26 February 2012
Women in Science launch
Photo opportunity: 5.30pm on Thursday, 1st March at Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee. The opening of the Portraits of Women in Science exhibition will mark the start of the festival.
Women in Science, a two-week festival celebrating the achievements of women who work in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects, will take place in Dundee from Thursday.
Exhibitions, film screenings, talks, workshops and other events will take place as part of the festival, a collaboration between the Universities of Dundee, Abertay, and St Andrews, Dundee Science Centre, the James Hutton Institute and Dundee Women's Festival.
As well as celebrating successful female scientists, the Women in Science Festival aims to inspire more girls to follow in their footsteps.
This year's festival will be launched with the opening of a new exhibition by artist Janice Aitken, who has produced photographic portraits of a number of locally based women scientists working across a range of disciplines. The opening takes place at the Dalhousie Building, University of Dundee, at 6pm on Thursday, 1st March.
The festival runs at various venues around Dundee until Monday, 19th March. It coincides with National Science and Engineering Week (NSEW), and is part of the Dundee Women's Festival.
As well as highlighting the leading edge work being carried out in STEM subjects locally and internationally, the festival will focus on the opportunities open to girls and young women interested in a career in science.
Professor Doreen Cantrell, Vice Principal of the University of Dundee and Head of the College of Life Sciences, said that Women in Science was a fantastic way of celebrating the successes of women.
"The exceptional work carried out by female scientists and women in other STEM subjects is rightly celebrated in this festival, and it is a great way of reaching out to the public and showcasing what they have achieved, both in Dundee, and across the world.
"Women are having a more significant impact than ever before, and it is an exciting time to be involved in science. Thanks to some truly exceptional female pioneers, more and more women are achieving great things in science.
"It is important that those of us who are working in science continue to act as role models and encourage young women to follow up on their interest in science and pursue careers in subjects that might have been traditionally dominated by men but that are now being enhanced by the involvement of women."
The exhibition at the Dalhousie Building is accompanied by a publication featuring the portraits and interviews with the scientists by writer Zoe Venditozzi. Copies of the book will be available at the exhibition.
his is the 4th year in which the Women in Science Festival will be held in Dundee. More information about the events taking place, and women scientists taking part, is available from www.WomenInScience.org.uk.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
