Speakers
Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon FREng FIET, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Study Group, Chair of the Engineering Development Trust and Industrial Cadets
Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon is Provost at Study Group and specialises in enterprise, engineering, and global education.
A Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Engineering and Technology, she has received numerous accolades, including being named the 2020 Woman of the Year in Technology and one of the top 101 global Mexicans.
In 2025, she was awarded The Princess Royal’s WISE Lifetime Achievement. Elena is passionate about innovation in education and outreach initiatives, and serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for EDT and Industrial Cadets, and President of her Alma Mater, UANL’s International Advisory Board.
No time to dither anymore: turning outreach on its head
In the fight to close the gender gap in STEM, it’s clear that traditional outreach efforts have fallen short.
Despite years of initiatives aimed at supporting girls and women, we continue to see stagnation in their participation and retention in these fields. The time has come for a radical shift in our approach—one that disrupts the status quo rather than merely tweaking existing strategies.
We must challenge the prevailing narratives and rethink who is involved in outreach action. This means engaging not only the traditional subjects but also policymakers and industry leaders.
Systemic changes are necessary, including the implementation of policies that reflect the diverse needs of female STEM professionals. Parents must also be educated about STEM subjects so they can act as catalysts of change.
I have for a long time been of the view that, it may even be time to reconsider the very language we use—even changing the name of the engineering profession itself to attract a broader audience.
It’s not just about outreach anymore; it’s about a comprehensive overhaul of the entire ecosystem. Let’s embrace this disruption and take bold action now, ensuring that we create a future where women thrive in STEM. The responsibility rests with us to pave the way for the next generation.
Becky Kalam, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Playground Games
Becky Kalam is the Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Playground Games, leading strategies that foster equity, representation, and belonging. Becky was appointed a board member of UKIE’s EDI Committee in 2024 and Co-Leads the Xbox Studio D&I Network, driving industry-wide inclusion programmes.
With over 10 years extensive experience in strategic leadership and organisational development, Becky is passionate about inclusion and representation and endeavours to encourage more women into the games industry and champions diversity to enhance creativity and innovation.
The importance of creating inclusive and diverse teams and ensuring accessibility in games and technology
In the rapidly evolving world of gaming and technology, it is paramount to foster an environment of inclusivity and diversity.
We truly believe that diversity and inclusion fuels our creativity and drives our innovation, connecting us closer to our players.
By embracing diversity, companies can cultivate innovative ideas that resonate with a broader audience, ultimately leading to more engaging and relatable gaming experiences.
Moreover, accessibility in games and technology is a fundamental pillar, essential to ensuring all individuals, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities, can enjoy and participate in gaming.
We will highlight the importance of integrating accessibility features into game design from the outset, stressing the need for comprehensive and thoughtful approaches to inclusivity.
The discussion aims to inspire developers, designers, and industry leaders to recognise the value of diverse and inclusive teams, and the profound impact such teams can have on creating universally accessible technologies.
At Playground Games, we don’t just create extraordinary games. Our employee-led initiatives, deep partnerships and unwavering focus on lived experience, makes us more than a workplace – it makes us a community where everyone belongs.
Paul Williams, Bloomsberg
Paul co-founded the London Engineering Department at Bloomberg, and is part of the leadership team that has seen the local office grow to 1,600 developers over the last 26 years. He and his peers designed and built many core components of the Bloomberg Professional Service, including Launchpad, the multi-screen real-time financial data display, and Instant Bloomberg (“IB”), the finance industry’s ubiquitous secure instant messaging system.
Paul is involved with STEM and education initiatives in the UK, working with non-profits and educational establishments to help ensure that the next generation is excited about a future in technology.
He founded his first STEM scholarship with the University of Leicester and Virgin Galactic, and is very actively involved with supporting education charity Big Change. In total, he has raised over £250,000 in the last 10 years.
Paul won the WISE STEM Ally Award 2025. He actively supports women in tech by championing inclusive hiring practices and mentoring female professionals.
A genuine leader who not only deeply understands the challenges women face in STEM, but also the broader societal barriers they encounter.
He invests time, resource, and unwavering effort into meaningful initiatives that drive lasting impact and create opportunities for women in STEM and beyond.
Is allyship the key to inclusion?
Learn about the importance of allyship with practical tips to enable more women to enter STEM roles and flourish.