Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) Conference is the largest annual dementia research conference in the UK, held this year in Liverpool. Women in Neuroscience UK were invited as an exhibitor and also asked to host a lunchtime workshop to discuss the path to equity - major visibility for our cause! Rebecca Parker discusses WiNUK's experience here.
After months of prepping and weeks of stressing (and also a late-night panic session reviewing the presentation in a hotel lobby), it is safe to say that a lot of time, effort and passion was poured into this project, which made a huge impact across the event, opening up the discussions on a path to equity in neuroscience!
Hosting our first in-person workshop was a large, and important, step forward for WiNUK. From our virtual launch event 1.5 years ago, to running a session in an auditorium of around 200 people, and with many more joining online, there was no mistaking how far our volunteer-led organisation had come.
Our workshop addressed the gender disparities prevalent in dementia research through statistics, advice sharing and interactive audience Q&A. Firstly, drawing from a global survey, conducted in collaboration with the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (ISTAART), Lizzie led the session by shedding light on the systemic challenges faced by women, particularly in senior positions. Shockingly, 80% of women in roles above the postdoctoral level reported experiencing sexism, with less than 25% of women across career stages finding institutional support helpful. These statistics underscored the urgency of addressing gender biases and sexism in scientific academia. This aspect of our session aimed to validate the experiences of female researchers in the audience and help raise awareness about these pervasive issues.
"Only 39% of senior research positions are held by women" ARUK (2022) The Impact of Dementia on Women Report
The second half of our session was dedicated to an interactive Q&A, with a fantastic panel of women in dementia research - Professor Fiona Ducotterd, Professor Afia B Ali and Dr Kamar Ameen-Ali - who provided invaluable insights into the nuanced manifestations of gender bias.
Dr Ameen-Ali poignantly remarked, "Gender bias isn’t as explicit as it used to be; it’s a lot more implicit now, which makes it harder to talk about and easier for people to invalidate." This observation highlighted the subtler forms of discrimination that persist in professional settings; these may be no less harmful, but are in many ways harder to tackle. This part of the session aimed to help audience members to further recognise these issues, some for the first time.
Stemming from an audience question regarding how to deal with “mansplaining”, Professor Fiona Ducotterd emphasised the importance of individual internal strength and agency in navigating these dynamics. She shared her empowering opinion on dealing with difficult situations by initially assuming good intent. How people communicate does vary and things don’t always start with a bad intention, but managing your response is beneficial for coping, regardless of the intent.
"In any situation, the only person you're directly in control of is yourself and therefore you can decide how you respond. You have the opportunity to think how to play your cards in a way that works for you in any situation, by assuming good intent and focusing on the overarching outcome you need.” Professor Fiona Ducotterd
Lastly, we tackled well-documented, traditional stereotypes imposed predominantly on women in the professional world; from being labelled "too strong” or “outspoken" for having an opinion, to being deemed "too ambitious” or “too naïve" for taking risks and leading with authority. These stereotypes reflect an outdated rulebook for women that we are more than happy to discard. At WiNUK, we celebrate the uniqueness of every individual and encourage you all to embrace your strengths to reach your ambitions.
"Having a child is a personal choice. Whether you have one or not is completely up to you, but it should not affect your career” Professor Fiona Ducotterd
Our workshop not only highlighted the challenges faced by women in dementia research, but also provided actionable advice towards success in the current climate. These discussions touched on the importance of personal resilience, mentoring programs, and advocating for transparent promotion criteria. We also covered strategies for creating more inclusive workplaces to support women and other minoritised identities, including regular training on diversity and inclusion and accessible reporting mechanisms for bias and discrimination. Despite addressing these difficult issues, we aimed to maintain a balanced tone by focusing on positive and actionable points for improvement, inspiring attendees to take proactive steps in their careers and workplaces.
In addition to managing the workshop, our co-founder, Lizzie, had her hands full with presenting her scientific poster, overseeing the exhibition stand, and networking with fellow organisations. However, with the amazing support from the WiNUK volunteer team, we managed to pull it off!
“My balancing act for #ARUKConf24 is complete: exhibitor, scientific poster presenter, session organiser & speaker” Lizzie English, Founder of Women in Neuroscience UK
We give our heartfelt gratitude to Alzheimer's Research UK for providing a platform for WiNUK to host our first in-person event. Special thanks are due to Emma Stone and the ARUK team for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the planning and delivery process.
The entire experience was nothing short of extraordinary, affording us the opportunity to connect with familiar faces, as well as newcomers intrigued by our organisation's mission.
If you attended our session at ARUK, in-person or online, we would love to hear about your experience of the event in the comments. If you haven’t already, please complete our event feedback form to help guide our future event planning. Similarly, if you attended the conference and haven’t yet completed our survey on ‘Sexism and gender bias in dementia research cultures: uncovering the past and present to inform the future’, please do contact us at womeninneuroscience.uk@gmail.com. Your input helps us to tailor WiNUK’s approach towards your needs and interests.
Stay tuned for upcoming WiNUK blogs addressing the remaining questions from our lunchtime session.
This article was written by Rebecca Parker and edited by Rebecca Pope and Lizzie English, with graphics produced by Lilly Green. Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch. If you enjoyed this article, sign up to our emails at the bottom of this page to be notified about new posts!
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