Women in Climate (WiC) network
Women in Climate (WiC) network
Posted by Luisa Fernanda Gomez Vargas
27 July 2026Women in Climate event
21-May-26
For our May Women in Climate event, we were delighted to welcome Georgie Bennett, Associate Professor in Physical Geography and head of The SedCas Lab at the University of Exeter, who shared her talk: “My experience as a geomorphologist, woman and mother.”
Georgie gave an inspiring overview of her personal and professional journey in academia, reflecting on the challenges and rewards of building a career in geomorphology while navigating motherhood, international research, and leadership in science.
Recently, Georgie wrote a book chapter on her journey of becoming a geomorphologist and geographer “Landforms and me”as part of “Geographical Journeys” (ed. Kevin Cox, 2026). Georgie’s chapter explores themes including becoming a landscape detective, interdisciplinarity and identity, and parenthood in academia.
A journey shaped by landscapes
Georgie spoke about how her passion for geomorphology began early through family holidays, outdoor adventures, and inspiring geography teachers. Brilliant teachers at school and undergraduate fieldtrips to places such as Iceland, Morocco and Peru sparked a fascination with landscapes and environmental processes.
Interestingly, she shared that she almost pursued an arts degree before deciding on geography but chose the latter, largely because of the opportunity to spend time outdoors and participate in field-based learning experiences.
Her academic journey has taken her across several countries and disciplines, spanning from Physical Geography to Environmental Engineering, in the UK, Switzerland and the U.S.
Georgie emphasised the importance of supportive mentors throughout her career, particularly female supervisors and colleagues who helped shape her confidence and career progression.
Funding access, building diverse research teams
A major theme throughout the talk was the value of diversity and collaboration in science. Georgie discussed her role in large interdisciplinary research projects as PI and Co-I, including SENSUM, a £1.2 million project involving researchers from nine different countries, including England, Scotland, Italy, Portugal, China, Serbia, Switzerland and the USA.
She highlighted how she strives to create diverse research teams. In the SENSUM investigator team, women even outnumbered men, something she described as particularly meaningful in a field where women are often underrepresented.
Motherhood and fieldwork
One of the most engaging parts of the discussion centered on balancing motherhood with the demands of academic life and international fieldwork.
Before becoming a mother, Georgie carried out fieldwork in countries including Peru, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines and the USA. However, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to her planned travel back in 2020 and then, she and her husband decided to have a child. The start of her major research project as PI, SENSUM coincided with her transition into motherhood.
Georgie shared the emotional complexity of travelling as a parent and reflected on how this period reshaped both her professional and personal life. She described giving an invited talk in the USA when her daughter was only 18 months old, an experience that felt both liberating and emotionally difficult due to homesickness and exhaustion on her return home.
When her daughter was four years old, she completed extended fieldwork in India and attended AGU in the USA. While these experiences were rewarding, she also spoke about the feelings of missing her family and tiredness on returning to a household under strain with her absence.
At the same time, she acknowledged some of the positive aspects of academia for parents, particularly the flexibility that academic careers can provide around childcare and family responsibilities.
Experience as a woman in academia
Georgie openly discussed the challenges she has faced as a woman in science, including experiences of gender discrimination and feeling underestimated professionally.
Some of the issues she highlighted included:
Despite these challenges, she also spoke powerfully about the pride she feels in mentoring other women, breaking boundaries, and practicing compassionate leadership.
She reflected on how communities such as Women in Climate create a strong sense of belonging and support for women navigating academia.
Motherhood and academia
A particularly resonant moment during the discussion focused on how becoming a mother can change both energy levels and ways of thinking.
Georgie reflected that motherhood brought:
She spoke about a study on how women in academia tend to take on substantially more caregiving responsibilities for young children than men (https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/dp2160.pdf ).
Some extra resources shared during the event
Audience members also contributed thoughtful reflections and practical advice. One attendee commented on how important it is to accept that becoming a parent changes cognitive capacity and available time: “It is okay not to be the same person you were before.”
The discussion also touched on wellbeing, workplace adjustments, and the importance of rest. Suggestions from attendees included:
Advice and reflections
The session ended with a wider conversation about supporting women and parents in academia, especially early career researchers balancing caregiving responsibilities with professional expectations, such as writing proposals for grants.
Some key reflections from the discussion included:
We are incredibly grateful to Georgie for sharing such an open, thoughtful, and honest reflection on her experiences. Her talk sparked an important discussion around identity, leadership, caregiving, and belonging within academia and climate science.
Thank you as well to everyone who attended, contributed questions, and shared resources and personal experiences throughout the session.