International Women's Day 2024
Events
Month-long
Emotional Capsule: Women's Invisible Emotion
- Location: Balcony Gallery, Attenborough Arts Centre
- Event start and end time: The exhibition will be open weekdays from 9.00am–5.00pm and 10.00am–5.00pm on weekends.
‘Emotional Capsule: Women’s Invisible Emotion’ is the culmination of work carried out by two University of Leicester School of Museum Studies during their placement with Attenborough Arts Centre. The exhibition features artworks from the University of Leicester Art Collection which have been thoughtfully selected and curated to explore themes relating to women in visual art.
This exhibition aims to reflect on and portray the daily lived experiences and hidden emotions of women and in doing so poses questions about the representation of women in visual art more broadly, both in terms of their presence in institutions and collections as well as within artworks themselves, stimulating conversations about who gets to be represented, how are they represented, and by whom. ‘Emotional Capsule: Women’s Invisible Emotion’ seeks to advocate for gender diversity within the arts and prompt conversation about how galleries display and interpret artwork, ask what stories such artworks could tell, and consider how the University of Leicester’s Art Collection could help us speak to contemporary issues of today.
‘Emotional Capsule: Women’s Invisible Emotion’ has been curated by Xiaoya Ran and marketed by Chloe Hutchinson with the support of the Visual Arts and Marketing teams at Attenborough Arts Centre.
Monday 4 March
Unmasking Potential: A Creative Coaching Workshop For Overcoming Female Imposter Syndrome
- Location: Room tbc upon registration, Main campus, University of Leicester
- Event start and end time: 10.00am–11.30am
A creative coaching workshop that will explore the impact of imposter syndrome on women. The workshop will use the tools of art materials, guided journaling and visualisation to empower and support women in taking the first steps to overcoming imposter syndrome.
The workshop will be free to attend and all materials will be provided. All we ask is that you turn up with an open mind and willingness to invest in yourself.
To book your place please email: orgdev@leicester.ac.uk
Breast Screening and Benign Breast Conditions
- Location: Online – MS Teams
- Event start and end time: 12.00pm-1.00pm
The Department of Genetics and Genome Biology are pleased to invite you to a talk by Dr Tim Rattay, Associate Professor in Breast Surgery, Leicester Cancer Research Centre.
Dr Rattay is a Consultant Breast Surgeon at University Hospitals of Leicester and Associate Professor in the University’s Cancer Research Centre. His research is focused on developing personalised breast cancer treatments that minimise side-effects and improve cancer survivorship.
To attend, please complete the booking form by Wednesday 28 February
Tuesday 5 March
No Limits - Celebrate International Women's Day with Dr Maureen Paul
- Location: University of Leicester School of Business, Brookfield, London Road, Leicester, LE2 1RQ
- Event start and end time: 5.30pm–7.30pm
The School of Business are delighted to welcome Dr Maureen Paul, Economic Consulting Director at Grant Thornton UK LLP, to the school in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024.
In a conversation with ULSB’s own Dr Jingyi Mao, Lecturer in Economics and the Senior Tutor at the School of Business, Maureen will share insights on how she overcame some of the challenges and barriers faced as a Black female, alongside her successes on her career journey to become one of the UK’s leading industrial and regulatory economists.
Maureen is an excellent standard bearer for the IWD2024 theme of #InspireInclusion. By her own career as a leader and employer in both the public and private sectors, she has been instrumental in recruiting, retaining and developing female talent and supporting other women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business and STEM.
Maureen's actions exemplify inspiring inclusion. She has worked directly with our Women in Economics, Finance and Accounting group (WEFA) to inspire more girls to consider studying Economics and to become professional economists, and she is always ready to promote the economics profession and to ensure female representation on panels.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your studies, about to launch yourself into the business world, are aspiring to a career in business and related environments, or are already a business professional you’ll be sure to gain a wealth of insights to inform and inspire!
