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Thursday 17th May 2012

Wednesday 7th December 2011 - Update from Maggie Berry, Managing Director, Women in Technology

At this time of year we always find ourselves in a somewhat reflective mood. Did we achieve what we set out to do at the beginning of the year? What improvements can we make for next year? Whatever your professional goals were, we hope the presence of Women in Technology assisted you in some way.

Already we have begun planning activities and campaigns for 2012 and we're excited about what next year brings. We hope we can continue to provide an offering that you require and, most importantly, use to support you in your technology career. We are always interested in new ideas so please feel free to get in contact should you be interested in us offering additional services or making changes to our current offering. Your feedback is paramount to our success and we take on board all ideas and comments, whether they're positive or negative.

This month the Cherie Blair Foundation is on the hunt for mentors and there are also numerous surveys you can take part in. If you are looking for a superb pampering experience this festive season, there are discounts available for network members at Butterfly hair and makeup boutiques. You can also receive 10% off at SabbsLondon.com, a new online store that makes made-to-measure clothes.

This Christmas, Women in Technology has also joined forces with Give As You Live, an initiative which allows you to shop online at your favourite stores and raise money for your chosen charity. Retailers on board include Amazon, Debenhams, John Lewis, Selfridges, Hamleys, Harrods, Comet, Currys and Dixons to name a few. Click here to begin shopping and donate money to CARE International or to a charity of your choice.

We would like to thank all of our members for their support in 2011 and we look forward to working with you in the new year!

1. Late entrants to STEM careers - looking for your story!
2. Support Computer Aid's Christmas Appeal - reducing poverty through practical ICT solutions
3. Enthusiastic volunteer trustees required for Home-Start, the UK’s leading family support charity
4. Do you know someone who has the potential to be one of Scotland’s next generation of business leaders?
5. The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women - new intake of mentees and mentors
6. Survey: Exploration of women as minority workers within the technology industry
7. Survey: Women in Games and MBTI research
8. Survey: Research into STEM careers in Wales - participants required
9. Survey: Engineering and Technology Undergraduates' Motivations and Career Intentions - closing date 8th January 2012
10. Survey: international / localised software
11. Are you based in Wales? Could you help to inspire the next generation of female technologists?
12. Special offer for Women in Technology members at Butterfly in London
13. 10% discount for Women in Technology members at SabbsLondon.com - valid until 31st January 2012
14. Tickets are now available for 'Showtime' a Cabaret Dinner with the Stars on Wednesday 25th April 2012, London

1 - Late entrants to STEM careers - looking for your story!
Do you know anyone who was a late comer to a STEM career? Maybe someone who left school at 16, had a family early and then found a path into higher education? Or perhaps someone who started on an arts or vocational pathway, maybe in the military or nursing before seeing the light?. Someone who did year zero, a foundation degree or access course... If so then Jan Peters would love to be introduced! Maybe you are a professional body, membership organisation or employer? Maybe it's one of your friends? Working with the University of Plymouth, Jan is collecting stories to help inspire the next round of career changers, late entrants and returners. She will be undertaking short phone interviews and filming in the new year in either the West Country or London. Fro more information, please get in touch with Jan Peters PhD, Director, Katalytik Ltd - 0797 4011278 or jan.peters@katalytik.co.uk


2 - Support Computer Aid's Christmas Appeal - reducing poverty through practical ICT solutions
Computer Aid works to reduce global poverty by providing ICT to schools, hospitals and charities in developing countries. They are the world’s largest and most experienced not-for-profit provider of professionally refurbished PCs to developing countries. Since their inception in 1998 they have provided almost 200,000 computers to schools, hospitals and charities in over 100 countries. They have helped thousands of people in poor and rural areas access the tools they need to increase their health, education and employment prospects. This year’s been a busy one at Computer Aid - they've sent 16,851 professionally wiped and refurbished computers to projects across the world. They plan to do even more next year, but they need your help. It costs £71 to wipe, refurbish and ship a donated PC to a project in Africa and they can only do this with the help of supporters. Whether you can give £3 or fundraise £3,000, your donation will make a huge difference to their work reducing poverty through practical solutions. For more information on the great projects they are helping and to find out how you can be involved, click here.


