WINGS: Women IN Great Sciences
WINGS: Women IN Great Sciences is a scientific network aimed at women at all levels of the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine and LTH at the University of Lund, Sweden. The network focus on research, scientific goals and networking.
Background
The network was initiated by co-workers at the Dept. of Geology in 2003 and was in the beginning an informal regular lunch club discussing science, careers and equality issues. During 2007 the network expanded to include female co-workers at the Faculty of Sciences, LU and related industries. In 2012 the network was further expanded to include the Medical faculty and the faculty of Engineering (LTH). In 2013 WINGS merged with StepUp, a PhD student and postdoc network focusing on career planning. WINGS believes in creating strong scientific networks and highlighting competent women scientists, to create a platform for innovation and creative opportunity for women in science. The network is highly diverse, with contacts spanning academia, industry, research institutes and funding agencies.
Members and Organisation
The members are women scientists that are employed as researchers working inside or outside Lund University. WINGS are members of the European Platform of Women Scientists, EPWS.[1] The current organizing committee consists of 26 women from all three faculties. The current coordinator is Linnéa Taylor, who was elected as the first person outside the Science faculty to lead WINGS since its inception, after Maren Wellenreuther, who has overseen the majority of the networks recent expansion, stepped down.
Activities
WINGS organizes regular workshops and courses, as well as lunch-meetings with invited speakers to inspire discussion and development of research, career opportunities, innovation and the ongoing process of change for equality. Since 2008 WINGS organize a yearly conference to discuss research and equality issues. WINGS also organize a yearly networking congress for PhD students and postdocs called StepUp.