Blackberry Women in Technology Award

Jackie has a handmade doll her mother created for her that is a reminder of the path she has taken: one half is a homemaker with a cleaning rag and comfortable clothes. Flip it over, and there’s a princess in a gorgeous gown. “I went from cleaning up after my kids a few years ago to now accepting an award in London in front of all of those impressive people,” she says modestly. “I do believe it’s never too late to go for it!” De Montfort University runs a nationally acclaimed course called “Women’s Access to IT” or WAIT for short. This full time course is free to EU citizens who do not hold A-levels or any o the r f o rma l educ a t i ona l qualifications and can lead into degree programmes in computer science and engineering. Jackie studied on this course in 1997 and was soon convinced of its importance and her own desire to help it succeed. So she then became a lecturer on the WAIT courses where she has been teaching for the past eight years. “I love my job. One of my proudest moments has been watching one of my students go from not knowing how to turn a computer on to now holding a computer science degree. Priceless!” Inspired by the impact WAIT has had on women like herself, Jackie sought additional ways of reaching into the community to spread awareness. “I decided I wanted to promote IT careers for other women, to raise the percentage of us in the IT workforce from 22% to something closer to the 50% potential available.” She started by just walking through neighbourhoods and handing out leaflets, sometimes giving a presentation or two. Her main message was of the employability of graduates with a SET degree: “Science, Engineering and Technology are the future - no industrial sector exists that does not rely on SET.” With determination and effort, she sought and was awarded £130,000, which has helped her develop the Leicester Communities into ICT programme. Through this programme and with the organisational help of the

Le icestHERday Trust, Jackie travels around the region with a robotic dog, giving l i v e l y a n d m o t i v a t i o n a l p r e s e n t a t i o n s about the exciting work available to those with a

computer science degree. “I tell them the truth, that the opportunities are there if they want them.” It was this fearless determination to get more women into IT that got Jackie

recognised by the Blackberry Aurora committee for Women in Technology. She was nominated for the award in Academic achievements, but she honestly didn’t believe she would win and nearly didn’t attend the ceremony. “A trip to London after a full day of work and then a late night back didn’t appeal to me at all. My husband finally convinced me I should attend.” Jackie was surprised not only to have won in her category but also to have been given the overall prize. “I often wonder what they would have done if I had chosen not to go!” Jackie admits her rewards were hard won, but that the work is worth it for those who want to pursue an IT career. “It would be foolish of me to tell women it will be all plain sailing, but I offer myself as a sounding board for advice.”

Learn more about Jackie Edwards’ work: www.dmu.ac.uk/faculties/cse/courses/computing/

Images courtesy of LeicestHERday Trust

and De Montfort University.

“WOMEN NEED TO BE PART OF DESIGNING THE FUTURE – OR IT WON'T SUIT US.”

8

TAMSIN ELLISON Project Leader

"WHEN THERE ARE OTHER WOMEN ENGINEERS AROUND, I FEEL THAT SOLIDARITY IS QUITE STRONG BETWEEN US.”

In choosing her A-levels and her university degree, Tamsin was careful to broaden her studies and not narrow herself into a course that was too specific. She says she didn’t really know exactly what she wanted to do for a career, “I did Physics, Maths and French at A-level, and I was told that following from that, the typical course for university was engineering. Thinking about it, I definitely wanted to learn more about electrical and electronic engineering.” Tamsin is now a Project Leader at Crown, a multinational packaging manufacturing company. “My division makes food cans (for example baked bean tins), and we have other divisions producing larger and more decorative metal packaging, beverage cans, plastic containers, and much more.” She heard about Crown’s student sponsorship programme during her A-levels, and applied when she was 18 years old. “I didn’t want to go directly into university after my A-levels. I wanted to make some money and learn more about working in engineering.” She held two placements at different Crown factories in the UK during a Gap year. She says jokingly, “I wasn't making the tea, but I wasn’t running the production lines, either.” This paid work experience gave Tamsin a taste of professional engineering, plus the assurance of future summer placements and possible career options with Crown after university. At university, she chose a course that offered both electrical and electronic engineering, plus a year’s study option in continental Europe. “In the rest of Europe, the title ‘engineer’ is a professional qualification like 'doctor' or 'lawyer', unlike in England where most people expect it means that you’re going to come and fix their washing machine.” Tamsin recognised the professional asset of the European qualification, and decided to complete the fifth and final year of the French engineering degree on top of her four year Bristol MEng. She says she learned from this that it is important for UK engineering students to choose four year degrees, because in the job market, they will be competing with European graduates who have completed five years for their degree, including intense work placements. By the end of her studies, Tamsin had a boyfriend in France, and so she was happy to stay on in Paris. As she

was fluent in F r e n c h , something she says “was a huge benef i t , ” she o b t a i n e d a temporary job at C r o w n ’ s European head office in Paris which led to this permanent one she now holds as a Project Leader. “My job is half technical and half people-orientated, and I really enjoy the majority of what I do.” Her job is to oversee all client side relations regarding Crown’s flagship measuring system, a unit that was designed and manufactured in England and is now used around Europe. “I manage the installation of the unit and the training-up on sites, and I liaise with the electricians and mechanics there. Once the system is up and running, I organise how the client uses the system, to make sure it’s not just sitting in a dusty corner somewhere.” With the heavy client interaction aspect to her job, Tamsin travels from France at least once every two weeks to places such as the Netherlands, Italy and the UK and then occasionally to places such as Los Angeles, California. “The travelling is great, and although it means my home life is not quite so stable, I do get to meet a lot of different people in different companies.” Tamsin’s experiences as one of the few women in engineering is positive and encouraging. “Being a woman in a ‘man's world’ is only very occasionally an obstacle for me; you do still come across the odd traditionalist..." Working in engineering is rewarding to Tamsin, because she feels respected and needed, and the work is interesting and varied. “I get to see the real results of my work – as compared to accounting for example, where it’s all a bit virtual.”

Learn more about Tamsin Ellison's work: www.crowncork.com

9

PROFESSOR GILLIAN GEHRING OBE Solid State Physicist

“SET JOBS ARE FASCINATING AND REWARDING. DO NOT BE PUT OFF BY THE REALISATION THAT YOU MIGHT BE IN A MINORITY.”