The talk will be followed by a Q&A session, giving attendees the chance to get involved.
Wednesday 6 March
Conversation Club
- Location: Charles Wilson Building, Global Lounge
- Event start and end time: 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm
Come along to the Global Lounge to the Conversation Club to informally practice English and make new friends from all over the world. If students are already fluent English speakers, they are still able to join us. They can help other students with their English, discover new cultures and maybe pick up a few words in a new language.
Women’s Forum
- Location: Attenborough Seminar Block, Room 002
- Event start and end time: 1.00pm–1.50pm
The Women’s Staff Forum supports the work and careers of women at the University of Leicester. There are still a range of women-specific challenges in higher education that result in women not participating and advancing their careers on an equal footing with men. The forum was set up in 2014 to help overcome these challenges.
With a focus on information, inspiration and voice, our meetings provide a platform for staff to raise and discuss women-specific issues of working in higher education, and to feed these issues into conversations across the University.
Beyond the meetings, we initiate and organise events and activities aimed at supporting women at the University. A more defined programme is currently being developed and key themes are likely to be career support, mentoring, leadership and improving everyday working practices.
We work in collaboration with the University of Leicester’s other women-focused initiatives such as Athena SWAN. We recognise the important role of men in making higher education a more equal workplace and welcomes men to many of its activities.
If you would like to register your interest in being involved in this network please contact the Women's Staff Forum Co-Chairs, Claire Davis and Lin Feng via email: women@leicester.ac.uk
Speed Coaching For Women: Taster Sessions
- Location: Microsoft Teams
- Event start and end time: 1.00pm/2.00pm/3.00pm
If there is an issue, or indeed opportunity, you’re facing right now – invest 30 minutes of your time to come along to a coaching taster session to find more balance and fulfilment in your working life. Coaching is an opportunity to talk through what is happening for you and bring you the clarity to define where you want to be, the tools with which to get there, along with the awareness to be able to realise what is stopping you.
The 30-minute coaching taster session is an informal, no obligation, opportunity for you to meet with one of our Coaching Academy qualified coach-colleagues, discuss your current situation and identify your specific coaching requirements.
To book your place please email: orgdev@leicester.ac.uk with your preferred date and time slot. Sessions will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thursday 7 March
Speed Coaching For Women: Taster Sessions
- Location: Microsoft Teams
- Event start and end time: 1.00pm/2.00pm/3.00pm
If there is an issue, or indeed opportunity, you’re facing right now – invest 30 minutes of your time to come along to a coaching taster session to find more balance and fulfilment in your working life. Coaching is an opportunity to talk through what is happening for you and bring you the clarity to define where you want to be, the tools with which to get there, along with the awareness to be able to realise what is stopping you.
The 30-minute coaching taster session is an informal, no obligation, opportunity for you to meet with one of our Coaching Academy qualified coach-colleagues, discuss your current situation and identify your specific coaching requirements.
To book your place please email: orgdev@leicester.ac.uk with your preferred date and time slot. Sessions will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
Leicester Jazz House presents Tori Freestone and Alcyona Mick
- Location: Attenborough Arts Centre
- Event start and end time: 8.30pm–10.30pm
Best jazz music in Leicester.
Tori and Alcyona formed their duo in 2015 after being invited to perform together at the Manchester Jazz Festival. Both much in demand players on the London jazz scene, the two have been working together for years in many different ensembles including Ingrid and Christine Jensen big band, Yazz Ahmed, Natacha Atlas, Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, Cleo Laine/Alec Dankworth band, and are both permanent members of the London Jazz Orchestra. They recorded their debut album ‘Criss Cross’ at the famous Artesuono Studio in Italy in 2017, released in 2018 to wide critical acclaim followed by a tour of the UK, Germany and Spain with live radio performances.
