Events
WiNUK events cover fascinating educational topics, from dementia to mental health to careers advice.
As well as education and inspiration, many of our events include advocacy; voicing injustices in neuroscience research and neurological conditions. We are proud to provide unique spaces for female neuroscientists to share their honest experiences, which may inform, support, and catalyse change.
Speakers are invited to share their advice for other women and girls, as well as for allies, funders and institutions.
Attendees have valuable opportunities to ask questions, gain advice from experts, and connect with peers.
All locations, careers, ages and genders are invited to attend WiNUK events, with virtual options providing free on-demand access.
Dates for your diary:
Upcoming WiNUK Events
International Women's Day with WiNUK x The Rosalind Franklin Institute
2nd April 2025
Oxford
Join WiNUK and the Rosalind Franklin Institute for a thought-provoking event on careers for women in science. Join us for an afternoon of expert speakers and engaging panel discussions on careers for women in science and how to overcome the unique challenges faced by women.
International Festival of Neuroscience 2025 with the British Neuroscience Association (BNA)
27-30 April 2025
Liverpool
Join Women in Neuroscience UK (WiNUK) at the BNA 2025 Festival in Liverpool for a symposium on Gender Disparities in the Neuroscience Sector. This event will feature expert speakers from diverse neuroscience fields, each delivering a 20-minute talk followed by a Q&A. Our founder, Elizabeth English, will open with insights into workplace gender disparities and their impact on women’s health research. The symposium will be available in-person and virtually, ensuring accessibility for all. Engage in critical discussions, gain fresh perspectives, and be part of the movement towards equity in neuroscience
Women in Pain
April, Date TBC
Virtual
Join Women in Neuroscience for a detailed session on Women in Pain, where female neuroscientists will explore the gender differences in pain perception, treatment, and research. This event brings together clinicians, researchers & and early career professionals to discuss the factors influencing pain in women, highlighting gaps in diagnosis and therapy.
Stay tuned to our social media platforms for information on the speaker lineup and sign-up forms!
Synaptic Study Session
May, Date TBC
Virtual
The second edition of this event continues to create a supportive space to keep each other accountable and motivated while studying for exams/ working towards deadlines. We aim to provide a productive environment for your pending tasks along with fostering meaningful connections within the community. Connect with peers who are navigating similar challenges, and find the encouragement you need to stay on track!
Stay tuned to our social media channels for the sign up form and more exciting details.
Upcoming Events for 2025!
See our info page below of all the upcoming events for 2025 so far!
Past In-Person Events
WiNUK x University of Birmingham Tea & Talk
26th February 2025
University of Birmingham
This informal Tea and Talk event, hosted by Women in Neuroscience UK, offered a space to connect
with peers in the University of Birmingham’s Psychology department. The group discussed next steps after graduation, namely further study options, career opportunities, and navigating transitions. It was a friendly event where neuroscientists shared their experiences, exchanged ideas and supported each other over a cup of tea.
Inaugural Women in Neuroscience UK Annual Awards
29th November 2024
Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge
In-Person and Virtual
The inaugural WiNUK Awards aimed to honour unsung heroes in neuroscience across various categories, including efforts to improve student and staff experiences through mentorship, elevate public understanding through science communication, advance sex/gender gap research in neurological health, or champion diversity in STEM workplaces. These activities, often led by women and other minoritised identities, are undervalued despite their significant benefits to the workplace and society: some reduce them down to ‘soft skills’ or overlook them in recruitment and promotion. We took an evening to shine a light on these invaluable contributions and amplify the impact of these inspiring and committed individuals.
For more information see our WiNUK Awards webpage.
'Healthcare Heroes' with The Elephant Group
King's College London
'Exploring careers in neuroscience'
4th October 2024
Please submit your feedback
Through kind invitation by The Elephant Group, Women in Neuroscience UK volunteers, Tracy Chong, from our In-Person Events Team, and Riya Verma, from our Social Media Team, represented WiNUK as speakers at 'Healthcare Heroes': an event to inspire sixth formers with healthcare-related career paths.
The Elephant Group are a social mobility charity. Despite 93% of the population attending non-selective state schools, only 30% of students at 'top third' universities are from these schools. The Elephant Group's mission is to ensure academically capable young people from non-selective state schools understand their potential to attend the UK’s top universities and have a fair opportunity to do so.
Interacting with around 60 students from year 12 and 13, Riya and Tracy shared the ups and downs of their neuroscience career journeys and signposted to valuable WiNUK resources, helping to link students with community connections, neuroscience learning, and careers advice.
It was a pleasure to transmit our passion for neuroscience with the next generation of diverse scientists. We really enjoyed responding to your fantastic questions!
Student feedback was incredibly positive, with over 92% of survey respondents finding the session interesting and enjoyable, and all respondents finding the session useful.
'I am very grateful they got involved because the information was very useful to me and it gave me more motivation to work towards my goals'
We look forward to seeing the students joining the WiNUK community on social media, reading our blogs and joining our future virtual events!
Alzheimer's Research UK South West Network's Early Career Researchers Day
University of Plymouth
WiNUK on Tour: South West
'Tackling gender gaps in dementia research with WiNUK'
16th September 2024
Please submit your feedback
Lizzie was invited to Plymouth to give a talk as part of ARUK South West’s ECRs, with around 30 attendees in-person and online. She also supported the event as a judge for the ECR talks and poster sessions.