As a schoolgirl, Gillian had a talent for painting and a great curiosity into the natural world that developed into a passion for Quantum Physics. Growing up as a teen in the wake of wartime atomic and hydrogen bombs is probably what fuelled her certainty for wanting to study Physics, as there was no-one in her immediate family who had gone to university. While applying for university courses, she was advised by one of her sixth-form teachers that she would need to get an upper second if she wanted to become a research scientist. As determined as ever, Gillian says “I had not the slightest idea what an 'upper second was' so made a mental note - find out what it is and get it!” Gillian enrolled in the redesigned Physics course at Manchester University in 1959. “It was very stimulating, and many of my year went on to become academic leaders.” She says that for the early part of the course, being one of the only 10% women attending was at first a challenge. “I felt that many of the men had been making radio sets and building Meccano since infancy, and that it was only when we started on quantum physics that I was on a level playing field.” At Oxford University, Gillian pursued her DPhil. “I was lucky to be one of the very few students supervised by Walter Marshall (later Lord Marshall of Goring) at Harwell. He was an absolutely brilliant physicist and very kind and perceptive as a supervisor.” This positive experience made her keener than ever to continue her research. She stayed on at Oxford in the Department of Theoretical Physics doing her research as a Leverhulme Fellow at St Hugh’s College and then became a NATO fellow at the University of California at Berkeley in the United States. On her return to Oxford a year later she married Karl Gehring, who was also an Oxford physicist, and started her teaching career as a fellow of St Hugh’s College and lecturer in theoretical physics in 1968. Many women scientists in the UK cite Oxford as a wonderful institution in which to work, because of the large number of women academics there. This became the norm in Oxford because of the women’s colleges whose fellows at that time were all women. “Many of them had children, and it was expected that their academic work would continue. It was a very supportive environment in which to raise a family while carrying on a career.” The most outstanding of these scientists was Dorothy

Hodgkin, the Nobel-prize winning chemist, but there were many others. Gillian enjoyed twenty-seven years of research work at Oxford, but finally was drawn away when the University of Sheffield offered her a position as a Professor. This move made her the second woman Physics professor in the whole of the UK at that time (there are now about twenty). In Sheffield’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, Gillian regards herself as “a Many-Body-Physicist,' because most of my work has been concerned with interacting particles: electrons with electrons, electrons with phonons, spin waves with spin waves, spins and phonons and so on.” Her publications in solid state and condensed matter physics are numerous, and yet she enjoys her teaching responsibilities as much as her prolific research. “It is very frequently that one finds an example in one's research that one can use to illuminate a lecture, and conversely a seemingly intractable research problem can be solved by thinking about it in a new way inspired by a different aspect of the undergraduate course.” She retires from her chair in 2006 when she becomes an Emeritus Professor at the University of Sheffield. However, she holds a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship as well as several EPSRC grants to continue her research. Paralleling her work are her manifold campaigns encouraging more women to choose and stay in physics careers. This took off as her two daughters grew to their late teens and so her domestic responsibilities reduced. She Chairs several national and international committees on Equality and Diversity, and is the author of many publications on the issues facing women in Physics. For her demonstrated dedication to supporting equal opportunities and her service to science, Gillian was awarded her OBE from the Queen in 2005.

Learn more about Gillian Gehring’s work: www.shef.ac.uk/physics/people/ggehring/

physicsweb.org/articles/world/15/3/3/1 physicsweb.org/articles/world/14/9/2

10

KATE HEATH Rally Car Driver

“MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO WAS BARELY 5" TALL, DROVE A PETROL TANKER DURING THE BLITZ. IT MADE ME BELIEVE THAT ALMOST ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.”

Kate Heath says, “I have always been mad about cars!” She admits to being a “petrol head” for as long as she can remember, but didn’t realise she could make a career out of it back when she was a kid. Instead, she chose A-levels that came naturally to her: languages. She continued studying them at University, specifically French and German. But all the while, a love of cars stayed with her. An Oxford graduate, Kate had her choice of jobs after graduation. She was delighted to find that Ford Motor Company had a graduate placement programme, a job that would get her a step closer to the motoring industry. She worked mostly in the sales and marketing division, helping Ford to acquire new clients and business partners. “I would entertain them by bringing them to motorsports events, because it gave me an excuse to attend myself!” As Kate worked more in the communications and media departments of the company, she gained a good technical knowledge of cars. “I acted like a bridge between the engineers and the public, translating the technical information into explanations others could follow.” She says that she loves to learn, and during this time she was picking up new information readily. “I was like a sponge!” However, when her career took her further away from the public work and became technical writing, she grew unhappy. “It all just became numbers on a piece of paper.” It was then that she took up rally driving as a hobby and outlet for her motoring enthusiasm. “I was 30 by the time I got in my first rally car,” she says, “while every other driver started when they were 17. However, I think this late start gave me the incentive to really go for it to catch up.” She says that the rally car scene is a bit of an “old boys’ network,” and so finding anyone who would train her to race and maintain her car seemed next to impossible at the time. Kate is very grateful to a mentor who appeared, a friend with a garage who apprenticed her. She credits her early amateur racing success to his generosity and compassion. This was an exciting time in her life, even though it was the grubbiest work she’s had to do. “I had a Skoda Felicia that needed a lot of maintenance, and rally driving is messy business. I came home every night with mud in my hair and grease everywhere, but I didn’t mind!” In this sport, points are awarded for finishing the race, therefore getting the car to the finish line is the most important focus for a driver. “Hurtling through the forest on

gravel tracks, rally cars get mangled. It’s terribly important for the drivers to have s u f f i c i e n t understanding of that

car, a sympathy for the car, so they know how much they can

get away with and what to tell the service engineers.” Kate admits that she owes many victories to her ability to nurse a sick car. “I have driven 40 miles with a wheel falling off, 120 miles on three cylinders and 70 miles with no brakes. In these situations, my knowledge of how a car works becomes terribly important.” After a couple of years in the amateur scene, she began training for the professional rallies. In her first year competing, she won the British Ladies’ Rally Championship, about which she will modestly say she was “in the right place at the right time.” Managing her rally team became a full time job, and she was able to say goodbye to her dull day job. Grinning, Kate says, “Now, I tell people I’m a rally driver as if I’m in confessional, because it seems more like an addiction than a job.” Now, she drives a Subaru Impreza (which she describes as a “4-wheel-drive, fire-breathing monster”) and she and her husband founded HotSeat Motorsport, organising motorsport events for other people. Their newest endeavour is the active support of women in motorsport, including a competition to win not only rally training but one’s own rally car. Kate’s motivation for this mentoring programme is clear, “I was fortunate enough to have been welcomed into the sport, and I want to make sure the door is kept open to other women who want to get involved.”

