Women in Materials share their perspectives for International Women's Day

To celebrate Women at Imperial Week and International Women's Day, the Department of Materials released five interviews featuring women in Materials.

The videos highlight how women in the Department of Materials are breaking the bias, which was the theme of International Women's Day 2022 and Women at Imperial Week.

Women at Imperial Week is an annual event that takes place around International Women’s Day (8 March). Over the course of a week, the College celebrates female staff and students at Imperial, past and present, and raise awareness of the support available in College for women.

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Dr Katharina Marquardt, Lecturer

Dr Katharina Marquardt is a Lecturer in the Department of Materials. Her research focuses on interfaces. Dr Marquardt is investigating the effect of interfaces on elastic properties, over element transport, to the study of the grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) in polycrystalline samples and microstructure development during deformation at extreme pressures.

Dr Marquardt said: "I see the most difficulty when women start to think about building a family while building a career...and there is still more pressure on women from society in general where expectations are different for women when they have children."

Dr Jess Wade, Imperial College Research Fellow

Dr Jess Wade is an Imperial College Research Fellow in the Department of Materials. Her research considers new materials for optoelectronic devices, with a focus on carbon-based semiconductors. These devices could make way for new technology such as improved biosensors, energy-efficient displays and the detection of magnetic fields.

Dr Jess Wade said: "I had really great teachers for Chemistry and Physics A-Level... and discovering Materials Science was the perfect combination of the two subjects.

My advice to women in STEM would be to study Materials Science because we desperately need new ideas and creative ways of thinking to design sustainable technologies for the future."

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Dr Aigerim Omirkhan, Research Associate

Dr Aigerim Omirkhan is a Research Associate in the group of Professor Mary Ryan FREng. Her research involves investigating how battery cathode materials degrade.

Dr Omirkhan said: "At Imperial, I was amazed by so many role models at different stages of their career and I think there have been so many positive changes across the board for women in STEM.

The next challenge we will soon face is retaining global talent by providing flexible working."

Aida Abdelwahed, Research Postgraduate

Aida Abdelwahed is a Research Postgraduate in the group of Professor Molly Stevens FRS. Her research involves investigating how battery cathode materials degrade.

Aida said: "My research, in a nutshell, is developing a point of care diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer in the group of Professor Molly Stevens.

Professor Molly Stevens has really structured the group so it's incredibly supportive...you can definitely tell that the spirit comes from the top."

Jahanara Siddika, Undergraduate student

Jahanara Siddika is a first-year Undergraduate student in the Department of Materials.

Jahanara said: "When I started Materials Science in my cohort I noticed that the gender differences wasn't that big and it made me feel really happy about my choice.

The support I received from the department in the form of the departmental scholarship also made me realise that the balance between study life and family life is possible."