Over 50% of the FutureNeuro Centre are women. Bringing together the brightest research talent in neuroscience, clinical neurology, genetics, cell biology, materials chemistry and patient data analytics, hosted by RCSI, our researchers are based in six others Irish academic institutions: Trinity College Dublin, DCU, UCD, NUI Galway, UCC and WIT.
The theme this year for IWD2021 is #ChooseToChallenge, a challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.
From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge. We sat down with some of the women part of the FutureNeuro team, to know more about what they choose to challenge and what woman inspires them…
Dr Claire McCoy- Funded Investigator with FutureNeuro and Senior Lecturer with RCSI; Claire is inspired by her grandmother and chooses to ‘forge positive visibility of women’.
Dr Catherine Mooney, Funded Investigator with FutureNeuro and Assistant Professor at the School of Computer Science UCD, ‘I think for women who inspire me (there are SO many!) it has to be Kamala Harris, for smashing the glass ceiling and being an all round awesome role model for women and girls everywhere.’
Anna Matveeva- Post doctoral Researcher FutureNeuro- “I will maintain a gender equal mindset. Different women inspired me through different periods of my life. I admire women like heroic nurse and social worker Irena Sendlerowa or surgeon Alla Levushkina.“
Claire Behan, Advanced Nurse Practitioner Epilepsy & PhD candidate TCD – “I am very lucky to have had many women who have inspired and continue to inspire me in life. In more recent years a group of women from my triathlon club have provided that inspiration. Thrown together by chance these strong, intelligent, athletic women have taught me about reliance and determination, strength and compassion. Each with different challenges in life, they tackle them with grace and courage, casting no judgement and elevating each other. They are my Pod and my life is richer for having each one of them in it.”
Rachel Stewart – PhD student based in NUIG – ‘For my challenge I would like to challenge gender stereotypes and bias. A woman that inspires me is Reese Witherspoon. She has created a company that puts women in leading roles and celebrates women being at the center of television. Like so many aspects in life, TV and film is dominated by male directors and men are often given the leading roles. It is amazing to see a woman taking a stance to give women a louder voice in the Movie Industry, which will inspire young women to believe they can achieve anything they put their mind to.’
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Anna Markella Antoniadi- FutureNeuro Phd student in UCD – “I choose to challenge gender stereotypes and assumptions. My friend Maria is a woman that never stops. She is very enthusiastic about her field (Psychology) and she never stops learning and studying about it. She has had some difficult times while trying to pursue her dream, but she never quits and she just gets stronger and keeps going. In addition to her studies and work she always has original ideas for crafts and creations to work on in her spare time, and she is a great cook! She is always supportive and encouraging and she inspires and empowers me.”
Karina Carey- FutureNeuro Reporting Officer- ‘I will celebrate women’s achievements. A woman that has always inspired me is Mary Robinson; because she was the first female President in Ireland, her extensive human rights work in the UN and the climate change foundation that she has set up recently.’
Ciara Courtney, FutureNeuro Communications, Education and Public Engagement Lead, ‘I choose to challenge assumptions and stereotypes. My mother inspires me every day. She has lived with chronic pain for most of my life and still has the most amazing positive outlook. She has incredible strength.’
