Exeter to Celebrate Women in STEM
Exeter College is proud to announce the Women in STEM event, taking place in Trinity Term. This will be a highlight of the academic year, celebrating Exeter women in STEM – past and present – across our Junior, Middle, and Senior Common Rooms.
This exciting event will feature a diverse programme, including panel discussions, talks, poster sessions, an Ask a Scientist corner, a networking reception with food and drinks, and a major outreach initiative engaging local schools.
As one of the most impactful and wide-reaching events of the year, it will foster community building, alumni engagement, EDI, access, and outreach. If you would like to take part – whether by joining a panel, presenting your research via a poster or oral presentation – please reach out to MCR President Rea Tresa or JCR President Amber Bebber.
We look forward to bringing the entire Exeter community together to celebrate our incredible Women in STEM.
To give a taste of what you can expect, we caught up with Anda-Raluca (2024, Healthcare Data Science).
My name is Anda-Raluca Epure, and I am a first year DPhil in Healthcare Data Science student at the University of Oxford, at Exeter College. Before joining my course, I completed my MSc in Advanced Computer Science at Hertford College, still in Oxford, for which I received a DeepMind Scholarship. Prior to that, I graduated with a First Class Honours from a BSc in Mathematics with Economics at University College London (UCL).
My background is full of STEM degrees, but I think it is great to always remember how I joined this area in the first place. Starting in primary school, I was always interested in Mathematics – I found even the simplest problems and equations an exciting and fun challenge. I participated in lots of school contests and Maths school clubs. These were a great opportunity to be exposed to new Maths problems or to meet other Maths enthusiasts. I found it fascinating, all the disciplines which contained a mathematical component – Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, i.e. STEM.
For me, being a woman in STEM is one of the most amazing, challenging but rewarding journeys in life. When joining this field, where women have been historically underrepresented, you need to be prepared to stay ambitious, perseverant and passionate about your subject. I believe being a woman in STEM can be compared to being a superhero undercover – always staying brave, innovative, supportive, and ready to change the world!
However, in this journey, it is always essential to stay inspired and find role models to look up to and get motivation from. Here, in Oxford, this is not a difficult task! For instance, my lecturer in Computational Medicine, Professor Blanca Rodriguez, was the one inspiring me to pursue my current degree, showing me by example how impactful and exciting applications of machine learning and modelling techniques can be in the context of cardiovascular research. In addition, for me, Professor Dame Molly Stevens from Exeter College is an example of how a woman in STEM can conduct meaningful research, while also leading a diverse, multidisciplinary group.
In my opinion, Exeter College’s upcoming celebration of women in STEM is an opportunity for the Women in STEM community to come together and inspire, encourage and get to know each other. Networking, discovering exciting research areas, getting advice from fellow women in STEM, and building lasting connections are just some of the highlights I envision at this wonderful event! I really look forward to it!
Full details of the Women in STEM event will be published shortly.
