Organizers of a special workshop at Memorial University hope it creates an ongoing conversation rather than a one-time discussion.
Women+ in Academia: Building Community and Shaping Change centres on the experiences of women, non-binary and gender-diverse faculty members and post-doctoral researchers.
It’s the first time Memorial is hosting such an event.
The session will focus on the challenges women+ face at different career stages and provide opportunities for participants to learn about available supports, build networks and mentorship connections, and identify actionable recommendations to advance their success at Memorial.
‘Learn from one another’
Dr. Jacqueline Blundell, associate dean of science (research and graduate) and a professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, is one of the organizers.
She says women can encounter barriers in academia, and we do not always discuss what the barriers are or how to address them.
“That led us to think about how we could create a space for honest conversations about these issues and, importantly, identify practical ways to mitigate those barriers,” said Dr. Blundell. “We want this to be a space where people can talk openly about those experiences, learn from one another and come away with some practical ideas for navigating them.”
Panels, discussions and keynotes
The workshop will include panel discussions on topics such as career journeys across academic stages; women’s health and wellness; leadership and administration; and identifying barriers and building solutions.
During lunch, participants will engage in table discussions around topics such as research funding, mentorship and researchers working in Indigenous communities.
“Sometimes simply recognizing that other people have experienced the same challenges can be very empowering.”
Various faculty members, post-doctoral researchers and academic administrators will participate as moderators and panellists.
President Janet Morrison and Provost Jennifer Lokash will also speak during the event.
Dr. Natasha Hurley, dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, hopes Women+ in Academia will create a space for meaningful dialogues.
“These conversations are important for us to understand how institutions often unwittingly reproduce social inequality, even and especially when we believe we are pursuing excellence in our fields,” she said. “Events like Women+ in Academia invite us to consider the benefits of transforming the ways we do things to strengthen the role our university can play in terms of social, democratic, and economic innovation and productivity.”
Guest speakers include Dr. Aimée Morrison, associate professor, English Language and Literature, from the University of Waterloo, who will deliver the morning’s keynote address, Orienting to Academic Careers: Finding Yourself in the Institution; and Jennifer Gillivan, president and CEO of the IWK Foundation in Nova Scotia, will deliver the virtual keynote address, Closing the Gap: Why Women’s Health Can’t Wait, after lunch.
Empowering moments
Dr. Blundell says even though her career has been rewarding, she’s handled difficulties along the way.
“What I’ve learned is that the challenges don’t necessarily get easier – they change,” she noted. “Earlier in my career, it was about navigating sleep deprivation and breastfeeding three babies while building my research program and teaching. Now, I’m navigating teenagers and young adults, supporting aging parents, and at the same time maintaining an active research lab, meeting my teaching responsibilities and serving as associate dean.”
In addition, Dr. Blundell hopes attendees make meaningful connections.
“I hope they leave with some practical ideas, whether that is seeking out a mentor, putting themselves forward for an opportunity or finding ways to address a barrier that may be holding them back. Sometimes simply recognizing that other people have experienced the same challenges can be very empowering.”
Event support
Women+ in Academia is taking place on Friday, Oct. 16, in person and virtually at Memorial.
The event is supported partly by the Government of Canada’s Research Support Fund, an important source of funding support that helps post-secondary institutions with costs associated with managing their research enterprises, and Memorial’s faculties of Business Administration; Engineering and Applied Science; Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine; Nursing; and Science; and the schools of Graduate Studies; Human Kinetics and Recreation; and Music.