Learn more about Kate Heath’s work: www.hotseatmotorsport.co.uk

Image of the Kate at the British Rally Championship courtesy of

Jakob Ebrey Motorsport Photography.

11

INVENTIONS AND WONDERS

How Women Have Improved Our Lives

You may not have know this, but scarcely a day goes by that you don’t use a technological or scientific innovation made by a woman – it’s just that the history books have written out this little fact and attributed them to men instead, often at the bequest of the woman herself. For example, that soothing bath tonight will require an electric water heater, technology invented by Ida Forbes in 1917. The cold milk you added to your morning wake-up cuppa was stored in your refrigerator, an invention made practical in part by Florence Parpart in 1914. And it is possible that you put your used mug in a dishwasher, an 1886 invention of Josephine Cochran. But that’s just inside the house… The motor vehicle that brings you to work or school requires a muffler, a 1917 invention of the outspoken and chain-smoking Miss El Dorado Jones. And if it is cold and raining, a likely event in the UK, you can thank Margaret Wilcox for the heating and Mary Anderson for those handy windshield wipers. Many people owe their lives to enterprising clever women in SET. In 1966, the chemist Stephanie Kwolek invented Kevlar, a fibre that provides the strength for bullet-proof vests, spacesuits, radial tyres and crash helmets. In 1899, Letitia Geer designed and patented a medical syringe, and chemist Gertrude Elion’s work on medicine development led to the AIDS-fighting drug AZT. Even now, SET women of all ages and from all educational backgrounds are designing everything from robotic vacuum cleaners to Smart Bras. Using your technical knowledge and your common sense, you too can be one of the women helping to design the future!

What Is It? (Answers at the back of the book…)

Here are a few scientific images we found on the Internet. Have you seen them before? Do you know what they are? Do you want to have a guess?

Figure 1: MP3 visualiser?

Figure 2: Want a burger with them?

Images from the NSF Photo Archive

12

DR SOPHIE HEBDEN Science Journalist “SCIENCE JOURNALISM IS A CAREER TO BE PROUD OF, BECAUSE YOU

ARE CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING A SKILL - I GET A SENSE OF SATISFACTION AS MY WRITING AND EDITING IMPROVES.”

Sophie has loved science since she was a child, probably due to the contagious enthusiasm of her father, an electronic engineer. “I think I found science easy and enjoyable because of my father’s influence earlier on in teaching me the scientific explanation of things.” At school, she completed physics, maths and geography A-levels and went on to achieve a first for her Physics with Astrophysics degree at Birmingham University. She then chose to study space physics for her PhD programme at the University of Leicester. She studied the Earth’s ionosphere, an upper layer of our atmosphere that allows radio waves to bounce around the world. Her work focused on some experiments done in Norway using man-made radio waves that heat the ionosphere and cause temporary instabilities in the way it behaves. Sophie is not the first person to decide that the life of a research scientist was not for her, and during her postgraduate work she explored the many other options available to science graduates. “I decided that I would enjoy being a science journalist.” By the time she had successfully passed her three-hour PhD viva and was awarded her doctorate, she had been accepted onto the one-year science journalism Masters programme at Imperial College, London. But before starting this intense course, she got married and enjoyed a well-earned camping honeymoon in Scotland. At Imperial, Sophie was eager to jump into the role of a science communicator and writer. “Definitely the most important factor for getting a job is experience. You need to get stories published and be ready to work for free doing placements until you are offered a job.” She quickly landed a part-time job in the Nature press office, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals and source of much of the science news reported in the UK press. She also started an innovative new radio programme with two friends at Imperial. They called their show Imperial Mints, and it was a series of informal interviews with prominent scientists and Imperial graduates about their lives. Their first interviewee was quirky biologist and writer Olivia Judson, author of Dr Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation, an agony-aunt styled book about reproduction in the animal kingdom. After two struggles with faulty recording equipment and then Olivia’s laryngitis, it looked like the show would never happen! But it did, and it

launched a successful run of nine episodes that included author and TV director Simon Singh who also studied at Imperial. After completing the MSc, Sophie did work experience placements at the Sunday Telegraph and the Science and Development Network (SciDev.Net), where she now works. It is a free-access website that provides news, views and information on science, technology and the developing world. “Science journalism is very competitive, but if you are determined, you can find work.” She is an editorial assistant at SciDev.Net, editing and subediting the many articles sent to the charity from its network of freelance journalists around the world. She also writes her own news stories for the website, including its popular Bird Flu Update. “ I enjoy learning about a wide variety of science and development issues each day, and Iike the fact that we are creating something concrete in the public arena for others to use.” Sophie admits that she finds it frustrating how little science makes it into the more general public press and that some editors believe science for its own sake doesn’t capture the attention of the readership “unless it’s peculiar …or has a celebrity angle.” However, in her current job writing for a dedicated audience, it is quite a different story. Sophie feels rewarded by her decision to leave research science and become a journalist. Her sci-tech news stories directly help developing countries make informed decisions about their economic and social programmes, a fact that she remarks happily “is definitely a worthy endeavour!”

Learn more about Sophie Hebden’s work: http://www.scidev.net/

http://www.scidev.net/ms/sci_comm/

13

GAIL ILES Postgraduate in Condensed Matter Physics

“PHYSICS IS NOT JUST FOR BOYS WITH TOYS!”

