12 The Woman Engineer – Autumn 2006 THE WVolume 17, omanNumber 13 – Autumn 2006 Engineerwww.wes.org.uk Conference preview p.5 Experience as mentor and mentee p.6 A famous ancestor p.7 Urgent action needed on women’ s “We ’ r e only here for the under-representation be e r ” – members visit a brewery in Wandsworth, see p.3 mmediate action is needed to help men, and few rise to the top strata of committee of men and women acad- President’ s remedy the widespread and persist- leadership. emy members – to be responsible for Ient under-representation of women As a starting point, the report gender-equity issues, formulating and message in scientific and technical fields, says a urges the academies themselves to overseeing action plans and monitor- new report by the InterAcademy implement internal management ing progress. Also academies should et Council (IAC). The disproportionately practices that encourage and support seek concrete ways to add female Yagain, small number of women in the sci- women, and influence policymakers members and must include women there has ence and technology (S&T) enterprise, and other leaders to bring about members in leadership positions. been particularly in leadership positions, is broader change. As well as commit- WES Council member Jan Peters, much a major hindrance to strengthening ting to the full inclusion of women in who was involved in drafting the activity to science capacity worldwide. The IAC their organisations, they need to report, said:“National academies need raise the is an organisation created by ninety press for this in any research institutes to put gender firmly on their agenda, awareness science academies across the globe. they manage, and throughout the in their reports and on their walls and of women in engineering. The advisory report, Women for S&T community. to do more than have the odd token Claire Curtis-Thomas, MP (and Science, targets the IAC’s member- The report concludes that “good scheme. The panel also wants acade- engineer) has been hosting a ship, pointing out that women typi- management practice” is required to mies to exert their influence more number of events at Portcullis cally make up less than 5% of an help reach this goal, including com- widely and use science and technolo- House: ‘Women in Science, academy’s members. Many research mitment from the top leadership, gy to improve the lives of women Engineering and Design’ – institutions around the world have clear criteria for promotions and globally. highlighting the role of resisted fully opening their doors to awards, professional training and “As Gandhi said: ‘When a man is women designers; “Women in women in science and technology, or mentoring, and inclusion of women educated, an individual is educated, Space” – covering career eliminating barriers they often face in formal and informal organisational when a woman is educated, a family prospects in the space sector. after they do gain entry. As a result, networks. and a country are educated’.” I was first introduced to women drop out in the early stages In particular, academies need to More information is available online ‘Women in Space’ some years of their careers more frequently than designate a person – or a balanced at www.interacademycouncil.net. ago when I received a copy of the book ‘Valentina – First shed before being scuttled in 1937. Woman in Space’. Cosmonaut In 1970, the ship, little more than Valentina Tereshkova was the SS Great Britain is Museum of the Year a rusted hulk, was salvaged and first woman in space and had towed back across the Atlantic to a doctorate in engineering. runel’s historic steamship, the SS 1843. On 26 July 1845, the ship Bristol. These events were all BGreat Britain, has won the undertook its maiden voyage to Since then, the SS Great Britain attended by WES members. I Gulbenkian Prize for museums and New York, a journey completed in has been moored in dry dock in the went to some and found galleries. It beat competition from an astounding 14 days. city while conservation work to them very worthwhile. So if London’s Hunterian Museum, the During her lifetime the ship was repair the damage was carried out. you get the opportunity to Yorkshire Sculpture Garden and This was completed last year. find out what your engineer- The Collection, a museum tracing A novel reconstruction method ing sector is doing for you, the history of Lincoln. involved constructing a glass sea let’s hear about it. Professor Robert Winston, chair- at the ship’s water line. This pro- I did manage to go to Lille man of the judging panel, said: vides the roof of a giant airtight to the INWES (International “The SS Great Britain combines a chamber surrounding the ship’s Network of Women in truly groundbreaking piece of con- lower hull. Beneath the glass Engineering and