IWD 2021 campaign theme: #ChooseToChallenge
A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.
From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.
Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world
This year’s theme for the International Day,”Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world“, celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality. Fifty years ago, we landed on the moon; in the last decade, we discovered new human ancestors and photographed a black hole for the first time. In the meantime, legal restrictions have kept 2.7 billion women from accessing the same choice of jobs as men. Less than 25 per cent of parliamentarians were women, as of 2019. One in three women experience gender-based violence, still. Let’s make 2021 count for women and girls everywhere.
We also want to talk about Curiosity Connections, but feels it needs a bigger space and not hidden in a big news week so we’re just givung you a heads up this week and will talk further next week as its such a great initiative to get kids engaged.
There’s other stuff this week too of course …..
Women in Construction Week
Women in Construction Week was founded by the National Association of Women in Construction. NAWIC began in 1953 by a group of women to help create a support network for other women in the industry. The NAWIC founded Women in Construction Week to give their organization an event to help bring women together. #WomeninConstructionWeek
And of course theres also …
For us we thought we would look out any special women to make note of from the area and we spotted Elizabeth Blackwell who was born in Bristol.
Elizabeth Blackwell (February 3, 1821 – May 31, 1910) was a British physician, notable as the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, and the first woman on the Medical Register of the General Medical Council. Blackwell played an important role in both the United States and the United Kingdom as a social awareness and moral reformer, and pioneered in promoting education for women in medicine. Her contributions remain celebrated with the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, awarded annually to a woman who has made significant contribution to the promotion of women in medicine. Blackwell’s interest in medicine was sparked after a friend fell ill and remarked that, had a female doctor cared for her, she might not have suffered so much.Blackwell began applying to medical schools and immediately began to endure the prejudice against her sex that would persist throughout her career.
Interestingly her brother was Samuel Charles Blackwell and he was big in the abolitionist movement and married to a very impressive abolitionist, woman suffrage plus first female ordained protestant minister Antoinette Brown Blackwell – seems like the whole family were pretty impressive. Oh and did you notice she was pen friends with Lady Byron and one time friends with Florence Nightingale (they fell out). We must admit to noting her tone taken towards marriage “…do not imagine I am going to make myself a whole just at present; the fact is I cannot find my other half here, but only about a sixth, which would not do.”
GirlGeekDinners
Also on the 25th of March we’re back with GirlGeekDinners and Vanda will present the outcome of her research around the value of womens networks. We’ll put the details up shortly but here’s an excerpt “The predominant focus of her research is gender and race inequality in the workplace (esp. in male-dominated sectors such as engineering) as well as career identity and how it can be influenced by gender, race, ethnicity and social class.” You can sign up on our Meetup page here.
Events
There’s an up-to-date list of this week’s events and future conferences on our pages.
Keep an eye on our jobs board as there are some seriously great purpose-driven companies looking to improve their inclusivity by reaching out to our members & candidates. If you are currently looking for a job or considering a move or simply interested in working in tech then feel free to mail us for a chat on info@wthub.org.
Workshop Wednesdays
We’re back next Wednesday the 10th of March with the WebDev101 project and the PyLab groups. Details of each of the groups and what they are up to you can find on their respective pages PyLAB and WebDEV101. For our members wishing to catch up, we will also have Women Tech Hub members hangout for you. For more detailed chats and support, you can mail us at info@wthub.org to arrange a 121.
Should anyone want to cut their teeth doing a talk please let us know on info@wthub.org. You can sign up for the next one at Workshop Wednesdays also you can pop into CodeHub @ Workshop Wednesdays
Stuff we spotted and thought we would pass on in case you missed it
Mashable:
Sacha Baron Cohen’s interview with Jimmy Kimmel gets derailed in the most ridiculous way
The best thing we’ve seen this week – a very tenuous link (vaccine) to science at best, but a bit of fun
MIT Technology Review:
I asked an AI to tell me how beautiful I am
Computers are ranking the way people look—and the results are influencing the things we do, the posts we see, and the way we think
BBC Tech News:
Tech Tent: The new ‘space race’ for computer chips
As China and the United States battle for supremacy in artificial intelligence, access to equipment that builds the latest AI chips is a key weapon
Conferences
WISE 2021 Conference 2nd and 9th of March
In 2021, the UK needs inclusive growth AND transformative action that delivers sustainability. Women and men working together to solve the challenges of the future. The WISE Conference 2021 brings these issues together for the first time:
- Inclusion delivers innovation
- Innovation delivers sustainability
- Inclusive STEM attracts and keeps the best talent
Women in Data Science (WiDS) Worldwide Conference 8th of March
Women in Data Science (WiDS) aims to inspire and educate data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, and to support women in the field.
Elevate 2021 with girlgeekx 8th of March
Join thousands of women sharing, empowering and elevating each other – don’t miss the 4th annual Girl Geek X: Elevate virtual conference for mid-to-senior level women.
Digifest 2021 8th – 11th March
2020 shocked the education sector. The rapid move to remote learning, teaching and assessment provided challenges as well as opportunities for innovation.
An exceptional student experience remains at the heart of education. Digifest 2021 will provide a space to share best practice, learnings and experiences.
The Autonomous Conference March the 10th
Shaping the future of safe autonomous mobility
As autonomous mobility is moving closer to becoming a reality, safety concerns prove to be the main hurdle in the way of reaching broad acceptance. Overcoming this challenge and the necessary investment costs cannot be mastered by a single OEM, tier 1, or tech company.
Therefore, The Autonomous mobility industry must come together and show significant efforts in prioritizing and ensuring safety on all technological levels, as well as to set common technical and legal standards.
This Week’s happenings have moved to our Events page
As a suggestion from one of our lovely members (Thanks Gabs #1!), we have also set up a “buymeacoffee” page for those wanting to give us a small thank-you. Check it out here.
Women’s Tech Hub products
Candidates page advertises the skillsets of the women we have looking for roles in the area (and some of our male allies).
Jobs Board for those wanting to advertise specifically to our members in the area – check it out here.
Engage with our members, advertise your companies and share any jobs then you can support us by sponsoring the Workshop Wednesdays – details here.