Sporting a zodiacal tattoo on each arm and a groovy new hairstyle, Gail says, “I have always loved science and the logic of the scientific method.” She certainly breaks the mould of the stereotypical scientist. Inspired at a young age by her scientist grandfather and engineer father, she never felt that being a woman was a reason not to get into SET. Even now, she says, “It’s a stimulating, challenging and fascinating discipline that benefits from a mixed-sex culture.” After completing her science and maths A-levels, Gail juggled her time between several demanding jobs. She joined the Royal Signals Territorial Army unit, where she received ‘trade training’ in operation of a Switch communications unit, then started working full-time with the Squadron carrying out vehicle maintenance. She also completed a Physics degree with the Open University, earning a Distinction in Quantum Mechanics. And if that wasn’t enough, she also gave birth to “two gorgeous, healthy, fantastic boys.” Gail then worked in a variety of SET jobs. “I taught science, IT and maths Key Skills in an FE college and tested PCB-type chemicals in a laboratory.” But her love of physics never waned, and eventually she looked back to higher education for PhD opportunities. Gail chose the University of Leicester’s Condensed Matter Physics programme. Her cutting edge research on magnetic nanoparticles there is sponsored by TDK of Japan. “I use ultra-high vacuum chambers to manufacture nanoparticles of ferromagnetic materials. We measure their magnetic moment with the University’s magnetometer and at international synchrotrons.” Her aim is to find smaller and smaller particles that can be used in hard-drives and other recording media to pack in more gigabytes of data. Always the successful multi-tasker, Gail has made sure she has soaked up the many opportunities for personal and professional development available in the university environment. “I enjoy teaching, and I currently lead

undergraduate physics seminars and do lab demonstrations.” She also has been integral to the design and teaching of a new degree programme called Interdisciplinary Science at the University. Gail generously gives some of her time promoting science to the public. “I am a Researcher in Residence and go into schools to spread the good

word of science to children.” You may have seen her on television as well. “I recently appeared as one of the rocket scientists on BBC’s Test the Nation. We won!” When she’s not being an enthusiastic scientist, Gail channels her boundless energy into diverse hobbies, including playing several musical instruments and participating in extreme sports. “I have completed thirteen skydives to date, looped the loop in a Cessna aerobat, and led six people off a mountain in gale force winds and snow.” She is referring to training for the Three-Peak Challenge of climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under twenty-four hours. Even one of these endeavours may seem incredible for one person to pursue, but Gail is driven by an even more demanding goal: to become a British astronaut. “I want to be in the sky, to go into space, and to explore strange new things.” If successful, Gail would enter the record books alongside Helen Sharman, the only other astronaut to go into space under the British flag.

Learn more about Gail Iles’s work: www.le.ac.uk/ph/research/cmp/research/cam.html

14

DR CAITRIONA JACKMAN Space Physicist

“SCIENCE IS IN FACT ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND REWARDING CAREER PATHS BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO LEARN.”

For her Irish Leaving Certificate, Caitriona studied many different subjects, including Maths, Physics, Chemistry, French and Music. Physics was her real interest, and so she pursued a BSc in Applied Physics at the University of Limerick. As an undergraduate, she and twenty other Irish students attended the London International Youth Science Forum. There she heard a lecture from a space plasma physicist from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory that would change her life. “I was so excited about his work that I pestered him for several months until I was able to get a work placement with him in my third year.” At Mullard, the space and climate physics department of UCL, she worked on the Cassini Huygens space mission, the largest interplanetary spacecraft ever built and destined for a four-year tour of Saturn and its moons. Caitriona’s work was to analyse and help calibrate data from the Electron Spectrometer instrument, while she was also involved with some public outreach in the form of a local museum space careers exhibition. “After this, I knew I wanted to continue to work on Cassini.” When she returned to Limerick for her fourth year research project, she chose the only topic in space science that the department offered: Galaxy Formation and Self-organised Criticality. “Self-organised criticality is related to the theory of how sand piles collapse. If you make a group of sand piles on a table, grain by grain, you find that some piles can grow larger than others before they collapse. What’s interesting is that sometimes if you place a grain of sand on one pile, not only will it collapse, but the others on the table will, too.” She explains that this is the type of model she used to predict the shape and structure of spiral galaxies, where a supernova occurring on one side of the galaxy can set off others, thus changing the shape and appearance of the entire galaxy. Determined to get back into space mission science, Caitriona attended a joint Austrian and European Space Agency summer school just after finishing her first degree. By the autumn, she had returned to her true passion, studying data from the Cassini-Huygens mission, as a postgraduate at the University of Leicester. Caitriona’s work at Leicester was to investigate Saturn's magnetosphere, or the environment controlled by the planet's strong magnetic field. She studied how magnetic field conditions affect a band of Saturn's radio emissions

(the kilometre long wavelengths of light) coming out from the planet. With data from Cassini, Caitriona and the team looked at the response of these emissions to bursts of charged particles from the Sun. The link was f o u n d t h r o u g h observations of the aurora on Saturn. Just like on the Earth, magnetic field lines get compressed by solar wind impacts and then act like a railway track for the charged particles, trundling them along into the magnetic poles of the planet. As particles plough through the atmosphere, they strip electrons off of the gases and this makes the gases glow (just like neon lights). Caitriona built a theoretical model of the processes that form these aurorae. This work took her to professional conferences, gave her publications even before she received her PhD, and helped fund the rest of her postgraduate study. On the strength of her research work, Caitriona received the prestigious Margaret K Day Fellowship from the British Federation of Women Graduates. “The federation encourages participation in outreach activities to promote science to young people. So far, I’ve given talks to local astronomy clubs, been on national telly twice, and am a mentor for Aimhigher.” She also recently appeared on BBC’s Test the Nation with Gail Iles (also featured in this book) as a “rocket scientist,” and has been a frequent scientific guest on programmes in Ireland. “I am the only Irish person working on the Cassini mission!” After receiving her PhD, Caitriona moved to Imperial College London to take up a job as a research associate on the magnetometer instrument on Cassini. “I have been very lucky to have quite a varied scientific path thus far, having worked at a number of top institutions.”

Learn more about Caitriona Jackman’s work: www.ion.le.ac.uk

15

DR CLARE MADGE Geographer

“THE ROOTS OF GETTING WOMEN INTO SCIENCE GROW EARLY ON.”