The duo has a very spontaneous, interactive approach and shares a large range of musical influences that fall not only within the jazz genre, including English folk, Brazilian music, Arabic music, free improvisation, Monk and more. Performances have included Birmingham Symphony Hall, Museo del Grifo (Spain), Emotion Festival (Bremen), Halle 242 (Hamburg), Salle Krieps auditorium (Luxembourg) and the Manchester and London Jazz Festivals.
In 2020 they won the Help Musicians 'Do it Differently' and 'Record and Release' awards to write and collaborate on a second album. The new music was premiered at live and online streamed concerts including the Up and Down Festival (Spain), and the Royal Albert Hall Elgar Room in collaboration with Steinway. The latter premiere resulted in the Ivor Novello Award and featured on BBC Radio 3.
Age Guidance: Every age welcome
International Women’s Day: Celebrating Women in STEM
- Location: GDC Atrium
- Event start and end time: 11.00am-2.00pm
College of Life Sciences student-staff group alongside Future STEM Leaders and Leicester Mammas has organised a special fundraising stall in the George Davies Centre Atrium. Join us on 7 March to discuss all things related to being women in STEM.
Friday 8 March
An Incredible Female Pelvic Floor: Through Understanding To A Better Life
- Location: Online - MS Teams
- Event start and end time: 12.00pm-1.00pm
The Department of Genetics and Genome Biology are pleased to invite you to a talk by Dr Aneta Obloza, a highly skilled consultant urogynacologist who treats patients in Leicester.
With over 15 years of experience, Dr Obloza is an expert in the treatment and management of urogynaecological conditions including pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, painful bladder syndrome, urinary tract infection, functional bowel disorder and urodynamics.
To attend, please complete the booking form by Monday 4 March
College of Science & Engineering IWD Documentary Screening & ‘Picture a Scientist’
- Location: Attenborough Film Theatre
- Event start and end time: 1.00pm–3.00pm
Are you interested in finding out current statistics in the area and reported ‘lived experiences’?
Join the College of Science & Engineering at the Attenborough Film Theatre on Friday 8 March 2024 to watch ‘Picture A Scientist’ documentary.
Attenborough Late: International Women's Day
- Location: Gallery 1, Attenborough Arts Centre
- Event start and end time: 7.00pm-10.00pm
Get ready for an after-hours live art experience, featuring the best in local talent. This Attenborough Late edition is inspired by and themed around International Women’s Day, celebrating the power of women worldwide.
Our gallery and café will be buzzing with music, dance, performances and craft workshops all for no fee, with an array of food and drinks available for purchase. Explore the evenings events and performers by clicking here.
Put on your most favourite outfit and anticipate a vibrant, exploratory atmosphere teeming with good vibes to kick-start your weekend!
Free to attend but booking is required.
Evening Host: Juliette Burton
Juliette has performed six solo shows at Edinburgh Fringe and has won numerous awards throughout her comedy career. She has performed at Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and New Zealand International Comedy Festival. Juliette is an ambassador for Rethink Mental Illness.
Performances by Symoné
Symoné is a Guinness World Record holding alternative circus and performance artist. By fusing high heel roller skates with hula hoops, pole dance, and voguing, in skilled and high energy shows, she creates surreal and exciting shows. Symoné is also a theatre maker, videogame designer, drag king, and always has something up her sleeve to create sensation.
DJ & Creative Takeover of Studio 1 by WE CREATE
WE CREATE is a University of Leicester Society that serves as the catalyst for creatives to connect and collaborate. They call all creative individuals and support them through dynamic workshops, events, and projects. WE CREATE will hosting a creative takeover in Studio 1 as well as their president, Safiya Lord, DJing the event.
Baked Goods by Bitsy’s Emporium of Awesome
For one evening only Bitsy is popping up at Attenborough Late and bringing with her an awesome selection of delectable baked goods for you to enjoy. Everything she makes is veggie with an amazing array of vegan goodies thrown in too.
