International Women's Day
Posted on 6 March 2015
We’ve painted our homepage purple to mark International Women’s Day, a global celebration highlighting the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.
Find out more about events happening across York to mark Women's Day - and read about the research impact of our pioneering women scientists.
What’s on
Here in York, International Women’s Day is being celebrated with a week-long programme of over 100 events ranging from political debates to theatre, music and craft workshops. Sponsored by the University’s Centre for Women’s Studies, the programme, which runs from 7 to 14 March, also includes yoga classes, guided bike rides and small business advice.
Headline events include talks by human rights defenders currently studying at the University’s Centre for Applied Human Rights. Women on the Front Line: Journeys to Justice features monologues and stories exploring women’s struggles for rights and dignity across continents. The event is at York Theatre Royal on 8 March - book your tickets now.
Human rights are also in the spotlight on 14 March when human rights defenders from Belarus and Brazil share their stories at York Explore Library.
There’s also a chance to join a theatre workshop – What Would Lady Macbeth Do? – to learn confidence-building drama techniques at the Upstage Centre on 7 March; try a cup of Fairtrade coffee grown by women farmers at a tasting event in the Fairer World shop, 84 Gillygate on 10 March; and take a stroll through the city streets on 12 March with storyteller Helen Sant as she tells historical tales about some of York’s most famous women.
Find out more at www.yorkwomen.org.uk.
Exploring Women’s Studies at York
Want to find out more about feminist theory and activism? Interested in feminist perspectives behind violence, employment, sexuality, body image and masculinity? The University’s Centre for Women’s Studies, sponsors of York International Women’s Week, is one of the longest-established bases for feminist and gender-orientated research in the UK.
The Centre aims to engage, educate and inspire with a range of research-based and taught postgraduate programmes including PhDs, Masters and Postgraduate diplomas. Courses include Women’s Studies; Women, Violence and Conflict; and European Gender and Equality Studies.
Study is available on a full or part-time basis.
Find out more at the Centre for Women's Studies.
Women researchers in the spotlight
Our research teams, many of them led by women, are pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and understanding of some of humankind’s most complex environmental, social and cultural issues.
Explore our new research site to find out more about the pioneering work of:
- Professor Lucy Carpenter from our Department of Chemistry who played a key role in a new scientific study which found that the earth’s ozone layer is showing signs of recovery.
- Dr Julie Rugg from York’s Centre for Housing Policy helped debunk some common myths about the aspirations of social housing residents in a ground-breaking study.
- Professor Reidun Twarock from the Department of Mathematics has developed a mathematical model which gives us important new insights into the way human viruses develop.
- Professor Jane Hill from the Department of Biology is tracking the progress of British butterfly species as they move north in response to climate change.
- Professor Nicky Milner from the Department of Archaeology is leading teams uncovering our Stone Age past at Star Carr, near Scarborough, one of the most important Mesolithic sites in Europe.
Supporting women scientists
The Department of Chemistry at York was the first academic department in the UK to win a Gold Award under the Athena SWAN charter, an accolade which recognises our support for women working in science, engineering and technology (SET) subjects.
That early success was followed by another Athena SWAN Gold Award – this time for the Department of Biology – plus Silver Awards for the Departments of Physics and Psychology.
The Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, Health Sciences, Electronics, Environment, the Centre for Health Economics and the Hull York Medical School hold Bronze Awards. The University holds an institutional Bronze Award.
Find out more about how we support women scientists throughout their careers.