Science has always played a part in Clare’s life, as her mother, a biology teacher, brought her enthusiasm for science home. The strength of the science teaching at her all-girls grammar school helped to feed Clare’s interests, and she completed A-levels in Chemistry, Biology and Geography. Her favourite subject was Geography, because, she says, “I felt at the time that it dealt more directly with people than the other sciences.” At the University of Birmingham, Clare enrolled in a Geography degree and learned how diverse the subject is. Like so many keen undergraduates, she explored her options and was able to focus her goals. “Originally, I was interested in physical geography, particularly glaciology, but I found myself increasingly pulled towards the more human side of the subject as I progressed with my degree.” To experience the research aspects of being a Geographer, Clare accepted a prestigious Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) scholarship after graduation that supported research work in West Africa leading to a PhD. “The post was originally intended to be to study women’s vegetable gardens, I ended up exploring the social, political and economic value of minor forest products.” Although she was born in Nigeria, coming back to West Africa as an adult strengthened her desire to work with people, especially with issues of inequality. Her passion for the subject was strong, but she was unsure of how being a Geographer would be a viable career option. Like all good scientists, she needed more data before she could decide. It was during postgraduate work as a part-time lecturer that she got the academy bug, “I found I really enjoyed teaching and wanted to continue with my research.” Several more part-time positions later, and she attained a Lecturer post in the Department of Geography at the University of Leicester, the first woman to do so. “At first I worked full-time, but when my children were born I started to work part-time and have now done so for eight years.” Choosing this balanced lifestyle has not stopped the advancement of her career, as Clare is now a Senior Lecturer in the department. Her research in human geography has gained acclaim from international leaders in her field, and her enjoyment of teaching has strengthened into a passion all on its own. “Supervising postgraduate students, particularly non-UK students, has been one of the

most enjoyable aspects of my career.” C l a r e i s a recognised voice on the issue of women in the academy, spec i f ica l ly on women physical geographers and the situations of other research women working fractional hours in higher education. The subject is referred to as “Women, Science and Identity”, and she has published several papers on this topic. From her own experience and from the extensive interviews she has conducted, Clare has learned the sage advice to give to women in SET, most especially for them to join relevant support groups. She cites The Women and Geography Study Group of the Institute of British Geographers as “invaluable to me throughout my career.” Clare says that the sense of belief in yourself and your work that a mentor can give is an important key to success. “Get advice from women already in your field/department, and try and build a good relationship with a senior colleague who will support you in promotion attempts and grant applications.” She also stresses doing some investigation of potential workplaces before applying for jobs. “Find out about flexible working in practice, not just in policy documents: the rhetoric and reality might be quite different!” In addition to her published research work in human geography, Clare also studies the impact of the Internet on reducing the isolation many women feel in their work and non-work lives. In particular, she is studying the use of parenting websites, and has developed an Internet tool for remotely training researchers in the professional methods and practices of the social sciences. It is clear the profound influence these mentors have had on her, for Clare is now a respected and valued resource for other SET women who wish to combine work and non-work effectively. Her final piece of advice is “Learn to say no, and as much as possible, avoid working at weekends!”

Learn more about Clare Madge’s work:

www.le.ac.uk/geography/people/cm12.html

16

MAJOR DISCOVERIES IN SCIENCE MADE BY WOMEN

Often unsung are the women behind some of the greatest scientif ic discoveries of the 20th century. Ridiculed, bullied and sometimes outright robbed of their work, scientific women are only in recent times being recognised for how their cutting edge research f indings changed our understanding of the world. Chemical Composition of Stars – Cecilia Payne in 1925 completed her PhD dissertation explaining that the Sun was mostly made of Hydrogen, not Iron as was commonly believed. Although male astronomers bullied her about her claim, she was quickly proven correct. We now

know that to make Iron or any other element, you must first fuse millions of tons of Hydrogen into larger elements inside a star. In fact, because of Payne’s work, we understand that every atom in our bodies was once inside a star. Image from Harvard Magazine.

Double Helix Structure of DNA – Rosalind Franklin in 1953 authored a professional research paper for journal publication based on her unparalleled work on the X-ray crystallography of DNA. In this paper she

descr ibed how her chemical interpretation of images suggested a double helix structure for DNA. Credit for this discovery is given to competitors Watson, Crick and Wilkins who used stolen copies of her key X-ray photographs, published their paper in the same issue of the journal, and were later awarded the Nobel Prize without her.

Image from Wellesley College.

Earth’s Inner Core – Inge Lehmann in 1936 published a paper detailing a seismological discontinuity in the middle of the planet Earth. She explained that this meant the core was actually in two parts, an inner and an outer core. Thanks to her work, we now know the sloshing of movement and the transfer of heat between the layers is what gives the Earth its magnetic field, a protective electromagnetic boundary between our planet and the eruptions of deadly charged particles from the Sun. Image from St.-Michael-Gymnasium Monschau. Nuclear Fission – Lise Meitner in 1939 coined the phrase “nuclear fission” in a publication detailing her physics experiments to split a nucleus of uranium into barium, krypton and lots of energy. Her long time colleague, chemist Otto Hahn, became her competitor and claimed the discovery for himself, accepting a Nobel Prize as the spoils. Meitner’s discovery of nuclear fission was to spark the Atomic Age.

Image from Hahn-Meitner Institut X and Y Chromosomes – Nettie Stevens in a 1905 report presented her discovery of the existence of a Y chromosome. She explained the determination of the sex of an individual is based on the presence of this and the X chromosome in the nuclei of cells. From her work, we now know that the Y chromosome determines maleness, contains the fewest number of genes of any of the chromosomes found in most mammals, and can be used to trace ancestry back thousands of years. Image from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

17

ELIZABETH SEWARD Senior Space Missions Systems Engineer “WITH PHYSICS, YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE THE RELEVANCE OF ALL

OF YOUR HARD WORK. THAT’S WHAT APPEALS TO ME.”

