WISE Conference 2024

What are the fundamentals needed to build an inclusive workplace for women in STEM?

Join WISE as we explore how to develop an inclusive environment for women to thrive at work, ultimately enabling businesses to move the dial on gender parity in STEM. WISE and expert speakers from the EDI field will explore four key areas that directly contribute to this goal: Allyship, Progression, Leadership and Programmes. These will be examined from both an individual and organisational perspective throughout the day.

As a thought leader in the EDI space, WISE is distinctly positioned to deliver this inspiring and informative conference, which will provide practical takeaways and inform tangible actions for you to take away.

The Morning Plenary

The morning plenary will highlight the EDI building blocks required to be an inclusive employer and future-proof your business. Our flagship WISE Ten Steps framework has undergone some exciting changes - be one of the first to learn about what’s new and how the updated framework can help your business prioritise the participation, retention and progression of women in the workplace.

Ola Gwozdz is a data philosopher, an award-winning researcher and IoT innovation specialist with over a decade of experience in technology adoption in major projects (Olympics, CrossRail, Tideway, HS2). Ola has been appointed this year’s UN Women UK Delegate to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) as well as the Lead of Digital Women Programme at Arup. She has an MSc in Innovation, Leadership and Management, and in her current doctoral research she is investigating not one but three big topics - Digital, Inclusivity and Sustainability in the emerging context of global polycrisis.

The latest UN report warns that at the current rate of progress in will take up to 286 years to close the inequality gap. Why does it matter in a context of digital? Because this gap directly translates to the effectiveness of our technologies, many of which are built upon discriminatory and unequal systems and frameworks. How can a relational approach to digital, inclusivity and sustainability unlock new potentials and capabilities, and form a blueprint for 21st century organisational management and leadership?

Ola will join the morning panel discussion along with other experts in the diversity and inclusion field to discuss the opportunities organisations can create to build an inclusive future for women in STEM.

The Afternoon Plenary

The afternoon plenary aims to inspire STEM professionals into action by offering clear take-aways and tips to enable individuals to be more inclusive in the workplace.

Kate Bellingham has had what is best described as a ‘portfolio’ career. Currently a Doctoral Researcher at UCL’s Centre for Engineering Education, Kate has championed STEM opportunities throughout four decades as an Engineer, Broadcaster, Educator and Consultant.

In her keynote presentation, Kate will be reflecting on developments during her own decades working to promote opportunities for women in STEM while offering her personal thoughts on possible new approaches and the value of keeping a growth mindset. By sharing insights from her ongoing doctoral research into the underrepresentation of women on undergraduate engineering programmes, she will highlight opportunities to see things from different angles while giving an update on new developments in research into gender and STEM.

Kate will take part in the afternoon panel discussion along with other experts to discuss the role individuals can play in building an inclusive workplace for women in STEM.

Learning and Innovation Sessions

Eight development breakout sessions will delve deeper into the four key topics of focus; Allyship, Progression, Leadership and Programmes. These will be examined from both an individual and organisational perspective throughout the day, giving both organisations and individuals tips and skills on how to build an inclusive workplace for women in STEM.

The Ideas Exhibition

The ideas exhibition in the Riverside Room will run throughout the event and give opportunities to network, share challenges and solutions to EDI issues and forge new connections with likeminded professionals from the STEM arena.

Interactive Discussion

The event will provide lots of opportunities for you to share your thoughts and pose questions to experts with the ‘know-how’ via interactive discussions throughout the day.

Join the Conversation

Learn how to build an inclusive workplace through inspiring speeches, forward-thinking panel discussions, innovation and learning sessions, WISE Idea’s exhibition and much more. Come and join the conversation at the WISE Conference 2024 on 16 October at the IET in London.

Host or Publisher WISE Conference 2023