Theatre Discussion with Hannah Kumari
After writing her first play in Lockdown, a one-woman show inspired by her experiences as a mixed-race female football fan growing up in the late 90s, Hannah has developed something of a specialism for creating theatre inspired by football – yeah, football is culture! At IWD Attenborough Late Hannah will share her love of football and theatre and the ways in which they inspire her, as well as some of the challenges she has faced carving a space for herself in these two different worlds.
ID Dance Co. performing ‘Re-Traces’
ID Dance Co. invite you to enjoy another layer to the Traces exhibition in the form of a dance response to it’s themes of mark-making, rule-breaking, exploration and joy. Both a reflection and a departure point, ‘Re-Traces’ threads its audience in and out of patterns and pathways, movements and moments – some planned, some spontaneous – sparked by connection with its content, creators and curators which lit up their own collective imagination.
Performances from Sohini Kaur and Tabitha Walker
Sohini Kaur is a rising vocalist, songwriter and performer from Leicester, known for her powerful and versatile singing style. She learnt Indian Classical singing from the age of 5 and more recently has followed her passion of singing pop, rnb, soul and adult contemporary music. She will be accompanied by the prodigal piano talent Tabitha Walker, a classically trained to diploma level as well as being an experienced tenor saxophonist.
Wall of Wonderwomen
Celebrate the amazing women in your world by creating a piece of art about them to be displayed in the Attenborough Café. We are inviting you to co-create a bright beaming wall of wonderwomen – a space for portraits, poetry, dedications, that shine a light on the wonder women that make your world a better place.
Creative workshops with Rosie Johnson and Dee Barnes
Join Rosie Johnson to create a piece of beautiful abstract art by combining empowering words and patterns with a tracing of your most inspiring woman. Work with ceramicist Dee Barnes in Studio 4 to sculpt your very own inspirational female figure in clay to help create a diverse army of super women.
Speed Coaching For Women: Taster Sessions
- Location: Microsoft Teams
- Event start and end time: 9.30am/10.30am/11.30am
If there is an issue, or indeed opportunity, you’re facing right now – invest 30 minutes of your time to come along to a coaching taster session to find more balance and fulfilment in your working life. Coaching is an opportunity to talk through what is happening for you and bring you the clarity to define where you want to be, the tools with which to get there, along with the awareness to be able to realise what is stopping you.
The 30-minute coaching taster session is an informal, no obligation, opportunity for you to meet with one of our Coaching Academy qualified coach-colleagues, discuss your current situation and identify your specific coaching requirements.
To book your place please email: orgdev@leicester.ac.uk with your preferred date and time slot. Sessions will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis.
Space Park Showcase - New Voices!
- Location: Space Park Leicester, 92 Corporation Road, Leicester, LE4 5SP
- Event start and end time: 2.30pm–5.30pm
Welcome to Space Park Showcase - New Voices!
Join us at Space Park Leicester for the first in a new series of social networking events for the Space Park Community.
Space Park Showcase events provide a platform to showcase our people, work, projects and achievements in a relaxed atmosphere.
The first event - New Voices, celebrates our young and upcoming stars of the future on International Women's Day.
If you would like to display a digital poster or mini-presentation on a portable digital screen in the atrium, or would like to nominate a colleague to display their work, please email: marketing@space-park.co.uk
Coffee and cakes will be served.
This event is exclusive for Space Park Leicester and Space City residents, your collaborators and partners, brought to you by the Space Park and NCEO team.
Please feel free to share.
Saturday 9 March
Women's Eights Head of the River Race
- Location: River Thames, London
- Event start and end time: 5.00pm–8.00pm
The University of Leicester Boat Club (ULBC) is a competitive rowing club for athletes of all abilities; they will be competing in the Women’s Eights Head of the River Race on the 9 March, a processional rowing race held annually on the Tideway of the River Thames in London on the 4+1⁄4-mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.
Women in Tech Hackathon
- Location: Sir Bob Burgess Building
- Event start and end time: 9.00am–5.00pm
Careers and Employability, in partnership with 3 student societies and a number of partnered employers, will be hosting a Women in Tech Hackathon for 50 female and non-binary students.