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Positive feedback on the WiNUK talk, including from people of diverse gender identities:
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"I liked that the talk suggested simple actions" toward inclusive workplaces
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"I liked the honesty with which the topics were addressed"
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"Thank you for your talk- it was interesting and important"
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"I liked that the presentation was inclusive of people of all genders while it focused on women-related issues. I feel that it creates a sense of solidarity, as it recognizes that many of the issues mentioned affect people of different genders but that these issues may affect women at a disproportionate scale."
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Plenty of attendees left armed with ideas, flyers and stickers to make positive changes in their departments, across universities of Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Plymouth and West England.
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Interestingly, our initial interactive poll at the event indicated 35% of the audience hadn’t noticed gender bias in dementia research workplaces before (we usually get 10-20%). There are several potential explanations for the community to consider with this: gender bias and sexism is becoming more subtle although not necessarily less harmful, the increased proportion of men in this audience (who are more likely to not have noticed gender bias and sexism compared to women), that gender bias and sexism impacts fewer ECRs, and/or is lessening in the neuroscience community overall.
Thank you to Abi Parsons, Alex Mellor and ARUK South West for the invitation.
LGBTQ+ Research Showcase
UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences 🌈
Co-organised panel discussion and Q&A on
'Intersectional experiences of LGBTQ+ researchers in academia'
26th June 2024
At Women in Neuroscience UK we recognise that female-identifying, non-binary, gender non-conforming and trans male neuroscientists may experience overlapping but also unique challenges. We're proud to
⬆ Uplift female-identifying neuroscientists
🤗 Offer support to our non-binary and gender non-conforming allies, who may also encounter sexism and/or gender biases in the workplace
📣 Highlight sex/gender disparities in neurological health
🧠 Advise people of all gender identities towards inclusive workplaces to the benefit of all.
This collaboration with Fábio Ribeiro Rodrigues and the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences LGBTQ+ Committee aimed to provide more tailored support for LGBTQ+ members of our community and beyond, to celebrate intersectional diversity, and facilitate greater changes towards inclusion.
Lizzie presented an introduction at the start of the event, WiNUK supported with the graphics creation and promotion of the event, and we recommended Dr Lara Montefiori & Monique Joy Raranga for the panel discussion and Q&A, exploring their identity intersections and experiences as LGBTQ+ neuroscientists.
At Women in Neuroscience UK, we are keen to learn from the neuroscience community and receptive to feedback on what we can do to better support you - modelling behaviours of the neuroscience leaders that we want to see.
If you have any questions, comments or critiques, feel free to get in touch via social media, email or the feedback form.
Alzheimer's Research UK East Network's Early Career Researchers Meeting
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge
'Tackling gender gaps in dementia research with WiNUK'
16th April 2024
Please submit your feedback
Another day, another group of neuroscientists made aware of gender disparities and inclusion approaches 🥳
Thank you to Alzheimer's Research UK East Network for inviting Lizzie to talk about Women in Neuroscience UK for your ECR Networking Event!
Thanks to everyone who attended - it was great to see your engagement during the session, in Q&A discussions, and through survey and feedback responses. Do get in touch for the research survey link if you weren’t able to scan this during the session.
It was great to spend time discussing actions towards inclusive workplaces followed by enthusiastic audience Q&A. Lizzie enjoyed the challenge of adapting her presentation style to a more conversational tone to suit the smaller community audience size.
Two in-person WiNUK talks down! Where would you like to see us next?
Alzheimer's Research UK Annual Conference
Liverpool
'Tackling gender gaps in dementia research with WiNUK'
21st March 2024
Please submit your feedback
To read more about our conference session highlights and our answers to remaining audience questions, check out our blog!
Thank YOU to everyone who took time from their lunch break to attend Women in Neuroscience UK's first ever in-person event. We were thrilled by the turnout, broad demographics & stellar engagement!
Lizzie took attendees through a selection of statistics, including her research with ISTAART PEERs PIA into sexism and gender bias in dementia research, to raise awareness of issues contributing to the loss of women from dementia research with seniority. She then outlined Women in Neuroscience UK’s mission, multi-platform activities and impacts to date through our aims to inspire, connect and advocate for those identifying as female in neuroscience. Do get in touch for the research survey link if you weren’t able to scan this during the session.
The second half of our session was dedicated to an interactive Q&A, with a fantastic panel of women in dementia research, Prof Fiona Ducotterd PhD, Prof Afia B Ali and Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali. Thank you for providing your honest experiences & advice on nuanced topics - you made great impacts upon the audience even in the short time we had.
Decoding the Application Process
13th December 2023
19:00-20:00 (GMT)
Please submit your feedback
This event focused on guiding future applicants through the intricate paths of academia and industry in the UK.
We tackled the undergraduate and postgraduate application process but also discussed scientific job applications. Our panel had diverse backgrounds in neuroscience, and have navigated the application process successfully
Hosts: Anwesha Chakraborty and Ananya Shankar (WiNUK Virtual events officers)
Speakers:
Emma Soopramanien
Bio: Meet Emma, MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCL, who is a passionate advocate for accessible science communication. With a unique talent for infusing humour into complex scientific concepts through science stand-up comedy, Emma bridges academia and entertainment. As an ambassador for a medical communications internship and the Student and Early Career representative for the British Neuroscience Association, Emma is dedicated to empowering others in their academic and professional journeys. Her commitment extends beyond neuroscience, shining in various fields through her enthusiasm for knowledge and mentorship.
