Å·ÃÀAV

International Women’s Day 2020 at the Å·ÃÀAV
Professor Dame Carol Robinson and Dr Helen Pain in conversation with Dr Suze Kundu

In celebration of International Women's Day 2020, the Å·ÃÀAV President, Professor Dame Carol Robinson and Acting CEO Dr Helen Pain will share their experiences as leaders in the chemical sciences and their vision for the future of women in science with Dr Suze Kundu.

The theme for IWD 2020 is #EachforEqual, drawing attention to collective individualism - the collective impact that individual contributions have on wider society and on creating change.

The event will take place in the magnificent Library and Council Room at the Å·ÃÀAV beginning at 18:00, followed by a networking reception.

Bios

Professor Dame Carol Robinson, DBE FRS FMedSci FÅ·ÃÀAV
President, Å·ÃÀAV and Chair of Dr. Lee’s Professor of Chemistry, University of Oxford

Carol left school at 16 to take up a position as a laboratory technician with a pharmaceutical company.  She completed her graduate education whilst working full-time in this post and was subsequently admitted to the University of Cambridge where she completed her PhD in two years.  Following an eight-year career break to begin raising her three children, she returned to research at Oxford where she took up a professorial post.   In 2001, she accepted the position of Professor of Mass Spectrometry at the University of Cambridge, becoming the first female professor of chemistry at Cambridge.  In 2009 she returned to Oxford to take up the Chair of Dr. Lee’s Professor of Chemistry which she holds today.
 
A graduate of the Å·ÃÀAV, she is recognised for using mass spectrometry to further her research into the 3D structure of proteins. She has carried out ground breaking research into proteins implicated in conditions such as cancer, schizophrenia and drug dependence.

Dr Helen Pain, CSci CChem FÅ·ÃÀAV
Acting CEO, Å·ÃÀAV

Helen joined the Å·ÃÀAV after completing a degree and PhD in Chemistry. She is a Chartered Chemist and a Chartered Scientist. At the Å·ÃÀAV, she has led many of its strategic functions becoming Deputy CEO in 2015. Helen is a champion for the profession and has commissioned bold campaigns such as Breaking the Barriers and our work to support Technicians.

In 2018, Helen was appointed as Chair of the Science Council, a UK organisation for the advancement of the science profession.  She took up the role of Acting CEO of the Å·ÃÀAV in January 2020.

Dr Suze Kundu
Head of Public Engagement, Digital Science

Suze is fascinated about breaking down the building blocks of life into its fundamental components – luckily science has enabled her to turn this destructive curiosity into a career. She has a BSc in Chemistry, a MSc in Analytical Chemistry and a PhD in Materials Chemistry from University College London. After six years lecturing at Imperial College London and the University of Surrey, she is now the Head of Public Engagement at Digital Science. Suze is also a science presenter on the Discovery Channel and a science writer for Forbes.

Library and Council Room, The Å·ÃÀAV, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA, United Kingdom