3 - Enthusiastic volunteer trustees required for Home-Start, the UK’s leading family support charity
Home-Start is the UK’s leading family support charity - they support families struggling to cope with young children who with serious problems such as mental illness, alcoholism etc. Home-Start train volunteers (who are themselves parents) who then work with social services, health, police, etc. to recover the family and avoid the children being put into care (each child in care costs up to £50,000) and Home-Start have managed to intervene in about 100 families per year over the last 12 years or so in Hillingdon. They have had a few trustee retirements recently and they would like to increase the number of trustees who have experience in fund raising. This is a high governance charity (since they work with children) and would appeal to people who want to gain board level experience of running a firm. They also have three MPs as their trustees and work closely with the local council. It would also ideally suit people who are within commuting distance of Hillingdon (north west London) as they hold their monthly meetings there and fund raising takes place in and around Hillingdon. In particular Home-Start Hillingdon would like to seriously increase the amount of technology they use - such as having revenue generating efforts through a web shop, having a better website, providing financial education to their families via mobile or e-learning, providing e-coaching, assisting the volunteers with knowledge sharing on the website, better Facebook/social media interaction etc. So somebody who has an interest in applying technology to assist and help fundraise would be ideal. Trustees can expect to spend around 12 hours a month on this rewarding role which enables much needed support for vulnerable families. For more information please contact Bhaskar Dasgupta, an existing Home-Start Hillingdon Trustee, on 07545 236 207 or bhaskar.dasgupta@hsbc.com or Tanya Link, Office Manager at Home-Start Hillingdon, on 01895 252804 or office@homestart-hillingdon.org.uk.



4 - Do you know someone who has the potential to be one of Scotland’s next generation of business leaders?
Admissions are now open for the 2012 Saltire Fellowship which is designed to fast track high potential talent for Scotland’s businesses. There are two pathways for potential candidates: Companies can put forward their own candidates. The Fellowship is ideal for companies who want to explore new markets, products or plan succession. The Company Prospectus can be downloaded here or Individuals can apply directly through Open Enrolment. They may be ready to accelerate their careers or want to return to Scotland with a high growth firm. Whilst there can be no guarantees, they do expect to find jobs for all of the graduating Fellows. The Open Enrolment Prospectus can be found here. What marks the Saltire Fellowship out is that it is global but rooted in Scotland – the Saltire Fellows are exposed to networks around the world and spend time on the ground in the US and China with a very Scottish perspective. It's world class – teaching by Babson College in Boston (the #1 Business School in the world for entrepreneurship) and the best of the Scottish Business Schools. It includes immersion in the Boston Ecosystem – 15 weeks of the programme is in Boston giving the opportunity to build networks and work for a Boston based business. It's very hands on – combined with world class teaching from Babson faculty who have run businesses themselves, the Fellows undertake live projects inside businesses in Scotland and the US – getting to apply the theory in practice. And it's low cost - the cost is substantially lower than any comparable high quality executive education programme. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Kennedy, Chief Executive of the Saltire Foundation on 07837 758332 or sandy.kennedy@saltirefoundation.com



5 - The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women - new intake of mentees and mentors
The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women is now ready to welcome a new intake of mentees and mentors for its Mentoring Women in Business programme. They are pleased to invite you to become one of their mentors for the next batch starting in February. At that time, mentees from China, Kenya, Swaziland, Pakistan, India, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine will join the programme and will be matched with successful entrepreneurs and professionals, like yourselves, worldwide. They have had some great results already - see what you could achieve here! This is a unique opportunity to develop your mentoring skills and support women entrepreneurs in developing and emerging markets. Mentoring requires your commitment, time and dedication. Your participation in the Mentoring Women in Business programme will require a minimum of one hour of your time every two weeks for 12 months. You will be expected to be proactive in communicating with your mentee and available to meet with her according to a schedule you agree together. A decision will be made on your application within three working days and if you are successful, once you have submitted your donation and passed the training test, you will be matched with your mentee by February or be considered for the next intake. If you would like additional information or have any questions please don't hesitate to contact them. Important info: Mentors are recruited on a rolling basis and they will endeavour to match you with a mentee who would most benefit from your skills and expertise within 12 months. Mentors are asked to provide a minimum contribution of £100/$150 per year to support the programme. In the application form you will have a chance to express an interest to be a group mentor. If you do so and are selected as a group mentor, you will not be matched with a mentee for a one-to-one mentoring relationship. Your primary role will be to maintain a vibrant and engaging mentoring community, initiate contributions to the public forums, encourage discussions among members, organise webinars and ensure a steady flow of expertise among mentors and mentees alike. All mentors and mentees are required to go through an on-line training course (i) on how to use the platform and the relevant Google tools to engage with each other and (ii) on how to develop a strong and effective mentoring relationship. The training will be done on-line and through webinars. They have designed the training modules to be as clear, concise and effective as possible, to avoid taking up too much of your time.  Once the on-line training is completed, the programme manager will match you with a mentee based on business interests and goals and you will be able to start your mentoring relationship. Don't miss out, be a part of it! Visit http://www.cherieblairfoundation.org/


6 - Survey: Exploration of women as minority workers within the technology industry
Anne-Marie Skinner is currently writing her research dissertation and would like to ask for 10 minutes of your time to complete a short survey. The theme is woman as minority workers in the technology industry, focussing on the dropping numbers of women working in this career field in relation to the amount studying this discipline at university level. Most of the questions are tick boxes with a few that require short individual answers. All answers are strictly confidential and there is an option at the end to contact Anne-Marie if you'd like to participate further. The research is not funded by any organisation, it will be read by tutors at MMU and an executive summary will be distributed to relevant businesses and yourselves if you're interested. If you can think of any other women working in a technical field who would be willing to participate, please do forward the link to them. The survey can be found here - please complete it by Friday 16th December 2011.


