A drive to encourage more women to pursue careers in science and engineering gets the royal seal of approval in Huddersfield this week.
The Princess Royal will visit Huddersfield University on Tuesday as patron of WISE, an organisation inspiring more women to study the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Princess Anne will attend WISE Student Colloquium 2014, an event to be staged at the university by the WISE campaign as part of efforts to increase the proportion of females in science, technology, engineering and mathematics from 13% at present to 30%.
The Princess was last in our area in July 2013 when she visited the National Coal Mining Museum at Overton. See below for a gallery of images from her visit.
WISE was founded 30 years ago following a major report on the state of engineering in the UK.
Huddersfield University is judged as an ideal location for the organisation’s 2014 colloquium because it has committed itself to increasing the numbers of women who take up science and engineering courses.
While the UK faces a shortage of qualified engineers, about half of female engineering and technology graduates do not follow up their studies with careers in these highly varied professions.
The Colloquium will be attended by representatives of many leading companies, including April Feick, director and chairman of ExxonMobil Chemical Ltd.
Other speakers will include Philippa Oldham, head of transport and manufacturing at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers; and Huddersfield University lecturers Dr Laura Waters, a scientist who is also a Principal Enterprise Fellow, and Dr Leigh Fleming, who is research engineer specialising in surface measurement.
Dr Nina Skorupsa, who will welcome the Royal guest, was the first woman to run a UK power station.
She said: “I feel privileged to be meeting so many extraordinary role models and hope to feel enthusiasm from the audience.
“Having the Princess Royal attending emphasises just how important the WISE campaign is."
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