Mahnoor Khalid
Bio: Mahnoor has a BSc in Neuroscience with Psychology from the University of Aberdeen and MSc in Integrative Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh. Following this, she joined Randox Health as a scientific consultant. Her academic interests include neuropsychiatric disorders & neuroendocrinology. She has always been passionate about creating more opportunities and inspiring women in neuroscience, and is excited to achieve this through her role as a virtual impact evaluator with WiN.
Emily Beswick
Bio: Emily completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Euan Macdonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research at the University of Edinburgh, where she is now an honorary fellow. She recently completed a post-doc at Newcastle University, working on an international collaboration exploring digital tools to support early diagnosis of dementia-causing diseases. In January she will be beginning a post-doc at Trinity College Dublin using speech data to evaluate cognitive status, and recently applied for fellowship funding to support this project. Emily’s background is in neuropsychology and her research interests involve integrating digital health solutions in neurological clinical trials.
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali
Bio: Kamar is a senior lecturer in biomedical science in the School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University. She obtained her PhD in behavioural neuroscience and neurobiology from Durham University and has previously worked as a researcher at the universities of Glasgow, Sheffield and Newcastle. Kamar’s research uses human post-mortem brain tissue to understand how neuroinflammation drives the progression of neurodegenerative diseases which lead to dementia. Kamar will share advice on applications for PhDs to lectureships, as well as employability outside of academia.
Inclusion and Belonging: Addressing neurodiversity
13th November 2023
19:00-20:00 (GMT)
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
This event aimed to shed light on the importance of neurodiversity in neuroscience. We had a lineup of speakers who shared their invaluable experiences and research.
Hosts: Sirjan Chhatwal and Shloka Dhareshwar (WiNUK Virtual events officers)
Speakers:
Dr. Ellie Dommett
Bio: Ellie Dommett is a Professor of Neuroscience at King’s College London. She started her career as an electrophysiologist at Sheffield University and now heads up the ADHD Research Lab at King’s aiming to better understand ADHD and neurodiversity more generally. She is also a passionate educator and has been teaching in Higher Education for over 20 years. Outside of work she runs (slowly) and is owned by a rescue greyhound.
Talk Title: “Destination: Neurodiversity Research. Route: From the midbrain, head outwards.”
Dr. Mallika Chatterjee
Bio: Dr. Mallika Chatterjee is an Assistant Professor at Amity Institute of Neuroscience and Neuropsychology, Noida, India, and a Fullbright Nehru scholar at Brown University, U.S.A. For her research, she focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying various neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Talk Title: "Exploring Neurodiversity-Looking into Behavior Modification with Sugars in the Zebrafish."
Julia Dabrowska
Bio: Julia Dabrowska is a second-year DPhil student at the University of Oxford. Her PhD focuses on combining behavioral, electrophysiological, and machine learning methods to better understand brain network activity & mechanisms underlying attentional control in the context of new learning in a diverse population.
Talk Title: "Female PhD with ADHD? More common than you think.”
Sofia Krylova
Bio: Sofia Krylova is a MD/PhD student in Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY, USA). Before moving to New York to pursue graduate education, she received bachelor's degree from UCLA in Neuroscience, studying traumatic brain injury models in rats.
Last year, Sofia was diagnosed with ADHD for the first time at the age of 23. Ever since she has been on a journey to figure out the best strategies for her to manage her condition in her personal life and in the workplace. In the meantime, she uses her Instagram page (@sofia.in.the.lab) to share the difficulties of being a PhD student, including her experience with ADHD, in hopes of validating other people going through similar struggles.
Time is Brain: From Stroke Research to Surviving Stroke
31st May 2023
19:00-20:30 (BST)
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
Please submit your feedback
The phrase “time is brain” emphasises that brain tissue is rapidly lost as stroke progresses.
Thank you for joining us at the end of May to mark Stroke Awareness month. We heard from a brilliant range of speakers, sharing talks on surviving stroke, stroke research and opportunities and funding in stroke research.
Hosted by Adriana Zainurin and Yin Yuan
Speakers:
Mrs Stacie Broek: Course creator and author of (al)ONE: Thriving a Stroke
Dr Gargi Banerjee: Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at University College London
Dr Rubina Ahmed: Associate Director Systems Engagement at Stroke Association
Alternative Careers in Neuroscience
2nd May 2023
19:00-20:00 (BST)
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
Please submit your feedback
Thank you for joining us for our speaker talks and Q&A session on careers in neuroscience. We learnt from the experiences and expertise of our invited experts working in a broad range of neuroscience-related careers after their university studies in neuroscience or related subjects. The month's guests' professions spanned illustration, conference organisation, science writing and science presenting.
Schedule:
Our hosts Aarushi Vaidya and Shloka Dhareshwar introduced the session.
First talk - Dr. Claire Sexton, Director of Scientific Programs & Outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association. In this role, she leads research programs and initiatives to accelerate the Association’s scientific agenda. Her work spans the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®), the AAIC Satellite Symposia and the Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART). As an expert in the field, Dr. Sexton also delivers presentations to audiences around the country on the Association’s role in scientific advancements and the overall state of Alzheimer’s and dementia research.