7 - Survey: Women in Games and MBTI research
Frederique Krupa is doing a PhD Thesis at Univerisité Paris 1, La Sorbonne, on girl games. One of the original premises for the girl game movement was that digital games would bring women into technology. Twenty years later, we've practically achieved parity as digital media consumers but as we all can attest, not as content producers (programming, game design, art, animation, etc.). So Frederique is starting out by looking at women and technology: gender stereotypes, stereotypes about software development, neurobiology, psychology. On the neurobiology end, there is no foundation that makes women less apt for an IT career. But more influential than gender is psychology. MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicators) seem like a promising lead. Informally, she found a lot of INTP types amongst her circle of male software developers and that type is rare, especially in women, but she would like to know if there are other psychological profiles that are prevalent in IT women. The link to a free online MBTI test can be found here and after you've completed the test, please let Frederique know your type. She will also be doing a series of in-depth interviews with women in technology to find commonalities in the backgrounds of accomplished women in IT, as well as the factors that made these women overcome the reticence of entering a field with such established gender under-representation - what elements do they have in common such as upbringing, introduction to technology, mentors, MBTI, etc. Anyone interested in participating can contact Frederique privately on Linkedin.


8 - Survey: Research into STEM careers in Wales - participants required
TBR and the Science Council are working with Chwarae Teg to undertake important comparative research in the area of career paths for men and women across STEM industries in Wales. Enhancing and extending the STEM skills base is a central component of the aim of the Welsh Government to deliver a buoyant economy in Wales. The research will explore why women and girls do not progress in STEM careers in Wales, understand what the key issues are compared to male peers and make recommendations on how to overcome any barriers identified. It forms part of the Agile Nation project run by Chwarae Teg and funded by the European Social Fund and Welsh Government, which promotes gender equality, supports career advancement of women and their economic progression and contributes to the reduction of the gender pay gap. It does this through establishing models of delivery that support productivity and progression in employment and the utilisation of modern workforce practices, including flexible working and work-life balance. Specifically the research will explore: 1.Considering educational progression routes and progression from education into employment, why don’t women/girls progress in STEM?; 2. What has driven the career choices that women have made?; 3.How is statutory careers advice in Wales planned and delivered? As part of the research they have developed a short online survey that is intended to be completed by men and women who either live or studied in Wales and hold a post 16 STEM qualification. This includes any qualification undertaken after the age of 16 that was in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths subject. For most people this will mean education and training undertaken after having completed your O-Levels/GCSEs and might include the following subjects: Biology, Sports Science, Forensic science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Geography, Geology and Archaeological sciences. The survey is open until 20th December 2011 and it should take no more than 15-20 minutes to complete and it can be found here. If you would like further information or have any questions about promoting the survey please get in touch with Diana Garnham, Chief Executive, Science Council; Tel: 0207 922 7884  Email: d.garnham@sciencecouncil.org or Holly Margerison, Careers from Science Manager; Tel: 020 7922 7881 Email:  h.margerison@sciencecouncil.org.


9 - Survey: Engineering and Technology Undergraduates' Motivations and Career Intentions - closing date 8th January 2012
If you are an engineering or technology student your help is needed with research investigating the motivations and career intentions of engineering and technology undergraduates. The survey is funded by the National HE STEM Programme which supports Higher Education Institutions in the exploration of new approaches to recruiting students and delivering programmes of study within the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The survey is part of the HE STEM Set to Lead project. Your responses will be completely anonymous. And after you have finished the questionnaire you will be invited to enter into a prize draw to have a chance of winning one of the 12 following prizes: £100 Amazon token; £50 Amazon token or 10 x £10 Amazon tokens. Please note they are interested in your responses regardless of whether you intend to find a job in engineering or as a technologist. The survey should take between 10 to 20 minutes to complete and they do realise students are asked to complete a lot of surveys but they would be grateful if you could spare the time to provide information on your motivations for taking your course and to tell them something about what you think you will do in the future. If you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to contact Sean or Jan - Sean McWhinnie, Oxford Research and Policy - engineering@oxfordresearchandpolicy.co.uk or Jan Peters PhD, Katalytik Ltd - jan.peters@katalytik.co.uk. Click here to complete the survey.


10 - Survey: international / localised software
Back in April we featured a survey from Malte Ressin who's studying at the University of West London (renamed from Thames Valley University) who was researching software development processes and localisation. There is now a follow on online survey to gather quantitative data - the survey is aimed at software development professionals (e.g. project managers, software engineers, etc.) who have worked on international/localised software. It takes about 20 minutes to complete and can be found here. If this is something that you can help with, please do take the survey!