Liz says she always enjoyed and was good at Physics in school, and had a fantastic teacher, “which always helps,” she adds. So when it came to picking a University course, Physics seemed the obvious choice. “But Physics on its own just seemed too boring,” she laughs. “I learned that I could study Physics with Space Science, which seemed perfect as I’d been interested in space for years, and I found five universities offering it.” She says that the events during the University of Leicester’s Open Day were so much fun that she decided to apply to their four-year programme in Physics with Space Science & Technology. “I had a fantastic time on the course.” Liz took advantage of summer opportunities home and abroad to expand her working experience in the field of space science. She went to Russia and California, and caught the space bug pretty hard. “I decided at the end of my degree that I didn’t want to do a PhD. I wanted to be working in the space industry right away.” Liz was offered an interview for a graduate job with EADS Astrium, a European leader in space systems design. “I became a thermal engineer by accident,” she recalls. “I phoned in to confirm the interview, and they referred to it as ‘the thermal position.’ I had to cram thermodynamics overnight!” Nevertheless, Liz was given the position, but she eventually decided it was not the right one for her. “There was a lot of computer modelling and analysis, not really what I wanted to do. I wanted to work on planning space missions.” She was able to move to the mission systems group within the company, the team that works out how to achieve the missions proposed by the scientific community; this work comes through the European Space Agency. Liz explains, “We may work on the engineering problems of sending a spacecraft to Pluto, testing Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, or launching larger and larger telescopes into orbit.” Currently, Liz is on the team that is working out strategies for controlling the formation flying of satellites in space. Instead of trying to launch one bulky scientific instrument package, current aims are to fly the unconnected pieces of it at the correct distances apart so that they still work together as one unit. The two projects she is working on are called XEUS and Darwin, both scheduled for launch by the European Space Agency in 2015.

“XEUS will be a set of two satellites flying 35 metres apart. Together they create a giant X-ray telescope that can reach the resolution scientists need to answer their questions about Dark Matter, massive black holes, and the nature of Dark Energy.” On the other hand, Darwin will be looking for Earth-like planets around other stars and requires four satellites in perfect formation to do so. By perfect, Liz means down to nanometre accuracy, because those planets are hundreds of times smaller than their suns. Liz doesn’t consider herself an expert in any one field of space science engineering, because she says she needs to know about many different aspects of the field at once. “Our job in the mission systems group is to know how all the bits on a satellite work and how to design them, but only at the top level. When projects progress into the detailed design stages, we hand over the work to a large project team.” Another important part of the job is ensuring that the department is working on the right projects now to position themselves for future work. This involves talking to scientists and travelling to conferences to hear from others in their field. “Networking is very important, creating contacts for future work and catching up with old collegues. That’s one of the most enjoyable parts of the job, and if you’re lucky the conference will be somewhere hot or exotic!”

Learn more about Liz Seward’s work: www.space.eads.net/

www.esa.int/science/xeus www.esa.int/science/darwin

18

DR NICOLE SNASHALL Mathematician

“SCIENCE IS ALL AROUND US AND CAN BE GREAT FUN, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RELATES TO THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES WE ALL HAVE.” Audrey fondly recalls several “Eureka” moments from her days studying chemistry at Huddersfield Polytechnic, and says that success in the lab clinched her decision to become a scientist. It won out over her love of languages, and she jokes, “I can still hold a conversation half in German with the rest in Spanish and Cantonese!” Audrey pursued her PhD at Reading University. Like many postgraduates, Audrey was a lab demonstrator, and she feels this was a great opportunity to learn the techniques of science teaching. Now a principal lecturer in Pharmacy and Forensic Science at De Montfort University, Audrey’s research specialty lies in conservation science. She has analysed how pigments can affect the curing processes of ancient and modern resins, and she recently uncovered biocides in the paintwork of historic buildings. Audrey’s passion for investigative science and teaching has led her to develop several new courses at De Montfort, including a new MSc in Conservation Sciences. As the head of Widening Participation Initiatives for the University and a Science and Engineering Ambassador, she also designs public lectures and laboratory experiments on everything from the chemistry of chocolate to the physics of the “Smart Bra” and other underwear. She has delivered hundreds of her innovative and entertaining presentations at schools, colleges and public

v e n u e s , i n c l u d i n g performances at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Institution in London. “I hope my work goes some way to encouraging young people to c o n s i d e r science as a rewarding and f a s c i n a t i n g career.”

“MATHEMATICS IS

BEAUTIFUL AND CREATIVE!” Nicole’s love of mathematics started when she was in school. “ I ’ v e a l w a y s e n j o y e d mathematics, and puzzles, and have been fortunate to have had inspiring mathematics teachers.” She says that learning algebra from an accessible woman maths teacher gave her an enthusiastic role model early on who treated her as an individual, and gave her a sense of personal support and encouragement. This prepared her well for her A-levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Physics, and her acceptance into a Mathematics degree at Oxford University. During her time at Oxford, Nicole had to decide what to do next with her love of Maths. “I hadn’t seriously considered an academic career until my university tutor, a woman and an outstanding mathematician, encouraged me to do a PhD.” Nicole chose the University of Leicester for her PhD, and has remained in the Department of Mathematics ever since. She is now a senior lecturer in Pure Mathematics, doing research in her favourite subject, algebra. Her Oxford tutor is now a research partner, and the two have published several papers together on the subject of Hochschild cohomology, a cutting edge tool for understanding representations of algebras. In addition to her research, Nicole teaches undergraduates and supervises postgraduates. “I enjoy seeing students' realisation when they understand and appreciate some part of mathematics! “ Her successes in teaching are influenced by her positive experiences of being a student, and she says, “It's important when teaching to remember that everyone is different and has to understand the topic for themselves.” In particular, she knows that students are better motivated and achieve more in subjects they enjoy, so she’s quick to encourage sixth formers to choose their university courses carefully. “Don’t pick a subject that you think you ought to do. Follow your dreams!”

DR AUDREY MATTHEWS Chemist

19

PROFESSOR SARAH SPURGEON Control Engineer

“WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I WAS VERY VERY KEEN ON SCIENCE, BUT I WAS IN CLASSES WHERE I WAS THE ONLY GIRL DOING PHYSICS. I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU, AT THAT

STAGE, I CHICKENED OUT!”

