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This session, delivered by Marta Costa and Laura Fachal, will introduce StepWide, a leadership programme developed by postdocs for cis and trans women postdocs. Current initiatives to bridge the gender gap focus on academic staff, with little support for those trying to reach that particular career stage. StepWide was designed to question and broaden current and constrained ideas about leadership and develop the confidence and skills that will allow women postdocs to increase their visibility, improving promotion and progression.

Marta Costa is a Senior Research Associate at the Department of Zoology working on creating a map of the nervous system of fruit flies. She did her undergraduate in Biology in Lisbon, Portugal, followed by an MSc in Neuroscience at UCL. She then moved to Cambridge for her PhD, followed by a postdoc. She is also a Research Associate at Lucy Cavendish College.

Laura Fachal is a Senior Staff Scientist at Wellcome Sanger Institute. She earned her BS in Veterinary, MSc in Biotechnology and PhD from University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. She completed her postdoc at the Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, University of Cambridge. She is also a Research Associate at Lucy Cavendish College.

This talk is being hosted by the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) and delivered by Rob Baker and Chloe Mark from Tailored Thinking.

Rob and Chloe are specialists at helping people to bring their strengths to life in work through concepts such as job crafting and evidence-based ideas from positive psychology. Rob is the author of Personalization at Work by Kogan Page which was a finalist at the 2021 Business Book Awards. He has presented to organisations and conferences about job crafting around the globe. Tailored Thinking, the company Rob founded in 2017, was named HR Consultancy of year by the CIPD in 2020.

This event is only open to members of the Women’s Staff Network – to join the WSN please visit the website or SharePoint site

The University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network (WSN) are a partner institution for WHEN as both Networks are dedicated to speeding up equity of opportunity for women in higher education. All WSN members can join WHEN for free on their website.

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from different women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers for our March session –

Rachel Coleman- Head of Enterprise Database Application Management, University Information Services Dr. Antoinette Nestor - Engagement Manager, Cambridge Zero & Engagement Manager, Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge

The talk will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and for members to discuss topics raised.

Every woman working at Cambridge has their own career journey and story to tell. We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story and email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from different women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers for our session –

Dr Olivia Remes – Dr. Olivia Remes – Associate, life coach and mental health expert

Margaret Allen - Senior Change Management Specialist (Research), UIS

The talk will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and for members to discuss topics raised.

Every woman working at Cambridge has their own career journey and story to tell. We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story and email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from different women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers for our April session –

Joy Haughton - Chief of Staff, Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES) Dr Jessica Gardner - University Librarian & Director of Library Services

The talk will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and for members to discuss topics raised.

Every woman working at Cambridge has their own career journey and story to tell. We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story and email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from different women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers for our session –

Liz Simmonds - Assistant Head of the Postdoc Academy, Strategy/Operational Lead for Research Culture, Postdoc Academy Anna Langley - Senior Service Manager, UIS

The talk will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and for members to discuss topics raised.

Every woman working at Cambridge has their own career journey and story to tell. We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story and email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk.

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from different women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way. We are delighted to welcome the following speakers for our January session –

Dr. Janet Kumita - MRC Career Development Award Fellow, Department of Pharmacology

Louisa Trivett - Associate Director, Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Cambridge Development and Alumni Relations

The talk will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions and for members to discuss topics raised.

Every woman working at Cambridge has their own career journey and story to tell. We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story and email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk.

This event is hosted and provided by the University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network and is open to members and non-members. To join the Women’s Staff Network, please visit our website

This session will provide the opportunity to hear from four women about their careers, what has impacted on their choices and any lessons they have learnt along the way.

We aim to hold a number of these sessions during the academic year, so please get in contact if you would be happy to share your story – email jenny.rampling@admin.cam.ac.uk.

Join Museum Director Liz Hide for a women's history tour of the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, exploring some feminist themes within the museum's collections of rocks and fossils.

The 45 minute tour will introduce you to some of the hidden figures and pioneering women who have contributed to the study and understanding of Earth sciences.

This event is hosted and provided by the University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network and is open to members only. To join the Women’s Staff Network, please visit our website

Limited places

When anyone mentions resolutions at this time of the year, most of us tend to think – what’s the point, as we never end up sticking to them anyway.

Drink less, eat less, lose weight or stop this or stop that. It’s all so exhausting. So what’s the alternative?

This session delivered by Elena Carpenter (Personal Performance / Life Coach and Lean Practitioner) will give you the space, time and tools for going about achieving your aspirations and ambitions more successfully.

This event is hosted and provided by the University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network and is open to members and non-members. To join the Women’s Staff Network, please visit our website

This talk is being hosted by the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) and delivered by Furkan Karayel. Furkan is author of #1 Amazon best seller book Inclusive Intelligence, multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion speaker and founder of Diversein.com.

She has developed the Inclusive Intelligence concept which provides practical steps to be a diversity and inclusion role model in the workplace. Her passion is leveraging women-in-tech leadership, diversity and empowering female founders globally.

