Academia

The Girlguiding UK Girls shout out! survey found that over one in ten five- to seven-year-olds (11 per cent) and seven- to ten-year-olds (12 per cent) want to be scientists.

‘When I was a Brownie/Guide, I took part in a range of activities which helped me realise that I had potential to turn my hand to ANYTHING. I am still like that now – I don’t let ANYONE tell me I can’t do things – I just tell them “I can’t do it YET!"’
Jackie Edwards
Blackberry Women and Technology Overall Winner and UCU Life-Changers Award for Changing Society

After studying on the ‘Women's Access to IT’ course at De Montfort University, Jackie was so impressed with its importance that she became a lecturer on the course, and has taught IT to local women for the past eight years. Inspired by the course’s impact on women like herself, Jackie sought to do all in her power to promote IT as a career for women. With determination and effort, she eventually secured funding which helped her develop the ESF Leicester Communities into ICT programme to encourage women from excluded communities to consider entering higher education.

Other award-winning women previously involved in Girlguiding UK include:

Professor Lisa Jardine, Royal Society Wilkins Prize (historian)

Donna Dickenson, Spinoza Lens Award (philosopher)