Sarah’s experiences of isolation as a girl in science classes are not uncommon even today. She says this is what led her to choose to study Maths instead. “I felt Maths was safe, because there were no labs to be the only girl in, and yet I could still do what I love: solving problems associated with real world situations and systems.” She was accepted into the Maths degree at the University of York. Just after she finished her Maths degree, Sarah got married. She says that family will always come first for her, and so she stayed in the North with her husband. “I would never live away from my husband and home for a job,” she says emphatically. That commitment did not let her down. On the networking strengths she had with a lecturer at York, she landed a position with an engineer who needed the expertise of a good mathematician to develop new links with British Aerospace. The work was in the field of control engineering, which Sarah says, “I knew absolutely nothing about at the time, but it involved differential equations and linear algebra – things I enjoy – so I couldn’t believe my luck!” Control engineering is how dynamic and complicated systems can be mathematically modelled so that a controlling mechanism can be designed to make the system work according to the needs of the user. More and more we see the results of control engineering in our everyday lives, such as in appliances that have automatic cycles or in electronics that react to changes in the environment. During Sarah’s D.Phil. work at York, she spent time working as a control engineer with British Aerospace. This work was located in North Humberside, where being a female engineer was “completely unusual, but not an obstacle.” Sarah smiles, “The enjoyment I had for my work always swayed away being the minority.” Her career moved them to the Midlands in 1988 when Sarah took up her first position in academia, as a lecturer in the Maths department at Loughborough University. Again, it was a fortuitous move, because she learned something important about herself which is still true today: she wants to pass on her enthusiasm for the power of applied mathematics to new generations of undergraduate and postgraduate students. She left Loughborough to join the University of Leicester as a lecturer in Engineering in 1991 where she has stayed for the past fifteen years. “I am having a terrific time, because I love being able to do research, to teach undergraduates,

and to facilitate PhD students into becoming independent researchers in their own right.” The move also allowed her to settle down geographically and raise a family, and Sarah and her husband now have three children. She has expertly balanced her family responsibilities with her career advancement, becoming the first woman to earn a professorship in Leicester’s Engineering Department. In 2004, Sarah also filed her first patent for her own work, an achievement she ranks among her most proud. Most recently, Sarah was made the Head of the University of Leicester’s Engineering Department, the first woman to hold this position. A congratulatory letter she received from a former staff member recalled how far the department had come from his early days when the department’s building was just being constructed. He had campaigned for solid treads on stairs, because mesh treads might trap women’s heels; and as he hoped the gender balance among engineers would improve, he wanted the building appropriately built. His letter said how pleased he was that both his campaign and hopes had been rewarded. Sarah runs her department with the same dedication and enthusiasm she has for her family, and sees many of the skill sets overlapping. “Being successful in SET is as much about enjoying technical challenges as it is about multi-tasking, networking and using social skills – those that women use naturally in family management and our daily lives.” She knows there is still some way to go before the gender balance is achieved in engineering, and she can even laugh about recently being assumed to be a barmaid at a meeting she was in fact attending as the Chair of a committee. Despite this, she wholeheartedly advises women who are interested in becoming a scientist that “Being a woman in SET may be seen as different, or unusual, but it really is great. Just go for it!”

Learn more about Sarah Spurgeon’s work: www.le.ac.uk/eg/staff/spurgeon.html

20

FAMOUS HEARING IMPAIRED WOMEN SCIENTISTS

Work at the Harvard College Observatory has led to several major discoveries about the universe, and many of them by women. It was the practice there from 1880 through to 1920 to hire women on a half-pay scale to analyse data taken by Harvard’s many telescopes around the world. Called “The Calculators”, these women proved to be more than data crunchers when they interpreted what they were measuring, and developed theories and methods to explain the universe that are still used today. Two of these famous women were deaf, and here are the stories of their long-lasting contributions to our understanding of the universe: The Secret of Periods Until the mid 20th century, we didn’t know the size of the galaxy, let alone the universe. Measuring distances that you couldn’t walk or fly to was and still is not easy. Sure, the dimmer a star looks, the farther away it might be -- but astronomers quickly learned that many stars were actually shining more than others. Local dim stars whose distances were measurable turned out to be shining ten times brighter than our Sun if you could put them side-by-side! It took some clever female intuition to measure beyond our local stars, and this foresight helped astronomers learn there were many galaxies of stars in our vast universe. Henrietta Swan Leavitt was an astronomer who searched photographic plates for stars that changed their brightness, known as variable stars. There are several types of variable stars, but she is most famous for her work on Cepheid variables, named after the star Delta Cephei. Cepheids become much brighter for a short period of time, and then go back to their original brightness just as predictably. We now know this is because they swell up as quickly as once a day to once every 50 days, producing up to 1000 times more light than our Sun, before relaxing again. We should be glad we don’t orbit a Cepheid. Leavitt concentrated her work on 25 Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a haze of dim stars visible in the Southern Hemisphere night sky. Her leap of faith was to decide that the SMC was a true clump of stars that were actually all at the same distance away from her, so that any differences in brightness she saw among its stars were their true brightness differences and not just because some were closer or further away from her. This meant she could compare these stars side-by-side where she wanted them, a powerful tool where light is concerned.

21

FAMOUS HEARING IMPAIRED WOMEN SCIENTISTS

Light gets dimmer as the square of the distance change away from you. So, if you were a metre away from a torch and then walked another metre from it, you will have doubled your distance from the torch: two metres are two times one metre, so you’ve changed your distance by a factor of two. Since the light falls off by the square of the change, two times two is four, and so the torchlight will thus appear four times dimmer to you. In this way, if you had two identical torches and put them at different but unknown distances from you, you would see them at different brightnesses. If you could measure exactly how much light

was coming out of the torch bulbs and exactly how little you were receiving at your distance away, you could use the maths above to figure backwards how far away each torch must be. Hoorah for maths, but what does this have to do with Miss Leavitt? Cepheids, Leavitt learned, held a secret: the brighter the Cepheid, the longer its period of flaring up. Her calculations were so good, that if you told her the period of any Cepheid, she could tell you how bright it appeared to you. But until she knew exactly how much light was coming from its surface, she couldn’t know exactly how far away that light had travelled.

Astronomers after Leavitt finished the job she started in 1912 by learning the distances of nearby Cepheids with different periods. Using a calibrated version of Leavitt’s function, astronomers eventually calculated that the SMC was 210,000 light years away – that’s 1,200,000,000,000,000,000 miles. Learning the distance to the SMC started a huge debate, because it meant that there were large objects outside of our own galaxy and therefore, the universe was a much larger place than we thought. We now know the SMC is a tiny clumpy galaxy of its own orbiting our larger spiral galaxy like a moth to flame.

Leavitt image courtesy of Wisconsin State University.