Second talk - Dr. Radhika Patnala, Director of Sci-illustrate where she leads teams to solve and design communication problems for biotech and pharma sectors, whilst striving to bridge the line between science, art and design. She is a valedictorian with a PhD from the National University of Singapore specialising in Neuroscience and Epigenetics. Dr Patnala founded Sci-illustrate in 2017 with an aim to create and use inspiring visuals that enhance effective science communication within the biotech research, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. She served as an Individual Specialist with UNESCO and the co-curator of the Creative Resilience initiative. Her work on COVID communications has been featured in the BBC, and she has been a keynote speaker at the World Health Organization global conference on communicating science during health emergencies.
Third talk - Ginny Smith, a science writer and presenter with expertise in psychology & neuroscience. She has a passion for brain science and has co-written 5 highly illustrated books for DK publishing, including ‘How the Brain Works’ and ‘1,000 Amazing Human Body Facts’. Ginny had articles featured in publications from BBC Science Focus to The Telegraph. Her latest book for adults; ‘Overloaded; How every aspect of your life is Influenced by your Brain Chemicals’, that was published by Bloomsbury was chosen as one of the ‘Books to read in 2021’ by New Scientist magazine. Ginny founded Braintastic! Science, which produces spectacular science shows and resources to help young people understand neuroscience. She is regularly found on stage at schools, festivals and events, and relishes answering children’s questions about the brain, from why we dream to whether doctors could ever do a brain transplant!
Opportunities in dementia research
8th March 2023
19:00-20:30 GMT
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
Please submit your feedback
Thank you for joining us on International Women’s Day to discover opportunities in dementia research and to learn about how gender disparities in this field are beginning to be addressed.
Schedule:
Our hosts, Shloka Dhareshwar and Lizzie English, will introduce the session.
First talk - Katherine Hanlon, Research Officer from Strategy and Impact at Alzheimer’s Research UK, will be providing us an update on gender disparities in the dementia research career pipeline and an evaluation of the strategies that ARUK have been implementing to tackle these.
Second talk- Lizzie English, our founder, will introduce the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART), and discuss her experience of being an ISTAART Ambassador with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Third talk- Aoife Kiely, Science Review Manager from UK Dementia Research Institute, will tell us about what the UK DRI is and exciting developments within it.
Each talk will be followed by a Q&A open to audience questions.
Relevant upcoming dementia research funding and events will be signposted.
Minds matter: Rethinking mental health in academia 🧠
8th of February 2023
19:00-20:00 GMT
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
Please submit your feedback
For an in-depth review of the event, please read Lauren's fantastic blog
We were excited to kick the new year off with inspiring neuroscientists and academics discussing the importance of mental health.
Madina Abubakar and Sirjan Chhatwal (WiN UK Events Officers) organised this event and hosted the speakers and Q&A sessions.
Session speakers:
Dr. Jelena Brasanac, post-doctoral fellow at Charite Universitätsmedizin, Berlin.
Research: Works in the field of Immunopsychiatry and investigates inflammatory, immuno-metabolic subtypes of depression
Talk title: Researching and cultivating mental health
Talk highlights: her take on mental health of scientists and her journey of co-founding DragonFly Mental Health, a non-profit on a quest to cultivate excellent mental health in academics worldwide.
Dr. Julia Rummel, co-founder INNOKI, Berlin.
Current role: Certified systemic (ECA) and wingwave coach, neuroscientist and co-founder of INNOKI
Talk title: My path from academia to an own consultancy business – Why or why not?
Merry WiN-UK-mas!
14th December 2022
19.30-20.30 GMT
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
Please submit any feedback
Our Christmas event including a talk from Dr Asma Soltani who discussed her career as a clinical-scientist and her work on neurodevelopmental disorders (Rett Syndrome). The event also featured a Christmas and neuroscience quiz. Our quiz winners received exciting prizes including confidence building and scientific writing sessions. The event concluded with interactive networking sessions.
Session speakers:
Yin Yuan (WiN UK Events Officer) introduced the event and hosted the quiz session.
Sirjan Chhatwal (WiN UK Events Officer) hosted the quiz and led the networking session.
Dr. Asma Soltani: CPCH Clinical Research Fellow & Neurodevelopmental disorders in children Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the University of Cambridge.
Gender disparities across neurological conditions:
Keynote at the International Women in Neuroscience Symposium
12th August 2022
11:00 - 12:30 BST
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
If you have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch
Gender biases continue to impact the success and satisfaction of neuroscience researchers, the usefulness of neuroscientific trials, and the experiences of those with neurological conditions.
The talks and discussions in this session spanned gender disparities in neurodevelopment, brain injury and neurodegeneration.
Our founder, Lizzie English, introduced this session and chair a panel of expert researchers.
Firstly, Victoria Milner from King’s College London presented her research into the experiences of autistic women and girls, and the barriers facing their diagnoses.
Next, Katherine Snedaker and Hope Kent discussed sex and gender differences in brain injury. Both speakers represented PINK Concussions, the only charity to focus on brain injury in women and girls from sport, domestic violence, accidents and military service: Katherine is the Executive Director and Founder, whilst Hope is the UK/EU Policy and Research Director. Hope can also be found researching brain injury at the University of Exeter.