11 - Are you based in Wales? Could you help to inspire the next generation of female technologists?
Technocamps is about getting young people in Wales excited about computing and giving them the insight into how computing underpins Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects and how it relates to the real world. Girls are under-represented within the technology sector so Technocamps are seeking to address this by providing female role models. They are looking for inspirational female business people who have links within their work with this field who would be happy to give 30 minutes of their time to speak to young people about their work. The idea is that the attendees at Technocamps (delivered at the Universities of Swansea, Glamorgan, Bangor and Aberystwyth) make the clear link between the need for these skills within industry. If you’re interested in giving up some time to help inspire the next generation of female technologists, please get in touch by emailing communications@technocamps.com or by calling 01792 60689. Further information on the project can be found here, or you can follow them on Twitter: @Technocamps.


12 - Special offer for Women in Technology members at Butterfly in London
Butterfly, exquisite hair and make up boutiques in the heart of the city of London( St Paul's and Bank), is offering members of Women in Technology an exclusive and superb pampering experience in the week before Christmas and into the New Year. If you haven’t come across Butterfly, it provides fast and affordable treatments with its expert hair and make-up artists from the world of film, fashion, theatre and TV who all work on a client at the same time using the highest quality, natural products. Client are in and out in under 30 minutes! After more than a decade of working in the City, Louisa Barnett, the founder of Butterfly, realised there was an opportunity for something she had sought for years: a place to go to be revived and transformed from everyday ordinariness to chic elegance. Butterfly is a perfect moment of calm in a busy day; the ideal quick beauty fix for busy working women. Together with a fabulous, discreet changing space, phone chargers, herbal teas and essential handbag supplies, Butterfly provides a calm environment to read a brief ahead of a meeting, freshen-up after a gym workout, recharge batteries (personally and literally) and emerge transformed. Louisa’s philosophy is that looking and feeling fabulous is something we should feel everyday…and Butterfly allows you to do that. It even has a membership scheme, just like a gym…so you really can go from everyday to elegant, everyday! Pop in, call or book online and give it a go using the offer code: Women in Tech 01 - which will enable you to book in for make up and get a Dry Blow Dry for free. The offer is valid from Monday 19th December 2011 to Friday 30th March 2012 (it's not valid with any other offer). Butterfly is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 7.30pm. More information can be found here.


13 - 10% discount for Women in Technology members at SabbsLondon.com - valid until 31st January 2012
SabbsLondon.com is a new online store which says “no” to sizing in clothes and makes every piece to fit individual measurements. They also have a lifestyle magazine online which sends smart, inspiring, teaching messages to all working women. They are offering our members a 10% discount until 31st January 2012 - as their service includes individual measurements, you should tell your ‘flying’ tailor (who is taking your measurements at your home / office / their showroom) that you are a member and the discount will be deducted from your purchase. More information can be found here.


14 - Tickets are now available for 'Showtime' a Cabaret Dinner with the Stars on Wednesday 25th April 2012, London
One of our members, Suki Gallagher (she was the keynote speaker at our 'Survival in the City: It's not just about the credit crunch!' event in March 2009) sits on the Development Board of the UCLH Charitable Foundation and they will be hosting an evening of celebration called 'Showtime' a Cabaret Dinner with the Stars on the 25th April 2012 at the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London. This event will celebrate the Cancer Centre which will open in the Spring of 2012. It will be a state-of-the-art building with each floor designed around the needs of patients with different cancers including dedicated facilities for teenage cancers, women’s health and men’s cancers. The cancer centre will be linked with the UCL Cancer Institute which is situated directly opposite the site, encouraging unchartered opportunity for close collaboration between these two prestigious institutions. Together they will form a centre of excellence for cancer treatment. The NHS trust asked UCLH Charitable Foundation to raise £30 million of the costs for the building and they have had some incredible support so far and have raised just over £27 million but they still have a short way to go. They have a star studded evening planned and so far they have the following confirmed performers: Angela Rippon - Compere; Charlie Ross - Auctioneer; Mazz Murray - The Killer Queen in We Will Rock You; Gina Murray - Lead in Chicago; Claire Sweeney - Legally Blonde; Stephen Triffit - The Rat Pack; Up Close Opera; Brian May (Queen) - definite 'maybe' subject to diary; Sheila Ferguson (Lead Singer Three Degrees) - definite 'maybe' subject to diary; Paul O' Grady - fingers x'd; Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber - fingers x'd subject to diary and health. Tables are being sold at £2,500 each for 10 people so if you or your company would like to attend and support this worthy cause and join the UCLH Charitable Foundation for a night to remember, please contact Suki on suki.gallagher@googlemail.com.