The need to attract more women and girls into physics has long been acknowledged. The problems in higher education – 20% of new physics graduates are girls, dropping to under 5% at professor level – have been well documented. Now, the Institute of Physics has produced a guide for university departments to use to encourage more girls and women to stay with the subject in higher education.

Project Juno is a code of practice which sets out practical ideas to address the under-representation of women in university physics, which will have implications for other employers in the field. Based on the findings of a series of visits to university departments over two years, it capitalizes on best practice in university physics departments around the UK to suggest ways of working that are of benefit to all.

You are invited to the launch of this exciting new initiative, at the Institute’s headquarters, 76 Portland Place, at 17:00 on Thursday 14 June.

As well as hearing the views of two highly respected speakers – Professors Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Christine Davies – I hope that this occasion will provide an opportunity for many of us who are concerned about these issues, from public life, the media, and academia, to share our views in an informal setting.

The programme for the event is as follows:
16.30 Coffee and registration
17:00 Opening address - Mr Peter Saraga, President, The Institute of Physics
17:05 Key note speech - Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell, President-elect, The Institute of Physics
17:30 Case study - Professor Christine Davies, Glasgow University Department of Physics and Astronomy
Followed by an open discussion and wine and canapés
I do hope that you can join us to celebrate the launch of this initiative. Copies of the Juno report will be available at the launch on the day (14 June) from the Institute press office.

For more information, to register attendance at the launch and for copies of the Juno report please contact Dianne Stilwell, Public Relations manager at the Institute of Physics on tel 020 7470 4875, mobile 07957 200214, e-mail dianne.stilwell@iop.org