Waterloo Bridge, which is thought to have been built by a majority-female workforce who still fail to get recognition today, will host a march next week to raise awareness about the need for women scientists to be included in the UK school curriculum.
Stemettes – a national organisation that helps young women and non-binary people get into science-based careers – will be leading a march.
This comes after a new survey revealed one in three young people say they haven’t or don’t remember being taught about a woman scientist in the past two years.
‘Incredible’ young people from Southwark recognised with Jack Petchey Awards
On Monday, February 13, local young people and families will join Stemettes to march across Waterloo Bridge, where speakers will raise awareness about the issue.
Stemettes provide free support to anyone who is curious about exploring a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM.)
The choice to march on the bridge is due to the fact 350 women are believed to have rebuilt a large part of the bridge in the 1940s – which is why it is often known as ‘Ladies’ Bridge.’
The women were not recognised at the time for their contribution – at the opening of the bridge only the ‘fortunate men’ were praised.
The bridge was rebuilt between 1941 and 1944 and it is estimated that during the war some 25,000 women were involved in the construction industry in the UK. Although archives have been lost it is believed that 65 per cent of the workforce for Waterloo Bridge were women.
Relatedarticles
In 2015, a campaign was launched for the women to be recognised for their efforts with a blue plaque, but this is yet to be done.
The march will also mark ten years since the Stemettes started. Participants will hear from a keynote speaker and CEO of Stemettes, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE and Dr Laura Norton, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the IET, about the systematic exclusion of women role models who continue to be erased and excluded from textbooks and lesson plans.
Comment: Why are disabled people with qualifications still being kept out of the workplace?
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, Co-founder and CEO of Stemettes and former arithmetician on Channel 4’s Countdown said: “Ten years of work has helped so many to make informed decisions about their futures – across our events, programmes and platforms we’re shifting the social norm on women and the STEM & STEAM fields.
“I’m proud of the future we’re creating and what we’ve been able to achieve so far in partnership with industry, academia and entrepreneurs. Here’s to a maximum of ten more years of work needed from Stemettes and a plethora of systemic changes to ensure this is a problem of the past.”
They will meet on Waterloo Bridge at 12 pm on Monday, February 13 and then take part in a reception at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). It will go on until 4 pm and is open to all.
Free support event for people living with Parkinson’s, MS and dementia
