Tag Archives: BBC

When I was younger I wish I had known…..

Posted on by

BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour has recently run an event about the advice women would tell their daughters/they wished they could have told themselves when they were younger.

'That what often seemed to be the end of the world often turned out to be a positive and transformative experience!'

‘That what often seemed to be the end of the world often turned out to be a positive and transformative experience!’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This idea doesn’t just apply to women!  This week we are looking for advice/hints/tips that you would give to:

  • Someone looking to start a PhD/Postdoc/academic career/technical, admin or support role
  • Anyone in your field of study who is just starting out
  • Someone going on fieldwork for the first time
  • Yourself when you were younger
  • Anything!

Email your suggestions to l.a.jones@reading.ac.uk and I will update the blog

NBA1

How To Be A Powerful Woman

Posted on by

BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour is currently promoting its 2015 ‘Power List’ (to be announced in July).  These are 10 women who have a huge impact on our lives. Linked to this process artist Tracey Emin, athlete and cross bench peer Tanni Grey Thompson, Artistic Director Southbank Centre Jude Kelly, Co-Founder Mumsnet Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards Kanya King, Chief Executive of Random House Gail Rebuck, Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman, Director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti, Controller Film4 Tessa Ross etc. offer advice on how to be a successful woman.  They cover the following topics:

 

  • Be Ambitious
  • Be in Balance
  • Be Resilient
  • Be Connected
  • Be Yourself
  • Be a Leader
Shami Chakrabarti

Shami Chakrabarti

Gail Rebuck

Gail Rebuck

Kanya King

Kanya King

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although the list of contributors does not include any women in academia or science these topics are arguably applicable to all careers.  Each of these topics is covered in short (4 – 5 minute) clips.  Follow this link to hear more – How to be a Powerful Woman

Is this advice useful?  Will you do anything differently? What advice would you give……………..?

Women’s Sport Week: British sports stars discuss their idols

Posted on by

‘Britain’s top sportswomen have the medals to show for their talent and dedication. But who were the inspirational people they looked up to in their fledgling careers? The inaugural Women’s Sport Week, which runs from 1-7 June, aims to celebrate, raise awareness and increase the profile of women’s sport.’

‘Women’s Sport Week is an opportunity for everybody involved with playing, delivering, leading or working in sport to celebrate, raise awareness and increase the profile of women’s sport across the UK.

The week is being led by Women in Sport, supported by National Governing Bodies, Sky Sports, the BBC, Sport England and supporters from across the sport sector.’

Double Olympic gold for Kelly Holmes inspired Laura Trott to achieve a similar feat

Double Olympic gold for Kelly Holmes inspired Laura Trott to achieve a similar feat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BBC Sport has asked some of Britain’s highest-profile sports women about their sporting idols – http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/32899147

Who has been an inspiration in your career?  Who is your role model?  Do we need more role models?

Clever girls, stupid boys?

Posted on by

On 5th March 2015 Sean Coughlan (BBC Education Correspondent) explored education and gender stereotypes in his article – ‘Clever girls, stupid boys?’

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31751667

‘Clever girls, stupid boys. That’s become something of a modern educational orthodoxy, as girls across the developed world are more likely to get top exam grades and university places.  The gap is so great that the UK’s university admissions authority has warned that being male could soon be seen as a new form of social disadvantage.’

clever girls

What impact has Lean In had on women?

Posted on by

In an article posted today on the BBC News website, Gianna Palmer explores the impact of the book ‘Lean In’ – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31727796

‘On Thursday, Leanin.org, Sandberg’s non-profit organisation, launched its latest public awareness campaign, Lean In Together, or #LeanInTogether as it’s being known, in partnership with basketball organisations the NBA and WNBA. The campaign is focused on men’s roles in reaching gender equality.

Going global

‘Lean In was published two years ago this month. Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, describes it as “sort of a feminist manifesto”. The original book has sold over 2.25 million copies worldwide. A newer edition, Lean In For Graduates, came out last April.

“The catchphrase of ‘lean in’ – that has gone global,” says Astrid Henry, a professor of gender studies at Grinnell College, Iowa. She describes Sandberg as an enormously successful modern spokesperson for feminism: “Her influence and her visibility at this moment can’t be overestimated.”

Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In has sold more than two million copies worldwide

Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In has sold more than two million copies worldwide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you read ‘Lean In?’  What do you think?

Clever girls lack confidence in science and maths

Posted on by

Today BBC Education Correspondent Sean Coughlan reports – ‘Girls still lack confidence in pursuing high-paid careers in science and technology, even when their school results are as good or better than boys.’

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31733742

‘Mr Schleicher, the OECD’s education director, argues that it is not “about men and women doing similar work for different pay, but about men and women pursuing different careers”.

In particular, he says women are still “severely under-represented” in jobs related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which can be among the highest earning careers. He says that “gender differences in self-confidence” could be the key difference. Even though girls might achieve better academic results, there is still a reluctance to apply for jobs.

There were also findings that parents were more likely to push boys towards careers in science and technology. “We may have lost sight of important social and emotional dimensions of learning that may be far more predictive for the future life choices of children,” said Mr Schleicher.’

A lack of self-confidence is a factor in whether women apply for jobs in science and technology, says study

A lack of self-confidence is a factor in whether women apply for jobs in science and technology, says study

Unnatural Histories – the Amazon

Posted on by

Recent research has revealed over 400 massive anthropogenic earthworks (geoglyphs), built by ancient cultures, underlying supposedly pristine ancient rainforest. These findings challenge the long-held assumption that Amazonia is a largely pristine wilderness and that indigenous peoples have only ever had a negligible impact upon Amazonian rainforest. Frank Mayle and John Carson are palaeoecologists who are collecting sediment cores from lakes located close to these geoglyphs to try and learn more about the type and scale of land use associated with these cultures. Did they make small forest clearings to build these structures or instead practice large-scale clear cutting, or maybe build them in an open landscape when past climate was too dry to support rainforest? To what extent did they alter the biodiversity of these forests by selecting economically important species over other less useful species? Analysis of fossil pollen and charcoal from these lake sediments can reveal Amazonia’s ancient history and potentially provide answers to these questions.

Frank Mayle

Frank Mayle

John Carson

John Carson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in discovering more about pre-Columbian Amazonia then you may like to watch ‘Unnatural Histories: Episode 3, the Amazon.  This is available on BBC iPlayer – http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0122njp/unnatural-histories-3-amazon