Our final talk was given by Katherine Hanlon from Research Impact and Strategy at Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Katherine discussed the process and findings of ARUK’s analysis into gender and dementia. She highlighted how these results are inspiring new ways to evaluate research at ARUK.
Shloka Dhareshwar, from the WiN UK Events Team, supported Lizzie during the Q&A segments as a co-chair.
Thank you to the organisers from the International Center for Neuroscience Research, Georgia, for inviting Lizzie to develop and chair this exciting session.
Find out more about the symposium: Women in Neuroscience Symposium 2022 – International Center for Neuroscience Research (georgianeuroscience.com)
Women in Neuroscience panel:
Invited session at the BNA Members Meeting
28th April 2022
Please watch the recording on the BNA YouTube channel
If you have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch
With science still seen as a male-dominated profession, are we doing enough to help others to pursue neuroscience careers, and to be satisfied and successful in their work?
The session’s panellists included inspiring women in neuroscience from a variety of backgrounds, topics and career stages. Each panellist introduced themselves and discussed their career progression, before we joined together in a panel discussion including delegates questions.
Inspired by the ‘Picture a Scientist’ documentary and the ‘leaky pipeline’ theory, we discussed the challenges that face women in neuroscience and how these could be tackled. As well as a source of inspiration and advice, this session promoted opportunities to network, including through a new network specific to women in neuroscience, Women in Neuroscience UK, with aims to enable fellow female neuroscientists to form mentorship connections, strike up collaborations, and share information about relevant scientific training opportunities.
Lizzie English, University of Cambridge (chair)
Professor Gina Rippon, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive NeuroImaging at Aston University, Birmingham (panellist)
Professor Selina Wray, University College London (panellist)
Tomi Akingbade, University of Cambridge (panellist)
Dr Emma Yhnell, Equal Opportunities and Diversity Representative of the BNA, (panellist)
Past In-Person Conference Stalls
National Neurology and Neurosurgery Conference
1st March 2025
University of Sheffield Medical School
Stay tuned for more details!
Alzheimer's Research UK 2025 Research Conference
25-26th February 2025
University of Birmingham
Stay tuned for more details!
Cambridge Neuroscience Annual Conference
Queen's College, Cambridge
5th April 2024
Lizzie had a lovely day representing WiNUK at Queen’s College, Cambridge for #CamNeuro2024. A big thanks to Dervila Glynn from Cambridge Neuroscience for inviting us!
Many fruitful conversations with attendees who had followed WiNUK for a while, or not heard of us before. Enjoy your new flyers and merch!
Thanks to those who completed our research survey on sexism and gender bias during the conference. If you're a Cambridge neuroscientist and you haven't completed this survey, contact us for access! People of all gender identities are invited to take part.
This was WiNUK‘s third in-person stall! Where would you like to see us next? 👀
Alzheimer's Research UK Annual Conference
Liverpool
20-21st March 2024
Our exhibition stall at the largest dementia conference in the UK was a great success.
Lizzie, Rebecca Parker and Ginevra Sperandio led the preparations and delivery of this exhibition stall as a fantastic team effort. We met WiNUK members old and new, you loved our first ever merch, we had productive discussions with attendees of different gender identities, discussed collaborations with other organisations at the conference, & collected many responses to our research survey, 'Sexism and gender bias in dementia research cultures: uncovering the past and present to inform the future'. We hope this study will help to better understand issues facing dementia researchers and to then better tailor WiNUK's advocacy approaches.
➡ Get in touch if you were at this conference and didn’t get time for our survey - the more respondents we have, the stronger our knowledge of issues facing you to tackle our approaches going forward! People of all gender identities are encouraged to submit thoughts.
Thank you to Lizzie English, Rebecca Parker, Rachel Grasmeder Allen and Ginevra Sperandio for working on the survey design.
Thank you to those who have helped to finance WiNUK's first in-person resources: our GoFundMe supporters, UK Dementia Research Institute, and Alzheimer's Research UK East Network. Small amounts made a big difference to an organisation like ours.
➡ Get in touch if you're a company, charity or individual interested in donating, sponsoring or partnering to support WiNUK's ongoing work and future growth!
IUPAC Women's Breakfast
Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Cambridge
27th February 2024
#WiNUK materials are in 3D for the first time!
At the end of February, we were hosted at the @GENChemCam’s IUPAC Global Women's Breakfast to showcase our approach to gender equality in science. It was a pleasure for Lizzie to attend this event to promote Women in Neuroscience UK alongside other excellent equity in STEM networks, including @QiCNetworkCam and @BWiSNetwork.
Past Virtual Events
WiNUK Speed Networking
28th February 2025
Virtual Event
WiNUK was with the first event of the year and what better way than connecting with the neuro community. This event was designed to bring together neuroscientists, researchers, and enthusiasts to foster meaningful connections, exchange ideas, and expand professional networks. For those seeking mentorship, collaboration, or inspiration, this session was a chance to engage with like-minded individuals. This session was hosted by Aarushi Vaidya, a first-year PhD student at the University of East Anglia, and Anwesha Chakraborty, a masters student at the University of Nottingham.
