Voted by popular demand! We're honoured to be joined by the NEW representative for the University of Manchester's Faculty of Science and Engineering... the wonderful Amrit Dhillon (she/her). Elected by her peers, she is basically an MP for her student cohort, championing their interests and getting their voices heard! Amrit has always been a leader. Living in close proximity to Rolls-Royce HQ, she grew up going to 'women in engineering' events with her mum, so STEM has always felt like an option. Raised with her head held high, the unequal gender split at university was shocking. It's unsurprising then, she'll soon be attending meetings with senior staff and hosting 'Faculty Forums' to hear students' POV - determined to make no-one feel left behind.This LEAD MCR role from the Students' Union came at the right time; Amrit shares how she struggles to fit her hobbies into her busy study schedule, and there's an overwhelming number of options to consider post-graduation. With the artistic flair she brings to her engineering solutions, she's more than ready to embark on this new challenge with creative engagement initiatives.We had such an incredible time recording this spotlight episode! You'll definitely want to hear how Amrit's full-time paid role offers a break from her Mechanical Engineering studies, an AMAZING opportunity for personal development and a chance to give others women that unshakeable self-belief.So, put your headphones on, grab a coffee and get comfy as we share stories, perspectives, and have a good old laugh while we're at it. You thought you didn’t have sisters to turn to for advice? Oh, yes you do.

If you didn't guess from this title, geology ROCKS! In this episode, both our guests were captivated by the great outdoors at a very young age, whether it was star-gazing out their bedroom windows or trawling for newts in the garden pond. These childhood dreams became Esther Ndongala's and Natalie Farrell's grown-up realities, and the invisible string which ultimately connected them years later.Natalie is a Geologist based in the Rock Defamation Lab, which is *literally* as cool as it sounds. Her research investigates the effects of fractures on the structural properties of rocks, among other incredible things. Basically, metamorphic rocks are her jam! She became an academic after spending four years in male-dominated industry, and actually completed her PhD while having her first baby! She runs an incredible programme called The Nuffield Scheme, inviting 17-year-olds from low-income local schools into the lab.Meanwhile, Esther has been a gifted student from childhood, and her acceptance onto the Nuffield Scheme by Natalie was foundational in her journey into research at Manchester! She now successfully holds the VERY impressive Cowrie Scholarship, and her love for physics far transcends outdated perceptions of the subject. Unfortunately, Esther feels incredibly under-represented as a black woman in her chosen field; there's less than 10 black students in her cohort of 200, where the gender split is only % women.This episode is one of our favourites. We cover so much, from conference childcare and beautiful rock illustrations, to comparing Albert Einstein to... Troy Bolton (?!)So, put your headphones on, grab a coffee and get comfy as we share stories, perspectives, and have a good old laugh while we're at it. You thought you didn’t have sisters to turn to for advice? Oh, yes you do.CHAPTERS1:45 lt all started that summer (Nuffield Scheme)2:21 The Rock Deformation Lab 2:51 Chemistry of rocks4:00 You're the first person to see what you're seeing6:03 Preparing for a placement7:58 Why I study physics...9:18 Geoscience pathways at Manchester11:41 Meteorites, oh my!15:40 Practical physics18:50 The merit in doing experiments yourself19:34 Representation in academia23:55 New discoveries in physics24:27 Physics is a team sport25:50 Troy bolton and Einstein?27:24 Male dominated fields30:43 The figureheads of physics31:00 Treatment of women in labs31:30 Finding communities in geoscience32:30 Having children in academia33:25 Oil and gas35:00 Sexual harassment in the workplace37:10 Career progression for women in STEM39:55 Becoming a parent during your PhD44:02 Shoutout to Wigan!45:50 'The greatest scientists are artists'46:14 Choosing the right A-Levels47:35 Unconventional science 🌀