Sunday 10 March
Punk Mums Workshop
- Location: Attenborough Arts Centre
- Event start and end time: 5.30pm–6.30pm
Celebrate and remember original Punk Mum and Unglam founder Ruth Miller.
Come along for the free Unglamorous women’s workshop and have a go on guitar, bass, drums or keyboards. It’s the best fun you’ll have! We promise.
Then, later in the evening, join in with the Boilers plus more bands as they play their own songs – loud, proud, funny as hell. The Unglamorous movement has swept through Leicester getting women into bands and onto stages.
Book your tickets
Punk Mums
- Location: Attenborough Arts Centre
- Event start and end time: 7.00pm–10.00pm
Celebrate and remember original Punk Mum and Unglam founder Ruth Miller.
We will be having Pretty Dirty Rats, Boilers and Dada Women playing and will round off the whole IWD weekend with a closing party our famous Women’s Powerballad Singalong. Loud, proud, funny as hell – the Unglamorous movement has swept through Leicester getting women into bands and onto stages.
Let’s Do This: Women’s Takeover
- Location: Danielle Brown Sports Centre, Leicester, LE1 7RH
- Event start and end time: 8.00PM–10.00PM
Join Sport & Active Life for the Women’s Takeover event, with Pilates, open swim, glow in the dark spin, mash it up dance, and UB boxercise.
All classes are free, with no membership required. Free parking will be available onsite, as well as free transport home. Prior booking is required due to limited spaces.
Takeover Timetable (Doors Open 8.00PM)
- 8.00pm-8.30pm: Pilates
- 8.00pm-9.30pm: Open Swim & Swimming Lessons
- 8.00pm-9.30pm: Open Gym
- 8.30pm-9.15pm: Glow in the Dark Spin
- 8.30pm-9.15pm: Mash It Up Dance
- 9.30pm-10.00pm: UV Boxercise
All participants are entered into a raffle for a Gold Gym Membership until the end of the year.
For more information contact jm960@le.ac.uk
Monday 11 March
University of Leicester School of Business Public Lecture: Maximising Career Success
- Location: Online
- Event start and end time: 1.00pm–2.00pm
The School of Business are delighted to welcome Lorna Hinds-Sotomey to deliver our next ULSB Public Lecture and to launch the School’s 2024 Career Development Exhibition.
Lorna is a seasoned finance and business management professional executive with a wealth of global experience in influential roles within financial institutions, spanning finance, strategy, regulation and technology. She currently sits on various advisory boards and committees for Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF), Institute for Sustainability at University of Surrey and previously held non-executive director (NED) roles for small voluntary organisations utilising her financial, strategic and risk management expertise.
Hosted by ULSB’s Dr Dennis Pepple, Lorna will share her career journey, focusing on navigating the dynamic work of work to achieve careers success.
The conversation will revolve around workplace challenges, the impact of technology, the importance of diversity and inclusion and the impact leadership has on driving both organisation and employee growth.
Register to join this free online event.
College of Science and Engineering - 'Creating Shared Awareness and Understandings of Individual Perspectives for supporting Equality/Equity for Women in STEMM'
- Location: George Porter Building - MML Seminar Room and Lecture Theatre A
- Event start and end time: 2.00pm-5.00pm
The College of Science and Engineering Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) have put together an exciting afternoon of activities to celebrate International Women's Day 2024.
The theme of this event is "Creating Shared Awareness and Understandings of Individual Perspectives for supporting Equality/Equity for Women in STEMM". Participants will be encouraged to share, learn and connect through an interactive workshop, a panel discussion, a guest speaker and networking opportunities.
- 2.00pm-3.00pm: Interactive Workshop with EDI Cards
- 3.00-4.00pm: Panel Discussion Dr James Pickering – Lecturer in Chemistry Prof Emma Bunce - Director, Institute for Space Prof Leena Sodha - Head of School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
- 4.00pm-4.30pm: Guest Speaker Prof Sarah Davies, Head of the College of Science and Engineering
- 4.30pm-5.00pm: Networking All staff and students are welcome.