Psychedelics and the Brain: Through Therapy and Research
7th October 2024
6-7pm (BST)
Hosts: Sirjan Chhatwal & Aarushi Vaidya
Join us as we dive into the world of psychedelics and their role in neuroscience. Our speakers included Ms. Susan Guner, a holistic psychotherapist and host of the Psychedelics Conversations podcast, who shared insights into how psychedelics are helping those suffering from illness, and Professor Emma Robinson, Professor of Psychopharmacology who explored her research on affective biases and emotional behavior in rodents using psychedelic drugs.
Future Neuro: Women in AI, tech and computation
Date: Friday 19th July
Time: 6-7 PM (BST)
Please submit your feedback
Let’s explore how AI, computation, and technology developments are progressing neuroscience research. Our lineup of inspiring female speakers will share their neuroscience research and experiences within this field. Stick around for interactive Q&A to gain valuable insights to fuel your neuroscience journey!
Neural Networking
Date: Wednesday 26th June
Time: 6-7 PM (BST)
Hosts: Anwesha, Shloka and Mahnoor
Please sumit your feedback
Overview
Welcome to the third edition of our much-anticipated Neural Networking event. This unique virtual event series is dedicated to exploring our journeys of inspiration and forward-looking aspirations in the realm of Neuroscience. This virtual gathering is a unique opportunity to explore what initially drew us to this fascinating field and to share visions for the future that keep our scientific curiosity alight. In this session, we aim to discuss all things conference/seminars related!
Flow of Events
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Brief introduction about WinUK by Lizzie
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Brief introduction about the agenda of the event
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Introduction of the moderator - 5-minute talk.
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Going through list of questions as conversation starters
Synaptic Synergy: Study Session
Date: Thursday 30th May 2024
Time: 6-7 PM (BST)
Hosts: Anwesha & Ayesha
Please submit your feedback
This event focused on creating a supportive space to keep each other accountable and motivated while studying for exams/ working towards deadlines. We aimed to provide a productive environment for your pending tasks along with fostering meaningful connections within the community. Here we provided an opportunity for you to connect with peers who are navigating similar challenges, and find the encouragement you need to stay on track!
Neural Networking: Past and Future
18th April 2024
19:00-20:00 (GMT)
Please submit your feedback
Our second Neural Networking event aimed to support students and neuroscientists in reflecting on their journeys so far and to consider what's next, whilst meeting new WiNUK friends along the way.
Hosts: Aarushi Vaidya and Ayesha Sherif
Guest host: Chloe Whitehouse
Neural Networking
21st February 2024
14:00-15:00 (GMT)
Please submit your feedback
Our first Neural Networking event brought together attendees interested in neuroscience from different career stages and locations around the world. Beginning with a neuroscience quiz as an icebreaker, we then split into breakout rooms focused on different neuroscience themes for focused discussions and valuable connection building.
Hosts: Anwesha Chakraborty and Lizzie English
Decoding the Application Process
13th December 2023
19:00-20:00 (GMT)
Please submit your feedback
This event focused on guiding future applicants through the intricate paths of academia and industry in the UK.
We tackled the undergraduate and postgraduate application process but also discussed scientific job applications. Our panel had diverse backgrounds in neuroscience, and have navigated the application process successfully
Hosts: Anwesha Chakraborty and Ananya Shankar (WiNUK Virtual events officers)
Speakers:
Emma Soopramanien
Bio: Meet Emma, MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCL, who is a passionate advocate for accessible science communication. With a unique talent for infusing humour into complex scientific concepts through science stand-up comedy, Emma bridges academia and entertainment. As an ambassador for a medical communications internship and the Student and Early Career representative for the British Neuroscience Association, Emma is dedicated to empowering others in their academic and professional journeys. Her commitment extends beyond neuroscience, shining in various fields through her enthusiasm for knowledge and mentorship.
Mahnoor Khalid
Bio: Mahnoor has a BSc in Neuroscience with Psychology from the University of Aberdeen and MSc in Integrative Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh. Following this, she joined Randox Health as a scientific consultant. Her academic interests include neuropsychiatric disorders & neuroendocrinology. She has always been passionate about creating more opportunities and inspiring women in neuroscience, and is excited to achieve this through her role as a virtual impact evaluator with WiN.
Emily Beswick
Bio: Emily completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Euan Macdonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research at the University of Edinburgh, where she is now an honorary fellow. She recently completed a post-doc at Newcastle University, working on an international collaboration exploring digital tools to support early diagnosis of dementia-causing diseases. In January she will be beginning a post-doc at Trinity College Dublin using speech data to evaluate cognitive status, and recently applied for fellowship funding to support this project. Emily’s background is in neuropsychology and her research interests involve integrating digital health solutions in neurological clinical trials.
Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali
Bio: Kamar is a senior lecturer in biomedical science in the School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University. She obtained her PhD in behavioural neuroscience and neurobiology from Durham University and has previously worked as a researcher at the universities of Glasgow, Sheffield and Newcastle. Kamar’s research uses human post-mortem brain tissue to understand how neuroinflammation drives the progression of neurodegenerative diseases which lead to dementia. Kamar will share advice on applications for PhDs to lectureships, as well as employability outside of academia.
Inclusion and Belonging: Addressing neurodiversity
13th November 2023
19:00-20:00 (GMT)
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This event aimed to shed light on the importance of neurodiversity in neuroscience. We had a lineup of speakers who shared their invaluable experiences and research.
