The latest ICE Connects: Women in Fellowship broadcast featured Martine Wright, MBE, Professor Alice Roberts and Sally Magnusson.
Resilience comes from experience and coping with change, said Martine Wright MBE at the latest ICE Connects: Women in Fellowship event.
Wright is a Paralympian and passionate campaigner for disabled people’s rights.
She was sharing lessons on personal and professional growth as part of a panel organised to inspire more diversity at the higher levels of the engineering industry.
“Good and bad things happen in life, so it's not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens to you that makes the difference,” she said.
Wright was the most severely injured person to survive the 7/7 terrorist attacks on London’s transport system in 2005. They killed 52 people, injuring over 770 more.
Her injuries, including the loss of both legs, were life changing.
She said that her self-belief, as well as a belief in those around her, helped her to accept this as her destiny.
Other things that have helped her overcome such major challenges include sharing stories and fears with others and maintaining a sense of humour.
“We should grab the journey – not just the amazing experiences but also the hard stuff,” she said.
Change requires stubbornness
Wright was joined on the panel by Professor Alice Roberts, academic, author and TV presenter of BBC and Channel 4 fame. Broadcaster and journalist Sally Magnusson hosted the conversation.
Prof Roberts, an expert in human origins and ancient diseases, talked about how she overcame challenges in encouraging academics to engage with the public.
She described her resilience as a form of stubbornness.
“[Public engagement] was something you were expected to do in your spare time.
“I used to have to sneak out to give talks in schools because my head of department didn’t see it as a good use of my time.” she said.
Roberts’ success means that she’s now a professor of public engagement in science at the University of Birmingham.
Share your stories
The speakers said that sharing stories and experiences was an important way to inspire women to take the next step.
Magnusson encouraged people to put themselves forward and to take chances.
If they don’t, “nobody does anything, and women don’t get the role models they need,” she said.
Creating a platform for women in leadership
During the event, Wright highlighted the importance of ‘Team Me’ – having the right people and support around you.
The ICE set up the ICE Connects: Women in Fellowship network to provide this opportunity to engage with others.
It encourages ICE members, particularly female engineers, to take the next professional step.
Other efforts to promote inspirational role models include the recent banner campaign at One Great George Street in London.
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