Tuesday 12 March
2024 Annual Dorothy Jones Lecture
- Location: via Teams
- Event start time: 5.00 pm
The Department of Respiratory Sciences is pleased to announce that the 2024 Annual Dorothy Jones Lecture, ‘Microbes rule (my) world’ will be given by Dr Jane E. Hill, Ph.D., University of British Columbia and CEO Shirley Diagnostics, PBC, on Tuesday 12 March 2024 at 5.00 pm. This will be an online lecture via Teams and is open to all staff and students.
Reserve your space and receive a meeting link
Jane is the Canada Research Chair of Breath Science and Technologies at the University of British Columbia as well as CEO and founder of Shirley Diagnostics. Her teams specialize in the discovery and clinical validation of breath biomarkers of respiratory diseases, respectively. Her team’s research focuses on the use of small molecules (metabolites, transcripts) for the diagnosis of infectious diseases as well as how some of those molecules might enable communication between species. Example areas of active research include: lung transplant, cystic fibrosis, multidrug resistance, and chronic infection contexts. Some particular organisms of interest include: Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Burkholderia, and Mycobacteria (though new, shiny things are always being added to that list). When Jane is not doing science, she is often thinking about it when gardening, playing tennis, training (often very slowly) to be a masters track and field athlete, and occasionally, very nearly forgetting about science when dabbling in the creative arts.
This annual lecture is organised by the Department of Respiratory Sciences to honour Dr Dorothy Jones’ contribution to science under the Athena Swan initiative that aims to promote and highlight achievements of women in science. Dorothy Jones was a distinguished microbiologist, who joined the University as a Research Biologist in 1965, before becoming a Senior Research Fellow in the Microbiology Department. She was an Honorary University Fellow from her retirement in 1995 until 2009.
Queries to clsedi@le.ac.uk
Wednesday 13 March
Leverhulme Trust Visit
- Location: Lecture Theatre 2, Sir Bob Burgess Building
- Event start and end time: 2.00pm-3.30pm
We are delighted to announce that Professor Anna Vignoles, Director of the Leverhulme Trust will be visiting the University on Wednesday 13 March 2024.
Please join us for a session where Professor Vignoles will give an overview of the Leverhulme Trust’s distinctive place in the funding landscape, including their grant-making philosophy and advice for prospective applicants.
Professor Suzie Imber Inaugural Lecture: Adventures in Velocity Space
- Location: Bennett Lecture Theatre 1
- Event start and end time: 5.30pm-7.30pm
In this inaugural lecture, Professor Suzie Imber takes us on a series of adventures, from her research in space weather on Earth and Mercury, to her passion for finding and climbing previously unclimbed mountains in the Andes, and tells how accidentally appearing on a reality TV show can lead to a voyage to Antarctica.
Professor Imber's research focusses on space weather at the Earth and Mercury, using a combination of in situ and remote-sensing observations to observe the interaction of the solar wind with planetary magnetic fields. She is currently looking forward to the arrival of the BepiColombo mission to Mercury in 2025, which will provide unprecedented observations of the environment, surface and magnetic field of the planet.
Suzie is also a high-altitude mountaineer, and wrote some computer code to automatically identify independent mountains, compiling the first objective list of peaks in the Andes, and then setting off to climb the remote peaks on the list that were un-named, and unclimbed.
She accidentally featured on a reality television series about astronaut selection in 2018, and ended up winning the series. This opened up many opportunities for public engagement and outreach, which she’s used to further her work supporting disadvantaged students to access higher education.
This journey also led her on a voyage to Antarctica in November with 100 women in STEM. The experience put her at the heart of an international network of cross-disciplinary research scientists, and opened her eyes to the power of a positive research culture.