Joan Woodward
Professor Joan Woodward (1916–1971) was a trailblazing industrial sociologist known for her groundbreaking research on the relationship between technology and organizational structure. After joining the Production Engineering and Management Section at Imperial in 1958, she became the second woman to hold a Chair at the university when appointed Professor of Industrial Sociology in 1969. She created the Industrial Sociology Unit at the same time. Her influential study, Industrial Organisation: Theory and Practice (1965), demonstrated that successful organizations aligned their structures with the type of technology they used — a revolutionary concept at the time that remains foundational in organizational theory today.
Professor Woodward’s expertise gained her global recognition, and she was invited to join an elite group of organization theorists for a famous conference in Cape Cod in the 1960s. She was the only female in this group. Known for her collaborative approach, she worked closely with industry, bringing academic insights directly into practice. Joan’s legacy at Imperial endures through an annual memorial lecture and student prizes established in her honour after her early death at 54 from breast cancer. A respected scholar and inspiring mentor, she left an indelible mark on both her field and those who worked alongside her.
“Joan Woodward appointed me to the Industrial Sociology Unit in 1969. She was a wise and supportive mentor to a young and rather unformed research assistant. Her approach to organisations has inspired me throughout my career. It was a privilege to have worked with her”
Previous Speakers
The Joan Woodward Lecture Series was set up in memory of the late Professor Joan Woodward. Joan was the second ever female professor at Imperial and continues to be a role model for women in science, engineering, and technology. The event series, taking place in March each year to coincide with International Women’s Day, is an opportunity to commemorate the legacy of Joan Woodward at Imperial, celebrating the achievements of women, both within Imperial and in the wider community.
Inga Beale
After working in senior leadership roles in some of the world’s largest insurance companies, Dame Inga Beale took over the helm of the 330-year-old city financial institution Lloyd’s of London. During her 5 year tenure, Dame Inga modernised the organisation by embedding a culture of innovation and as the first female Chief Executive of Lloyd’s, she also played a critical role in advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives across the global insurance sector.
Vivian Hunt
Dame Vivian Hunt has spent her career helping companies boost their performance while navigating geopolitical and social change. As Managing partner of McKinsey & Company's UK and Ireland office, Dame Vivian has worked with some of the world's most high-profile businesses and witnessed first-hand the transformative results of effective stakeholder capitalism for businesses and wider society. Dame Vivian is a globally recognized thinker on leadership, productivity, skills, inclusion and diversity.
Lucy Blakstad
Lucy Blakstad is an EMMY and double BAFTA award winning director. Her passion is finding innovative ways of telling peoples' real life stories and experiences in cinematic and imaginative ways. Whether Lucy is making a documentary about a brain surgeon, a world famous Cuban ballet star or directing television commercials, she always strives to put the story first.
Hannah Fry
Mathematician and broadcaster Hannah Fry is a Professor in the Mathematics of Cities at the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis at UCL where she studies patterns in human behaviour. As well as her academic work she is a regular presenter of science and maths programmes on TV and radio, including Contagion!, a prescient look at how diseases spread and pandemics happen. Hannah is known for her joyful ability to bring mathematical ideas to life for audiences of all interests and abilities. Having specialised in fluid dynamics, she worked briefly in Formula 1 aerodynamics before returning to academia. At UCL Hannah works with physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, architects, and geographers to study the patterns in human behaviour.
Anne-Marie Imafidon
Computer scientist, mathematician and social entrepreneur Anne-Marie Imafidon works to inspire women to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths. Anne-Marie worked for Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard, and Deutsche Bank in business analysis, enterprise collaboration and technology (and was cited as one of the leading figures in IT along the way). She then founded, and continues to lead, Stemettes, a social enterprise dedicated to bringing girls and young women to STEM subjects. Stemettes has helped tens of thousands of schoolgirls go on to higher levels of study in STEM.
Alex Mahon
The first female Chief Executive of a major UK broadcaster, Alex Mahon is the CEO of Channel 4 and has transformed it into a digital-first public media company. She is a passionate supporter of equitable representation and launched Channel 4’s policies to support employees experiencing menopause or pregnancy loss which were among the first of their kind in the UK media industry.