| Cambridge AWiSE Annual Report 2007-2008 | ||||
| Annual report | ||||
| Summer Networking 2008 - Preparing an Elevator Pitch | ||||
 A huge thank-you to
Suzanne Doyle Morris
for her fantastic Elevator Pitch Session at our Summer Networking Event on 10th July 2008 at Lucy Cavendish College.
For those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s my summary of Suzanne’s presentation.
So what’s an elevator pitch? It’s simply a way of introducing yourself that encourages a short conversation.
    | ||||
| 2007-2008 - What have we done this year? | ||||
 We had five specific objectives to fulfill this year and
we're really pleased with what we've done! A huge thank you to our Chairperson Jenny Brookman, everyone on the Steering Group
and to all of you who have supported us. Cambridge AWiSE achievements 2007-2008. | ||||
| Creativity and Innovation: Personal Strengths and the Shaping of Careers in Science | ||||
 On Tuesday 11th March, we celebrated International Women's Day and
National Science and Engineering Week with our biggest meeting this year! The meeting addressed how we can develop the personal strengths of scientists to produce the most
creative and innovative research. Melanie Lee, Executive Vice President of Research and Development at UCB-Celltech, Sabine Bahn, University of Cambridge
and founder of Psynova Ltd and Ruth Cameron, University of Cambridge and Joint Director of the Cambridge Centre for Medical Materials all
spoke about their own careers and leadership styles. Melanie Lee's top tips for
achieving your potential included taking advantages of opportunities available and taking risks, having a positive attitude,
listening to advice but trusting in your own judgement, asking for help and support when you need it, accepting and valuing
differences between people to ensure good teamwork and working hard!  This meeting was held in memory of Dr. Anne McLaren FRS, DBE. Anne was a distinguished and innovative scientist working in the field of Reproductive Biology. She was also an advocate for women in science and a founder member of AWiSE and President until her death. She was a wonderful role model for women at all stages of their scientific career.
| ||||
| Cambridge AWiSE Annual Report 2006-2007 | ||||
| Want to find out what we did last year? Have a look here! Read a report of our AGM here.
The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers | In May 2007, following reports that the Concordat for Career Management of Contract Research Staff was being revised,
Cambridge AWiSE organised a networking meeting for Contract Research Staff. This meeting gave women (and men) the opportunity to
voice their opinions and experiences relating to short-term contracts and the chance to discuss what they would like to see in a
revised Concordat. Our report of the meeting can be read here,
along with our response to the draft Concordat.
Cambridge AWiSE strongly supports the general principles of the new Concordat and especially, Principle Six:
Diversity and Equality. Within this, Cambridge AWiSE particularly applauds the commitment to flexible working as the default provision.
However, specific arrangements for maternity leave cover or the ability to extend a research grant at the end of a period of paid
maternity leave in the 1996 Concordat are no longer part of the new Concordat. Cambridge AWiSE would like to see
this provision re-instated in the new Concordat. RCUK are currently holding a consulation period which ends on 30th September
so if you have any additional comments on the draft concordat, please contact them by this date.
We thank The Biochemical Society and
The Institute of Physics for sponsoring this event. | March 2008 - New Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers published.
Part-Time and Flexible Working Questionnaire | During the summer of 2004, Cambridge AWiSE ran a questionnaire
to find out the experiences of women who worked part-time or had requested flexible working in SET fields in both industry
and academia. A joint meeting was then held with the Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative
(WiSETI)
at Cambridge University to explore the business case for gender diversity in industry and academia.
The meeting was held in memory of Dr Joan Mason, a distinguished chemist and founding member and Chair of AWiSE.
The resulting report shows that more could be done to encourage better management
practices and policies which would enable more women to remain in scientific careers and progress further within them.
It also showed that good practice from industry is readily transferable to other settings, including academia and SME's. | |
Last updated 11th September 2008