This event is only open to members of the Women’s Staff Network – to join the WSN please visit the website or SharePoint site

The University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network (WSN) are a partner institution for WHEN as both Networks are dedicated to speeding up equity of opportunity for women in higher education. All WSN members can join WHEN for free on their website.

Dr Olivia Remes (Institute for Manufacturing) PhD found that living in a poor area increased anxiety disproportionally in women. She has also contributed to discussions around coping with anxiety and loneliness during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr Chris Rauh's (Department of Economics) recent work has shown that women have borne the financial brunt of the COVID-19 lockdowns in the UK and US.

This event will explore the links between Olivia and Chris’ areas of expertise to examine whether women have experienced an increased financial burden during the COVID-19 Pandemic, resulting in an adverse effect on our mental health and wellbeing.

The zoom joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email.

The Women’s Staff Network holds regular informal networking and discussion groups to allow members to meet, share ideas and experiences.

February’s discussion will focus on making a change in your life. The pandemic has forced many of us to reflect on our lives and what is most important to us. Many newspapers have reported on 'the great resignation' with many employees considering career changes.

But change could also be a new hobby, a new relationship or a new challenge.

Join us to discuss a change you would like to make in your life or to hear from others about what they are considering.

This talk is being deliver by the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) and hosted by Professor Eef Hogervorst and Dr Emma Odonnell.

This talk focuses on menopause and the effects it has on cardiovascular health. Emma will touch on menopause and its symptoms and how exercise training can help moderate these symptoms. She will also briefly discuss the current consensus on the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy and the effect these hormones have on cardiovascular health.

The University of Cambridge Women’s Staff Network are a partner institution for WHEN as both Networks are dedicated to speeding up equity of opportunity for women in higher education. All WSN members can join WHEN for free on their website.

Professor Eef Hogervorst - Professor of Psychology - University of Loughborough Eef Hogervorst did her PhD in at the University of Maastricht on the modelling of age-related cognitive decline. She subsequently worked at the Universities of Oxford (1998-2005), Arkansas Medical Sciences USA and Cambridge as a neuropsychologist and epidemiologist to investigate risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline.

Dr Emma O'Donnell - Lecturer, Exercise Physiology - University of Loughborough Emma graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Exercise Science from Brighton University before completing an MSc in Exercise Science at the University of Toronto, Canada. She then went on to complete her PhD in Exercise Science with a specialisation in cardiovascular physiology at the University of Toronto, Canada (2013). After completing her PhD, Emma undertook post-doctoral studies in the Clinical Cardiovascular Physiology Laboratory at the Toronto General Hospital, Canada. Emma’s research focuses on the cardiovascular health of women, with emphasis on the independent and combined effects of estrogen deficiency and exercise training in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. In January 2016, she returned to the UK to take the post of Lecturer of Exercise Physiology at the University of Loughborough. Emma is a member of The American Physiological Society and The British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. The Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email.

Mentoring provides a valuable relationship in which an individual supports a colleague, by sharing their professional knowledge and experiences and utilising key skills and personal attributes, to enable that colleague to achieve their goals.

This session will provide an overview to the self-match mentoring scheme and be followed by an informal WSN networking session. A great way to meet women from different areas of the University.

October’s networking discussion will focus on career progression and debate questions that were raised in a recent WHEN article. Is it every woman’s dream to move upwards, in pursuit of title, income, and status? Should success be measured in such a linear way?

Why is it seen as important to reach the heights of senior management to be considered a success story? How can you shape your current job role to improve your satisfaction? Join us to discuss these questions further and meet new colleagues.

November’s networking discussion will focus on work/life balance.

Having a good work/life balance is described as ‘finding peace and balance between the demands of work and those of personal fulfillment'. But is there really such a thing as work/life balance? What does work/life balance mean to you? Has your focus changed at different stages of your life? Has working during the pandemic changed your view on what’s important?

What advice and approach do you have on this topic? Join us to discuss these questions further and meet new colleagues.

The Women’s Staff Network would like to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and informal discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

The Women’s Staff Network provide a regular, informal group to bring together members who would like to discuss and share their experiences of their menopause journey.

The group’s aim is to provide a supportive environment and relaxed discussion.

This talk by Dr Lucy Delap looks at the history of feminism from a global perspective, with particular attention to how women of the global South engaged with questions of women’s rights and freedoms in the past 200 years.

Based on her recently published, Feminisms: A Global History (Penguin 2020), the presentation explores connections and encounters between activists spanning struggles in Egypt, Nigeria, Spain, Britain, and Japan. The event is designed to allow plenty of time to discuss and debate the history and present day forms that feminist activism has taken, and all are invited to the conversation.

Lucy Delap teaches history at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of Murray Edwards College. She has published widely on the history of feminism, gender, labour, and religion, including the prize-winning The Feminist Avant-Garde: Transatlantic Encounters of the Early Twentieth Century, Knowing Their Place: Domestic Service in Twentieth Century Britain in 2011, and Feminisms: A Global History in 2020