Equality and Diversity News & Events

From LEGO to railway infrastructure, Professor Xueyu Geng is helping to engineer a more sustainable world.
Xueyu’s career journey has taken her around the world, but engineering wasn’t always her career goal.

“When I was growing up, I really wanted to go to medical school” she says. “But despite my interest in medicine, my parents were very keen for me to pursue engineering.”  
Then, whilst she was staying at a relative’s house as a teenager, her parents submitted an application for her to study engineering at university.
Although this derailed her plans for medicine, she now realises it was the right career track for her. “When I look back, I think my parents understood me a bit better than I thought they did!” she reminisces. “I can't stand blood - but I’m good at assembling things. Even as a child, I enjoyed assembling things like Lego and similar toys. I think my parents made the right choice.” 

You can read her story that was part of the University's Infinitely Curious, 'Meet the People Behind the Research' feature, via the link below.

Xueyu's storyLink opens in a new window

It’s been 10 years since the UN announced the first International Day of Women and Girls in Science to highlight the gender gap in Stem-related fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and the slow progress of women into senior positions.

As of 2023, the number of women graduates in Stem had increase by 5% to just 35% since 2014, when the Awareness Day launched.

There remain barriers entry with the UN reporting only 12% of members in national science academies are women. And for women and girls marginalised by culture, disabilities, rural deprivation and those who identify as LGBTQ+ – the barriers to entry and progression are even higher.

Undergraduates and researchers from the University of Warwick share their experiences of nurturing talent in girls and women in stem in this Press ReleaseLink opens in a new window, including third year Mechanical Engineering undergraduate student, Madeleine Pomroy (pictured below)

"I joined Warwick to study mechanical engineering partly because of Warwick Racing, and due to the facilities and reputation. Warwick Racing is our universities extra-curricular, student run Formula student team, for which I’ve now been voted to be Team Principal. Every year we design, build and test a new car and compete against other universities at the annual competition at Silverstone in July."

Madeleine's Full articleLink opens in a new window

Principal Fellowship is reserved for highly experienced leaders who demonstrate an outstanding and sustained record of strategic impact and leadership in enhancing learning and teaching.

Georgia's exceptional contributions have advanced education not only within the School of Engineering and Warwick but also across the wider academic community, making a profound and lasting difference to the discipline and profession.