International Women’s Day: Blog round-up
Today is International Women's Day, this year with the theme #BeBoldForChange; a call for inclusiveness and gender equality. If you're looking for some interesting reading material, look no further!
Below are some of our Kit Smart blogs written by or about women in our Pembroke Community, whether that be staff, students, or alumni.
Foundress
Pembroke wouldn't even exist were it not for one woman: Marie de St Pol, our Foundress. In 1347 Marie, Countess of Pembroke, founded the House of Valence-Marie, later to become Pembroke. You can read about her birthplace and resting place on our blog.
Volunteering to support women abroad:
Most recent of all, and steeped in the values of International Women's day, is our blog about the ASA, a Ghana-based school that provides post-school education in science, maths, and technology for gifted young women from across Africa. Alumni Helen Denyer (2012) and Rhianna Ilube (2012) helped found and create the ASA, and are still part of it. You can read about them here.
In 2015 we talked to one female student who, along with several peers, was volunteering in Nairobi. These projects weren't targeted specifically at women, but it's still an interesting read.
Celebrating Staff
Women are, of course, a big part of what keeps Pembroke running smoothly day to day. From Caroline Adams, Housekeeper, and Nina Rhodes, Catering Manager, to our Schools Liaison Team (although Emma has now moved on, SLO Amber is keeping up the good work) and College Librarian Pat Aske (helped out by Natalie and Charlotte), college would be an altogether different place without these people putting in hard work every day to make Pembroke the warm and welcoming place it is.
Women in Academia
2014 was the thirty year anniversary of women's admission to Pembroke College, and this important milestone in our history by creating a programme of events, talks and displays commemorating the role of women here at Pembroke. You can read about the events here.
Also for the PemWomen@30 Project, Fellow Dr Sarah Nouwen spoke about her experiences as a female Fellow.
For International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Kit Smart spoke to an undergraduate and PhD student in Pembroke about why they study science, and what they'd say to girls interested in applying to study sciences at university.
And speaking of the next generation of scientists, have you read about our Women in Science Residential? If not, here's your chance! The college was joined by 30 young people from 25 different schools in the Pembroke College link areas of Bedfordshire, Leicestershire, Luton, Northamptonshire and Southwark. The participants spent three days living in the College and exploring what it could be like to study the sciences at a higher level.
Videos:
Did you know we create videos as well as blogs? Like this interview with Dr Hannah Mumby, a Junior Research Fellow working with Elephants in South Africa, or this one with Dr Rosalind Polly Blakesly, who discusses her work with the National Portrait Gallery putting together an exhibition of Russian art, and her recent book, 'The Russian Canvas: Painting in Imperial Russia'
There's also these interviews with students talking about what 'Access' - the work of bringing school students to Pembroke to widen access to Cambridge - means to them. Jessica Wellington and Helen Jennings
Some of our students have also been organising a fantastic series of events for International Women's Day, which you can find out more about on their Facebook page