WISE Conference 2024 speakers
Laura is the Managing Director for WISE and the Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) for the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Laura is excited to support WISE and its members in the vital mission to propel more women into STEM roles. In her role at the IET, Laura focuses on improving EDI in several areas: for colleagues working at the IET, in the work that the IET delivers, for volunteers and members, and for the wider Engineering and Technology sector.
Laura has led programmes of work on a number of EDI topics, including women’s retention and progression, bullying and harassment intervention, diversity data monitoring and reporting, experiences of LGBT+ scientists, race and ethnicity, diversity in scientific publishing, and neurodiversity in engineering and technology.
Prior to her time at WISE and the IET, Laura has led inclusion and diversity programmes at the Royal Society of Chemistry, The Babraham Institute, led Athena SWAN projects.
Polly Shute, Co- Founder and Director, OUTspoken Speakers
Individual focused session: Becoming a better speaker and presenter – build your speaking skills in this 50-minute session delivered by Polly from OUTspoken. Speaking skills can really help individuals at work.
This is not just about speaking on a stage, it’s also feeling confident about presenting at your workplace, or feeling confident to speak up at a meeting. Polly will give an introduction to how you can effectively build your speaking skills. She will cover;
understanding your personal brand, building confidence, and of course tips on how to become a more effective speaker and contributor to discussions.
Kate Bellingham, Broadcaster and Researcher
In her keynote presentation, Kate will be reflecting on developments during her own decades working to promote opportunities for women in STEM while offering her personal thoughts on possible new approaches and the value of keeping a growth mindset.
By sharing insights from her ongoing doctoral research into the underrepresentation of women on undergraduate engineering programmes, she will highlight opportunities to see things from different angles while giving an update on new developments in research into gender and STEM.
Elissa Dobson Co-Director, Mission Menopause
Organisation-focused session: Allyship in Action: Championing Menopause Support in the Workplace.
Led by expert menopause coaches from Mission Menopause, this session will provide organisations with insights into the benefits of creating a supportive culture of menopause allies within STEM organisations.
Participants will gain awareness and understanding of how to develop a network of menopause champions, implement supportive policies and practices, and educate managers and colleagues.
By the end of the session, attendees will understand the steps needed to foster menopause support and allyship, enhancing their ability to attract and retain valuable female talent.
Ola Gwozdz, University of York
The latest UN report warns that at the current rate of progress in will take up to 286 years to close the inequality gap. Why does it matter in a context of digital?
Because this gap directly translates to the effectiveness of our technologies, many of which are built upon discriminatory and unequal systems and frameworks.
One of the main discoveries of Ola Gwozdz’s research is that the problem often lies not in lack of willingness or resources to solve the problems but rather in applying old logic and rational approaches to relational problems that simply are not fit for the 21st century’s complexities.
As we begin to re-learn and re-configure our ways of thinking, being and practice we need to re-imagine what the identity of a digital, inclusive, and sustainable leader and organisation looks like and how that translates into everyday action.
Dr Victoria Smith-Collins – Programme Director, In Professional Development
Organisation focused session: The impact of executive education on women’s career’s – The presentation will cover key topics from In Professional Development’s Women in Leadership Programme, including the female leader’s role in inspiring and motivating teams, practicing authentic and values-based leadership, handling difficult conversations in a male dominant environment and the power of effective communication and negotiation.
Case studies and feedback from In Professional Development learners will showcase how executive education empowers managers and directors to be more inclusive leaders in the workplace by addressing women’s unique challenges and ensuring company policies and practices are designed to support the health and well-being of all employees.
Dr Zaheer Ahmad MBE – Head of Unifying Culture, BDO UK LLP
Zaheer Ahmad is a prominent voice on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Currently, he is the Head of Unifying Culture at BDO. He has held senior DEI roles with Haleon, a world-leading consumer health company, GSK, Ernst and Young, and the UK Police Service.
As a multi-award-winning thought leader in DEI, Zaheer is a highly sought-after advisor to leading public and private sector organisations seeking advice on social mobility, intersectionality culture, belonging and diversity, and inclusion.
Caroline Walters – Co-Director, Mission Menopause
Organisation-focused session: Allyship in Action: Championing Menopause Support in the Workplace.
Led by expert menopause coaches from Mission Menopause, this session will provide organisations with insights into the benefits of creating a supportive culture of menopause allies within STEM organisations. Participants will gain awareness and understanding of how to develop a network of menopause champions, implement supportive policies and practices, and educate managers and colleagues.
By the end of the session, attendees will understand the steps needed to foster menopause support and allyship, enhancing their ability to attract and retain valuable female talent.
Victoria Dale – Founder and CEO, Inclusion365
Individual focused session: In today’s rapidly changing and uncertain times, the role of leaders has become increasingly complex.
The ability to navigate turbulent times while fostering an inclusive environment is crucial for organisational success. Leaders play a critical role in driving forward the organisation’s EDI agenda.
In this workshop lead by Victoria Dale from Inclusion365, you’ll learn about:
- Why inclusive leadership matters
- Key traits of an inclusive leader
- Explore the role of bias and behaviours in the workplace
- Learn and apply different tools to manage bias and lead teams more inclusively
Jack Painter, Head of Products and Services, WISE
Individual focused session: Becoming consciously inclusive – Participants will learn from WISE expert trainer Jack Painter, who will facilitate open and interesting discussions in a safe and compassionate space, allowing delegates to explore their own experiences and opinions whilst guiding them through the concepts associated with consciously inclusive allyship.
Ishreen Bradley – Chief Inspiration Officer, Belonging Pioneers
Organisation focused session: How your organisation can accelerate the journey to gender balance through the right programmes.
Inclusive leadership and cultural intelligence are essential to achieving sustainable gender balance at all levels.
By shifting focus to programmes that increase awareness and engage the current majority of leaders who want to do the right thing but may not know how to, your organisation can accelerate the journey towards gender balance.
In this workshop, Ishreen Bradley of Belonging Pioneers will share case studies that illustrate how such programmes work to engage leaders who then become empowered, apply accessible tools, and gain the confidence to take effective action.
Professor Fiona Clark, Leonardo Electronics
Starting from humble beginnings, Fiona found herself working in an unexpected industry and discovered that she actually had some value to add…
Drawing on her own history and using anecdotes from her career, Fiona will talk about her experience of working in the defence industry and share stories of some of her adventures along the way. She’ll share her premise that, even in a highly technical industry, success is always about the people!
She’ll share her thoughts on the importance of mentors and role models for women in STEM careers. And how a positive attitude, strong people focus, and sense of humour is what’s really needed for a wonderful working career – in Fiona’s case culminating in being granted the status of Professor, and being awarded the Princess Royal’s WISE Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
Anouska Carling – Programmes Manager, STEM Returners
Organisation focused session: How to support and develop returners.
This exclusive session led by STEM Returners will give senior HR or EDI professionals insights into how they can effectively attract and recruitment women returners into STEM roles.
Offering tangible learning opportunities that will educate the participants on the benefits of hiring returners, what sets them apart from other recruits and what measures they can actively take to attract and hire returners to their business.