WiTT 20th Anniversary Talks: An Evening with Professor Averil Macdonald OBE

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WiTT 20th Anniversary Talks: An Evening with Professor Averil Macdonald OBE

A 20th anniversary fireside chat with Professor Averil Macdonald OBE

By Women in Telecoms & Technology

Date and time

Wed, 2 Dec 2020 10:00 - 11:15 PST

Location

Online

About this event

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of Women in Telecoms & Technology. To celebrate this significant milestone, we are hosting a monthly series of online "fireside chats" with speakers from the earliest days of WiTT.

We are very pleased that Averil Macdonald, Emeritus Professor at the University of Reading and Professor of Inclusion and Equality at University of Birmingham; Deputy Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers; and recipient of many awards, including an OBE for services to women in science, will join us in December.

Averil first spoke at a WiTT event in September 2015. Please join us to hear about her career journey and views on how the tech sector has changed in the past 20 years.

Professor Averil Macdonald OBE DSc D.Univ CPhys FInstP FRSAAveril Macdonald is Emeritus Professor at the University of Reading and Professor of Inclusion and Equality at University of Birmingham. Averil was awarded the international Bragg Medal and Prize (1999) by the Institute of Physics, London, the accolade of Woman of Outstanding Achievement in Science (2007) in recognition of her work in Science Communication, the prestigious Plastics Industry Award for Personal Contribution to the Industry (2007), Honorary Doctorates by the University of York (2010) and Kingston University (2015) and an OBE in the Birthday Honours list 2015 for services to women in science.

Averil is currently Deputy Master of the Worshipful Company of Fuellers working alongside HRH Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex as Royal Master. Throughout her time as Deputy Master she is championing future energy solutions to decarbonise the UK, with a particular emphasis on using hydrogen to decarbonise the UK’s heating systems and to make decarbonised HGVs a reality. She is also focusing the Fuellers’ charitable work on supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider STEM qualifications as a route into the energy sector through three main charities: Teentech, Generating Genius and Smallpiece Trust.Averil’s other focus is supporting underrepresented groups in STEM, particuarly chanpioning women in STEM careers. She is a member of the Women’s Business Council, advising the UK Government on how to encourage girls into science and in advancing women’s careers in the STEM fields. She has previously been Chair of the Board of UKOOG, the trade association for UK Onshore Oil and Gas industry, a Director of the Cheltenham Festivals, sat on the board of Directors of WISE, (the Campaign for Women in Science and Engineering), and has served as a Trustee of the Science Museum Group, sat on the STFC Advisory Panel for Public Engagement and on the Court of Imperial College. At European level Averil has chaired Forum for Physics in Society in the European Physical Society and sat on the EU Helsinki Group for Gender in Research and Innovation advising the EU Commission on gender issues.

Averil is recognised for developing People Like Me – the revolutionary new approach to engaging girls with science and engineering. She has advised numerous universities and businesses on diversity and inclusion including NetworkRail and B&Q and has provided Unconscious Bias Training in education and business including BAESystems, Airbus and NetworkRail.

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