Since 2009, the second Tuesday in October has marked Ada Lovelace Day, an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. It aims to increase the profile of women in STEM and create new role models for both girls and women studying or working in STEM.
To mark this date, on the eve of Ada Lovelace Day, the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), hosted the Maths and Computing Suffrage Science awards at the British Library, London. Eleven modern day role models passed on their heirloom jewellery awards in a researcher to researcher relay.
2016 and 2018 Suffrage Science Maths and Computing awardees at the 2018 awards held at the British Library, London.
This year was the first handover of the maths and computing awards which were created in 2016, following the success of the Life Sciences and Engineering and Physical Sciences awards established in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
The evening was one of celebration and reflection, highlighting the successes and progress that has been made since 2016, but emphasising the importance of broadening diversity and inclusion across the gender barriers to other diverse characteristics and underrepresented groups in society.
Amanda Fisher, Director of MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences and founder of the Suffrage Science awards scheme with Vivienne Parry, welcomes awardees and guests to the first handover of the Maths and Computing awards.
This year’s awards were hosted at the British Library, an apt setting with the recent development of the Turing Institute and inspiring displays of Ada Lovelace correspondence to Babbage and suffrage documents in the Treasures Gallery.
The awards, hosted by former BBC journalist, Susan Watts, included a panel discussion made up of 2016 Suffrage Science award holders, Professor Carron Shankland and Professor Dame Celia Hoyles and 2018 Suffrage Science award holder Professor Ursula Martin.
The starting point of the discussion was the pipeline issues within mathematics and computer science, but expanded across the value of networks, role models and representation. There was extensive discussion about the importance of sharing the responsibility of encouraging and championing diversity in all its forms, with informed contributions from the audience.
The Maths & Computing branch of the Suffrage Science awards was launched at Bletchley Park on Tuesday 11 October 2016, a date recognised globally as Ada Lovelace Day. It celebrates the achievements of inspiring women in maths & computing. The Suffrage Science scheme was initiated by Professor Dame Amanda Fisher, Director of the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences in 2011 and has 114 female award holders across three branches: life sciences, engineering and physical sciences and maths and computing.
Special thanks to the British Library for hosting the event, L’Oreal for their support, Central Saint Martins whose students designed the jewellery in 2016, VV Rouleaux who provided the Suffrage coloured ribbons and scheme advisors Professors Emma McCoy and Marta Kwiatkowska.
Full lists of 2018 recipients and 2016 holders are below:
The 2018 award winners are:
| Dr Ruth Keogh | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine |
| Dr Tereza Neocleous | University of Glasgow |
| Dr Nina Snaith | University of Bristol |
| Dr Daniela De Angelis | MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge |
| Dr Eugenie Hunsicker | Loughborough University |
| Professor Sally Fincher | University of Kent |
| Professor Julie McCann | Imperial College London |
| Professor Jane Hillston | University of Edinburgh |
| Professor Ursula Martin | University of Oxford |
| Dr Hannah Dee | Aberystwyth University |
| Dr Vicky Neale | University of Oxford |
The 2016 award holders were:
| Professor Christl Donnelly | Imperial College London |
| Professor Jane Hutton | University of Warwick |
| Professor Frances Kirwan | University of Oxford |
| Professor Sylvia Richardson | MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge |
| Professor Gwyneth Stallard | Open University |
| Professor Ann Blandford | University College London |
| Professor Muffy Calder | University of Glasgow |
| Professor Leslie Goldberg | University of Oxford |
| Professor Dame Wendy Hall | University of Southampton |
| Professor Carron Shankland | University of Stirling |
| Professor Dame Celia Hoyles | University College London |
Panel discussion with panellists Carron Shankland, Ursula Martin and Celia Hoyles, hosted by Susan Watts at the first handover of the Suffrage Science Maths and Computing awards.
Ruth Keogh, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine nominated by Christl Donnelly, Imperial College London.
Tereza Neocleous, University of Glasgow nominated by Jane Hutton, University of Warwick
Nina Snaith, University of Bristol nominated by Frances Kirwan, University of Oxford
Daniela De Angelis, MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge nominated by Sylvia Richardson, MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge.
Eugenie Hunsicker, Loughborough University nominated by Gwyneth Stallard, Open University.
Sally Fincher, University of Kent nominated by Ann Blandford, University College London.
Julie McCann, Imperial College London nominated by Muffy Calder, University of Glasgow.
Jane Hillston, University of Edinburgh nominated by Leslie Goldberg, University of Oxford.
Ursula Martin, University of Oxford nominated by Wendy Hall, University of Southampton.
Hannah Dee, Aberystwyth University nominated by Carron Shankland, University of Stirling.
New awardees Hannah Dee and Sally Fincher discuss their new Suffrage Science heirloom jewellery awards during the reception.