Hosts: Sirjan Chhatwal and Shloka Dhareshwar (WiNUK Virtual events officers)
Speakers:
Dr. Ellie Dommett
Bio: Ellie Dommett is a Professor of Neuroscience at King’s College London. She started her career as an electrophysiologist at Sheffield University and now heads up the ADHD Research Lab at King’s aiming to better understand ADHD and neurodiversity more generally. She is also a passionate educator and has been teaching in Higher Education for over 20 years. Outside of work she runs (slowly) and is owned by a rescue greyhound.
Talk Title: “Destination: Neurodiversity Research. Route: From the midbrain, head outwards.”
Dr. Mallika Chatterjee
Bio: Dr. Mallika Chatterjee is an Assistant Professor at Amity Institute of Neuroscience and Neuropsychology, Noida, India, and a Fullbright Nehru scholar at Brown University, U.S.A. For her research, she focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying various neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Talk Title: "Exploring Neurodiversity-Looking into Behavior Modification with Sugars in the Zebrafish."
Julia Dabrowska
Bio: Julia Dabrowska is a second-year DPhil student at the University of Oxford. Her PhD focuses on combining behavioral, electrophysiological, and machine learning methods to better understand brain network activity & mechanisms underlying attentional control in the context of new learning in a diverse population.
Talk Title: "Female PhD with ADHD? More common than you think.”
Sofia Krylova
Bio: Sofia Krylova is a MD/PhD student in Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY, USA). Before moving to New York to pursue graduate education, she received bachelor's degree from UCLA in Neuroscience, studying traumatic brain injury models in rats.
Last year, Sofia was diagnosed with ADHD for the first time at the age of 23. Ever since she has been on a journey to figure out the best strategies for her to manage her condition in her personal life and in the workplace. In the meantime, she uses her Instagram page (@sofia.in.the.lab) to share the difficulties of being a PhD student, including her experience with ADHD, in hopes of validating other people going through similar struggles.
Time is Brain: From Stroke Research to Surviving Stroke
31st May 2023
19:00-20:30 (BST)
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The phrase “time is brain” emphasises that brain tissue is rapidly lost as stroke progresses.
Thank you for joining us at the end of May to mark Stroke Awareness month. We heard from a brilliant range of speakers, sharing talks on surviving stroke, stroke research and opportunities and funding in stroke research.
Hosted by Adriana Zainurin and Yin Yuan
Speakers:
Mrs Stacie Broek: Course creator and author of (al)ONE: Thriving a Stroke
Dr Gargi Banerjee: Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at University College London
Dr Rubina Ahmed: Associate Director Systems Engagement at Stroke Association
Alternative Careers in Neuroscience
2nd May 2023
19:00-20:00 (BST)
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Thank you for joining us for our speaker talks and Q&A session on careers in neuroscience. We learnt from the experiences and expertise of our invited experts working in a broad range of neuroscience-related careers after their university studies in neuroscience or related subjects. The month's guests' professions spanned illustration, conference organisation, science writing and science presenting.
Schedule:
Our hosts Aarushi Vaidya and Shloka Dhareshwar introduced the session.
First talk - Dr. Claire Sexton, Director of Scientific Programs & Outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association. In this role, she leads research programs and initiatives to accelerate the Association’s scientific agenda. Her work spans the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®), the AAIC Satellite Symposia and the Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART). As an expert in the field, Dr. Sexton also delivers presentations to audiences around the country on the Association’s role in scientific advancements and the overall state of Alzheimer’s and dementia research.
Second talk - Dr. Radhika Patnala, Director of Sci-illustrate where she leads teams to solve and design communication problems for biotech and pharma sectors, whilst striving to bridge the line between science, art and design. She is a valedictorian with a PhD from the National University of Singapore specialising in Neuroscience and Epigenetics. Dr Patnala founded Sci-illustrate in 2017 with an aim to create and use inspiring visuals that enhance effective science communication within the biotech research, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. She served as an Individual Specialist with UNESCO and the co-curator of the Creative Resilience initiative. Her work on COVID communications has been featured in the BBC, and she has been a keynote speaker at the World Health Organization global conference on communicating science during health emergencies.
Third talk - Ginny Smith, a science writer and presenter with expertise in psychology & neuroscience. She has a passion for brain science and has co-written 5 highly illustrated books for DK publishing, including ‘How the Brain Works’ and ‘1,000 Amazing Human Body Facts’. Ginny had articles featured in publications from BBC Science Focus to The Telegraph. Her latest book for adults; ‘Overloaded; How every aspect of your life is Influenced by your Brain Chemicals’, that was published by Bloomsbury was chosen as one of the ‘Books to read in 2021’ by New Scientist magazine. Ginny founded Braintastic! Science, which produces spectacular science shows and resources to help young people understand neuroscience. She is regularly found on stage at schools, festivals and events, and relishes answering children’s questions about the brain, from why we dream to whether doctors could ever do a brain transplant!
Opportunities in dementia research
8th March 2023
19:00-20:30 GMT
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Thank you for joining us on International Women’s Day to discover opportunities in dementia research and to learn about how gender disparities in this field are beginning to be addressed.
Schedule:
Our hosts, Shloka Dhareshwar and Lizzie English, will introduce the session.
