Women in Climate (WiC) network
Women in Climate (WiC) network
The Women in Climate (WiC) network is a joint University of Exeter and Met Office initiative to support the retention of women in climate science and promote diversity. Women are underrepresented in scientific leadership positions, so as well as discussing topical issues, the network hosts skills-based sessions to help people achieve success in their careers. Everyone is welcome to our meetings, whether you identify as a woman, a man or as non-binary.
The title of our network recognises the difficulties facing women in science and academia. We hope to provide a supportive environment for discussing issues that impact us as scientists and as people.
Women in Climate is a bottom up initiative to support and encourage the retention of women in climate science. Read our blog for the doctoral college on why we started the network.
We have monthly meetings on the first Thursday or Friday of every month. Each of our monthly events have a theme to center discussion on, typically issues relating to early career researchers. In the past, these meetings have been in the Laver common room (level 8) at the University of Exeter or in a conference room at the Met Office. Currently our meetings are running as hybrid, with the online aspect on teams.
We also host one-off training events and seminars. For examples of what we do, check out our past events page.
Everyone! We welcome graduate students, post-docs, lecturers and professors. While the name of our network is Women in Climate we welcome all genders to participate. The themes for our meetings are topics that impact people of all genders. We want to encourage broad participation and building allies within our community. We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
WiC is organised by a small committee. If you have any further questions please ask us.
University of Exeter – Dr Penny Maher (President, Co-Founder, 2018 – current)
Met Office – Dr Andrea Rochner (2024 – current)
University of Exeter – Bryony Hobden (2024 – Current)
Met Office – Dr Daisey Harley-Nyang (2024 – current)
University of Exeter – Dr Marianne Pietschnig (2024 – Current)
Met Office – Jessica Diamond (2024 – current)
University of Exeter – Position vacant
We wish to thank our Co-Founder Dr Freya Garry (2018 – 2024) who continues to support the organising committee and is an active member of the WiC network.
We also like to thank past committee members Dr Becky Varney (2024), Dr Sophia Moreton (2023 – 2024), Dr Ruth Chapman (2021 – 2024), Dr Nina Raoult (2023 – 2024), Dr Mayra (May) Rodriguez (2019 – 2021), and Dr Victoria Volodina (2018-2019) for all their work organising past events.
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Top Left: Freya and Penny from our meeting on 18 January 2019. Top Right: May and Penny on International Women’s Day on 06 March 2020. Bottom Left: Ruth and Freya at our Christmas social 2021. Bottom Right: Sophina and Freya.
For International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2021, seven of our members wrote blogs describing what motivated them to pursue a science career, to reflect on the past or to comment on the future. Click on the tile below to read their stories.
