Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
University staff and students were privileged to hear an inspirational talk from one of the most famous names in UK astronomy this week.
To celebrate International Day of Women and Girl in Science, which is this Sunday, February 11, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell was invited to Salford to talk about the history of women in astronomy and physics and current attempts to increase diversity in the subject. She then answered questions about her own experiences and thoughts.
Prof Dame Bell Burnell is an astrophysicist and astronomer, and is currently a visiting Professor of Physics in Oxford University. She was also one of a small group of female scientists that set up the Athena SWAN charter, a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education (HE) and research.
In 1967 Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered pulsars, opening up a new branch of astrophysics and revolutionising our understanding of the Universe. Her work was recognised by the award of a Nobel Prize to her male thesis supervisor. She was invited to Salford by Dr Marina Leontiadou, Rader in Physics at Salford.
Professor Bell Burnell was introduced by our Vice Chancellor Professor Nic Beech, welcomed by the Associate Pro Vice Chancellor EDI Pradeep Passi and the Acting Dean of SEE School Denise Rennie.
During her lecture Prof Dame Bell Burnell highlighted four famous women who have worked in astronomy and physics and made huge discoveries that changed our view of the Universe.
These were comet expert Caroline Herschel, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin who discovered that stars are made of hydrogen, Vera Rubin, discoverer of dark matter and Rebecca Elson, who studied the evolution of stars and was also a poet.
Then she looked at issues of sexism and unconscious bias in science and in particular in the UK which shows that the higher you go in seniority the fewer women there are, women progress more slowly in their careers.
According to figures from the International Astronomical Union the UK also lags far behind the world average for women in volved in the subject, with just 18% of astronomers and physics identifying as female, against a world average of 22%.
To view the full lecture click here.