First talk - Katherine Hanlon, Research Officer from Strategy and Impact at Alzheimer’s Research UK, will be providing us an update on gender disparities in the dementia research career pipeline and an evaluation of the strategies that ARUK have been implementing to tackle these.
Second talk- Lizzie English, our founder, will introduce the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART), and discuss her experience of being an ISTAART Ambassador with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Third talk- Aoife Kiely, Science Review Manager from UK Dementia Research Institute, will tell us about what the UK DRI is and exciting developments within it.
Each talk will be followed by a Q&A open to audience questions.
Relevant upcoming dementia research funding and events will be signposted.
Minds matter: Rethinking mental health in academia 🧠
8th of February 2023
19:00-20:00 GMT
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For an in-depth review of the event, please read Lauren's fantastic blog
We were excited to kick the new year off with inspiring neuroscientists and academics discussing the importance of mental health.
Madina Abubakar and Sirjan Chhatwal (WiN UK Events Officers) organised this event and hosted the speakers and Q&A sessions.
Session speakers:
Dr. Jelena Brasanac, post-doctoral fellow at Charite Universitätsmedizin, Berlin.
Research: Works in the field of Immunopsychiatry and investigates inflammatory, immuno-metabolic subtypes of depression
Talk title: Researching and cultivating mental health
Talk highlights: her take on mental health of scientists and her journey of co-founding DragonFly Mental Health, a non-profit on a quest to cultivate excellent mental health in academics worldwide.
Dr. Julia Rummel, co-founder INNOKI, Berlin.
Current role: Certified systemic (ECA) and wingwave coach, neuroscientist and co-founder of INNOKI
Talk title: My path from academia to an own consultancy business – Why or why not?
Merry WiN-UK-mas!
14th December 2022
19.30-20.30 GMT
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Our Christmas event including a talk from Dr Asma Soltani who discussed her career as a clinical-scientist and her work on neurodevelopmental disorders (Rett Syndrome). The event also featured a Christmas and neuroscience quiz. Our quiz winners received exciting prizes including confidence building and scientific writing sessions. The event concluded with interactive networking sessions.
Session speakers:
Yin Yuan (WiN UK Events Officer) introduced the event and hosted the quiz session.
Sirjan Chhatwal (WiN UK Events Officer) hosted the quiz and led the networking session.
Dr. Asma Soltani: CPCH Clinical Research Fellow & Neurodevelopmental disorders in children Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the University of Cambridge.
Gender disparities across neurological conditions:
Keynote at the International Women in Neuroscience Symposium
12th August 2022
11:00 - 12:30 BST
Watch the recording on our YouTube channel
If you have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch
Gender biases continue to impact the success and satisfaction of neuroscience researchers, the usefulness of neuroscientific trials, and the experiences of those with neurological conditions.
The talks and discussions in this session spanned gender disparities in neurodevelopment, brain injury and neurodegeneration.
Our founder, Lizzie English, introduced this session and chair a panel of expert researchers.
Firstly, Victoria Milner from King’s College London presented her research into the experiences of autistic women and girls, and the barriers facing their diagnoses.
Next, Katherine Snedaker and Hope Kent discussed sex and gender differences in brain injury. Both speakers represented PINK Concussions, the only charity to focus on brain injury in women and girls from sport, domestic violence, accidents and military service: Katherine is the Executive Director and Founder, whilst Hope is the UK/EU Policy and Research Director. Hope can also be found researching brain injury at the University of Exeter.
Our final talk was given by Katherine Hanlon from Research Impact and Strategy at Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK). Katherine discussed the process and findings of ARUK’s analysis into gender and dementia. She highlighted how these results are inspiring new ways to evaluate research at ARUK.
Shloka Dhareshwar, from the WiN UK Events Team, supported Lizzie during the Q&A segments as a co-chair.
Thank you to the organisers from the International Center for Neuroscience Research, Georgia, for inviting Lizzie to develop and chair this exciting session.
Find out more about the symposium: Women in Neuroscience Symposium 2022 – International Center for Neuroscience Research (georgianeuroscience.com)
Women in Neuroscience panel:
Invited session at the BNA Members Meeting
28th April 2022
Please watch the recording on the BNA YouTube channel
If you have any feedback or questions, please do get in touch
With science still seen as a male-dominated profession, are we doing enough to help others to pursue neuroscience careers, and to be satisfied and successful in their work?
The session’s panellists included inspiring women in neuroscience from a variety of backgrounds, topics and career stages. Each panellist introduced themselves and discussed their career progression, before we joined together in a panel discussion including delegates questions.
Inspired by the ‘Picture a Scientist’ documentary and the ‘leaky pipeline’ theory, we discussed the challenges that face women in neuroscience and how these could be tackled. As well as a source of inspiration and advice, this session promoted opportunities to network, including through a new network specific to women in neuroscience, Women in Neuroscience UK, with aims to enable fellow female neuroscientists to form mentorship connections, strike up collaborations, and share information about relevant scientific training opportunities.
Lizzie English, University of Cambridge (chair)
Professor Gina Rippon, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive NeuroImaging at Aston University, Birmingham (panellist)
Professor Selina Wray, University College London (panellist)
Tomi Akingbade, University of Cambridge (panellist)
Dr Emma Yhnell, Equal Opportunities and Diversity Representative of the BNA, (panellist)