Member Article

Durham initiative to support women working in science and innovation

Catherine Johns, Innovation and Business Growth Director for economic development company Business Durham, has founded a new network for women working in innovation.

When Business Durham represented the North East Technology Park (NETPark) at the International Association of Science Parks (IASP), Catherine realised it would be a good idea to create a subnetwork of IASP for women.

She explained: “I started to think how we could build on links made at the conferences and events in a sustained way and how the women in the IASP network and the science park industry could help each other.

“We knew that many members already informally mentored each other: ‘Women in IASP’ will bring together that knowledge base and share success stories for the benefi­t of all our members.

“It will help us hear the voices of women in IASP, and support them to achieve their professional goals, to the benefi­t of the science parks and areas of innovation where they work.”

Women in IASP was launched at the IASP World Conference in Moscow with women from 24 different countries. Members of the subnetwork will determine its activities, which will include a regular blog, individual mentoring, social media presence to share success, a dedicated forum on the IASP website, debates and networking.

The launch follows the publication of the book Areas of Innovation in a Global World: Concept and Practice. Catherine, a former Board Director of IASP, was one of 30 global innovation leaders who contributed to the book, writing a chapter on the top five challenges faced when building areas of innovation and co-authoring a chapter on the benefits to start ups of being based in an area of innovation.

Cllr Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “I’m delighted that this initiative has come from Durham and that, once again, Durham has shown itself to be creating and implementing innovative ideas at a global scale.

“At NETPark, we already have a global hub for cutting edge technology businesses so it’s fitting that we play a major role in encouraging a cutting edge group where women in the field can support each other and share best practice, as well as deservedly raising the profile of the outstanding work they do.”

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