The Colour of Kisses If you look up to the sky on a clear night, you should notice the stars come in different colours. A great example is to look at Orion, a winter constellation. Even since ancient times these differences were known and used to divide the sky into beasts and men, with the bloodiest red stars marking their fiery eyes and beating hearts. It took scientific investigation to learn that the colour of stars tells you their temperature, and that temperature can reveal composition and mass. It’s amazing how much we can learn about something just from the light it gives off! Annie Jump Cannon came to the work of classifying stars in 1896 after completing her Masters degree in astronomy from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, USA. Three women had preceded her, accumulating data on tens of thousands of stars and several complicated explanations of why they were the colour they were. Cannon worked on the Southern Hemisphere stars, and quickly created a classification scheme all on her own that was simpler but worked on much of the same strong scientific principles of her predecessors.

22

FAMOUS HEARING IMPAIRED WOMEN SCIENTISTS

In her work, Cannon used the spectra, or the spread rainbow of light, from over 400,000 stars she catalogued to develop her new classification system. Like the women before her, she knew the spectra of a star could tell you very specifically what is glowing in the star. By spreading out bright light with a prism, it is possible to actually see the individual colours of light (wavelengths) that make up the brightness. The resolution can be so good, that you can even see which wavelengths are brighter or dimmer than the others, and the pattern of these selected colours tells you which elements are present. If there is anything like a gas between you and the glow, you will see gaps in the gas spectrum where the gas has absorbed those wavelengths that were coming at it. By burning a bunch of elements on Earth and comparing the pattern of wavelengths to those seen in star spectra, it is a fairly straightforward task to match them up and hence learn what is in a star many trillions of miles away. What Cannon perfected was a means of ranging the stars based on those patterns in their spectra. This may sound simple, but with the hundreds of thousands of stars she was observing, there were many different permutations of arrangement possible. (You can try your hand at classification by cutting out the next page and arranging the seven spectra in some logical way. The answer key is in the back of the book.) Cannon created the classification scheme known as “O,B,A,F,G,K,M” into which all known stars could be placed. It ranges from bluest to reddest, with seven sliding points within each of the letter categories to refine the temperature range. Astronomers still learn the spectral classes today as “Oh, Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me!” and have added since Cannon’s time the additional classes of R, N, and S – “Right Now, Smooch!” Although it sounds awfully silly, this scheme tells an astronomer how fearsomely a star is shining. With that knowledge of what makes it shine, she can tell what’s happening deep inside its nuclear powered core, how long it will shine for, and what will happen when it runs out of fuel. It was with this understanding that we know now our Sun is a G2 type star, a yellow dwarf that is unimpressive in the universe. It will shine for another 5 billion years before bloating like a Cepheid and boiling Earth’s atmosphere into space. It will bloat so large as to spill its outer self out across the Solar System, leaving behind its core, a small white-hot star, and the planets will continue to orbit it as if little had happened. Cannon’s work helped us to see into the future.

Orion image copyright David Malin, Cannon image courtesy of the AAVSO

23

TRY IT YOURSELF

Stellar Spectra To try this, make sure you’ve printed this page on its own without page 24 on the back! These strips represent a spectrum from each of the seven major classes of stars, O, B, A, F, G, K, M. Cut out these strips and rearrange them in a way that you feel is logical flow from one to the other based on the appearance of the absorption lines, the whiteness or darkness of regions of the strip, etc. Then imagine you had 400,000 of these to arrange instead of 7, and you’ll see why Annie Jump Cannon was such a heroine to astronomy! When you think you’ve figured it out, check the correct answer at the back of the book.

(Images courtesy of NOAO/AURA/NSF, with special thanks to Brad Armosky and Dr Mary Kay Hemenway from

McDonald Observatory. A teacher’s version of a similar exercise can be found at mcdonaldobservatory.org/teachers/classroom/spectroscopy/ds_t/ds_t.pdf)

24

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Websites That Support Women in SET UK Resource Centre for Women in SET www.setwomenresource.org.uk ATHENA www.athenaproject.org.uk AWISE www.awise.org Daphne Jackson Trust www.daphnejackson.org PORTIA www.portiaweb.org Societies for Women in SET Association for Women in Mathematics www.awm-math.org British Computer Society, Women’s Group www.bcs.org/bcswomen Institute of Physics, Women in Physics Group groups.iop.org/WP/ RAS Committee for Women in Astronomy and Geophysics www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/rascwiag Royal Society of Chemistry, Women Members Group www.rsc.org/lap/rsccom/wcc/wccindex.htm Women’s Engineering Society www.wes.org.uk

ANSWERS: Figure 1 is a computer model of the gravitational wake around two merging black holes that are orbiting each other. Figure 2 is a scanning electron microscope view of nanowires made out of ZnO with each wire

being about 40 millionths of a metre thick. Try It Yourself correct order of strips is 5,2,1,6,3,7,4.

Poster images reproduced with

permission from the Equal Opportunities

Commission (www.eoc.org.uk) and

JIVE Partners.

25

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS

SETting an Example Writer/Designer: Tania Burchell Editor: Gillian Butcher

Supported by the University of Leicester through a grant from the UK Resource

Centre for Women in Science, Engineering & Technology.

WWW.SETWOMENRESOURCE.ORG.UK

Partners in this project were: LeicestHERday Trust, a charitable organisation that has hosted five years and counting of successful events to bring together the women of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for educational, professional and personal development and networking. Their patron is the Rt Hon. Patricia Hewitt, MP Leicester West, Secretary of State for Health.

WWW.LEICESTHERDAY.ORG.UK

SETPOINT Leicestershire is a regional office of SETNET, a ‘one-stop free shop’ for learning information about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM activities) for businesses, teachers and students. They sponsor the Science and Engineering Ambassadors and have nationally funded resource centres across the UK. WWW.SETPOINTLEICESTERSHIRE.ORG.UK

Bibliography Women and Equality Unit

www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk

SET Fair: A Report on Women in Science, Engineering & Technology by Baroness

Susan Greenfield at the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET website.

Institute of Physics www.iop.org

Careers Case Study of Professor Gillian Gehring

De Montfort University Online News

“National Acclaim for Science Champion” www.dmu.ack.uk/news_events/news/current/

science_ambassadors.jsp

The author wishes to acknowledge that the inspiration for this book came from Space for

Women, a publication of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Special thanks to the following University of

Leicester staff for their help in getting this book completed: Stuart Lyon, Pam Pollin, Melanie

Kidby, Pete Glew, Tom Smith, Ray McErlean and Nigel Bannister in the Physics Department;

nearly everyone in Audio Visual Services.

And many thanks to the women showcased in this booklet and to the

women (and men) who inspired them.