STEM news

From improving safety in Formula 1 to understanding probability in poker, women in science demonstrate how their work is contributing to the world in a free exhibition at City Hall.

The exhibition 100 Women - 100 Visions, shows women scientists, engineers and doctors from Imperial College London highlighting different aspects of their work in a series of portraits taken by award-winning photographer Jackie King.

The portraits show women in a variety of different career stages, from students to professors, and across a range of subjects. They include:

• a research postgraduate in aeronautics who poses with carbon fibre composite tubes crushed to simulate the impact of a Formula One car crash. She explains: "By increasing the amount of energy absorbed we can ensure that cars meet the stringent safety requirements and, more importantly, keep the drivers from harm in their race to the finish line".
• a mechanical engineering research assistant, shown wearing a set of cogs around her neck, who works on tribology, the science of friction, wear and lubrication. She says: "You find it not only in machines and vehicles, but also when you slip on ice or even use hair conditions. It's everywhere and there's still so much to discover".
• a senior lecturer in mathematics, pictured juggling dice, who says: "I am fascinated by the theory behind probability-based decision making, from whether to raise in poker to my own research interests in time series analysis".

The exhibition is organised by Imperial's Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WSET) student society, which provides career development and networking events for women academics at the College and aims to encourage more young women to consider a career in science. Electrical engineering PhD student Ellin Saunders, one of the leaders of the exhibition, says:

"This is a really eye opening exhibition that shows the range of opportunities a career in science can open up, and the women involved have found very imaginative ways to illustrate their research. Whether you're passing City Hall and fancy seeing some interesting photography or you have children who want to know what scientists really do, I think this is something that everybody can enjoy."

Co-organiser Aiman Alam-Nazki, a Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology PhD student at Imperial, adds:

"Things have really opened up for women in many fields previously seen as the preserve of men. We wanted to celebrate that by capturing a visual record of the community of female scientists, engineers and doctors here at Imperial. The exciting thing about the City Hall exhibition is we can share that story with the public and hopefully inspire young visitors to seriously consider these areas for their careers."

The exhibition runs until 19 March.

100 women 100 visions - Leading the way in STEM (opens a new browser window)