Science) servation, remarkable engineering plate moisture is removed from meeting to view first-hand the and fascinating social history plus the air using special dehumidifi- progress being made for a visually stunning ship above and cation equipment. In this dry ICWES 14 (International below the water line. used as a luxury liner, an emigrant environment, the hull will no longer Conference for Women in “Most importantly, the SS Great ship taking travellers to Australia, corrode. Engineering and Science). The Britain is accessible and highly and a troop carrier during the The glass sea is covered with a weather was awful, but the engaging for people of all ages.” Crimean War. thin layer of water, so the ship company was fantastic and The SS Great Britain was the In 1886 when being used to appears to be floating. Visitors can Lille is a beautiful city. I met world’s first propeller-driven ocean- transport coal, a fire on board near descend beneath the glass plate into women in science, engineer- going steamship and regarded as the Falkland Islands damaged it the dry dock, to see the ship’s vast, ing and technology from all Brunel’s finest work. It was launched beyond repair, and it was con- curved flanks and all-important pro- from Jefferies Dock in Bristol in demned to use as a floating wool- peller. (www.ssgreatbritain.org.uk) Continues on page 3 2 The Woman Engineer – Autumn 2006 The Women’ s Engineering Society t is encouraging to read in this and technical communities. It can be is a charity registered with the issue about the number of different done as the example of our members Charity Commission No. 1008913 projects young women engineering Julia Higgins and Julia King shows, and a company limited by guar - I antee registered in England No. students are getting involved in (see see opposite page, but not without 162096. articles on pages 4, 8 and 10). outstanding effort and commitment. All correspondence regarding Very many congratulations go to The InterAcademy Council is urg- their valuable capabilities? Well, it membership and the work of Tanya Budd, who managed to scoop ing its own members to make a sig- might be worth spending some time the Women’s Engineering a top US award with her clever nificant effort to advance women in on further investigation of your Society (WES) should be addressed to: design of a life-saving net. Tanya, their own organisations. The report ancestors. The Secretary who is just about to start studying recently issued by the Council (see The article on page 7 shows how Women’s Engineering Society engineering at university, has already article on page 1) points out that the WES member Dianne Patterson dis- c/o IET won other awards for her invention, small number of women in leadership covered her close relationship with Michael Faraday House Six Hills Way which was developed under the aus- positions in science and engineering Michael Faraday. STEVENAGE SG1 2AY picious of the Young Engineer enterprises and academia is hindering Don’t miss the opportunity to reg- Tel: 01438 765506 scheme. Obviously Tanya is someone the development of science and tech- ister for this year’s conference. Read e-mail: [email protected] www.wes.org.uk to watch for the future. nical capacity worldwide. It is to be page 5 to discover all that is on offer However, despite many promising hoped that this report will spur a step this year – you’ll be sorry if you miss The Woman Engineer Editor : Pat Battams youngsters entering the engineering forward in the same way as the SET out. As attendees of previous confer- e-mail: [email protected] profession, there is still the problem Fair report did. ences will be aware, the main prob- Editorial Boar d: of the failure of women engineers Have you ever wondered whether lem is the choice of workshop or Ruth Carter, Jacky Crook, Eli and scientists to rise to significant you were related to someone famous activity. You want to go to them all, Fosbrooke, Petra Godwin, Dianne Patterson, Karen leadership positions in the science and had perhaps inherited some of which is unfortunately impossible. Quigley, Connie Shirley, Natalie Wiseman The Woman Engineer is pub- lished by the Women’s Engineering Society. It is distrib- uted free of charge to members the Organisation for Economic of the Society and to selected Cooperation and Development. professional women engineers, Following the presentations, we scientists and women under- graduates at universities and col- split into small groups to discuss: leges. Sue Bird reports on The final report and budget for Subscriptions : the journal is recent developments ICWES13 was received from repre- (a) ICWES14 preparation ; available to non WES members sentatives from South Korea, who in the UK at a subscription price (b) WFEO/INWES/UNESCO of £20.00pa (inc postage).