For International Women’s Day 2021, we celebrated by inviting members of the public to share profiles of the women who inspire them most.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked secondary school pupils to share achievements of women, particularly in STEM disciplines, that have inspired them. She Inspires Me aimed to showcase a variety of inspirational women in STEM subjects and encouraged students to use positive language around women that they were inspired by closer to home, for example a family member or teacher.
“We really wanted to create a project that would display fantastic, inspirational women within the field of STEM subjects to the students. However, we also wanted to do something bigger – to encourage students to use positive language to describe a woman who inspired them, whether that be personally or professionally. As there can be some negativity on this subject, we wanted the project to focus purely on the positive.”
– Susan Monkton, School and Colleges Liaison Officer at our Cardiff Hub
As a new initiative, we piloted the project with three secondary schools in South Wales. The schools were given an Inspiration Pack to distribute to their students, containing bilingual profiles from Technocamps and Cardiff University staff that showcased women that inspired them, either through their work in STEM subjects or the impact they’d made on them personally. The pack also contained video tutorials for how the students could present their profiles and a list of resources that could fuel students’ further research. The students worked on their projects during the two weeks leading up to half term.
“We have all really enjoyed being able to take part in the “She Inspires Me” project. It has been such a wonderful opportunity to find out about so many different women and how they have all preserved against the odds to follow their dreams. The students have also been an inspiration, they have adapted to working so differently, taken it all in their stride, to produce work that demonstrates a keen interest in science.”
– Ms Martin, Whitmore High School
“We have found this project has really evoked discussions regarding inspirational women who, before this project many were unknowns. It has been extremely worthwhile and beneficial for our students to realise how successful women have been and still our in modern society. I feel this project has empowered our students with drive and determination to succeed.”
– Ms Giddy, Chepstow School
We worked with 77 students in years 7-11 from three schools. Although they were home learning, these students were fully engaged with their individual profiles. The profiles produced have focused on a range of women, from movie stars to award winning scientists to politicians. The language in the profiles highlights the positive attributes of the women they have chosen and showcases the wide variety of talents the students have found.
The students and teachers involved were invited to a Private Celebration Event where showed a selected collection of student’s profiles on International Women’s Day, Monday 8 March 2021.
“She Inspires Me has been such an inspirational project. We are so pleased with the fabulous response from the school students and the huge effort they’ve put into producing their profiles. It is so interesting to see such a range of amazing female role models who have clearly had an impact on the students. I look forward to running this project again with a wider audience.”
– Dr Catherine Teehan, Academic Lead at our Cardiff Hub