You could rightfully say these two guests are the definition of go-getters. A natural fire burns in their bellies to over-achieve, which is textbook big-sister behaviour. However, we also explore how this is driven by personal circumstance too, and how 'time-poverty' impacts working class students getting into STEM.First off, meet Catherine Sayer. As a 'Draper's 30 Under 30' Fashion Buyer (and Manchester Alumni, ofc), she is nothing if not dedicated. Catherine read the Drapers Magazine list as a undergraduate student, vowing to one day make that roster through hard-work, knowledge of her craft and yielding a 'faking it until you make it' attitude. Now recently crowned alongside industries figureheads like Love Island's Molly-Mae Hague, Catherine is in a whole other league of climbing the career ladder.Meanwhile, let us introduce you to second-year Chemical Engineering student, Aram Ameen, who is not going to shy away from talking about intersectionality in STEM and networks for working-class students! She's President of the 93 Degrees Club (who recently hosted TED, btw?!), which delivers opportunities, spaces and employee connections to state-school educated girls. She's an oldest child AND a big sister - you could just say she's a professional problem solver.We chat to Aram and Catherine about everything: transitioning into Sixth Form, achieving HUGE life goals and learning to swim - not sink - when life gets overwhelming.So, put your headphones on, grab a coffee and get comfy as we share stories, perspectives, and have a good old laugh while we're at it. You thought you didn’t have sisters to turn to for advice? Oh, yes you do.

What better way to start season two than with a sprinkle of inspiration? From chasing your dreams, to recognising your strengths, we are joined by two guests who have actually already met. Jari (she/her) was plucked out of a queue at a career event by Tam (she/her) who recognised what it felt like to feel drowned out by louder voices. Tam actually has a picture of this moment on her LinkedIn profile! Today your hosts Jasmine Luby Barrow (she/her) and Alice Stevens (she/her) reunite the two to talk about what it means to refuse to shrink yourself and how to amplify the things that make your skillset unique at school, university, in your careers, and at home.It can't go without saying how delighted we are to be joined by Tammana Haque (she/her), Lead Data Scientist at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and University of Manchester (UoM) alum. You could call Tam a master of manifestation, as this is the same person who fangirled over Jaguar as a little girl online. From a young age, she has also always loved Maths (together with her twin sister!) and is passionate about the subject of Maths as one of the best pathways to data science. At JLR, Tam has also set up a 'Women in AI' network and she has recently welcomed her first child, Lana.It is also a total joy to welcome to the show, Jari (she/her) - third year Mechatronics student, winner of UoM Hackathon 2024, and multi-passionate advocate for making de-stigmatising neurodivergence. Specifically, we explore Jari's experiences in STEM leading to, and since her, ADHD diagnosis, and both the challenges and huge strengths in that brings. From appreciation of the arts to pattern recognition - we leave no stone unturned!So, put your headphones on, grab a coffee and get comfy as we share stories, perspectives, and have a good old laugh while we're at it. You thought you didn’t have sisters to turn to for advice? Oh, yes you do.

When you hear someone say "...and then I ate my words", you know it's going to be a good episode. Joining hosts Jasmine (she/her) and Alice (she/her), Modinat (she/her) and Ashika (she/her) chat about the gift of confidence - a sprinkle of which can be the difference between a B and an A*, it turns out. There's also discourse on getting the energy right - finding that delicate balance between work/home, and who fills your cup - as well as how our guests found their path into this wacky and wonderful industry. That's the good, the bad, and the ugly.We're joined by Modinat, a first year PhD student in Inorganic Chemistry and the baby of her research peers! She really cares about making her craft (making mirrors sounds pretty much like magic) accessible for others on a global scale with her social media, as well through conversations at the kitchen table with her family.We're lucky enough to have not one, but two fundamental science girlies with us! Ashika (she/her) is a Physics alumni and expert STEM tutor for high-school students all around the world. Aside from getting them the best grades, she is a BIG advocate for emboldening students with critical thinking and a lasting confidence to store in their life-long 'toolkit'.So, put your headphones on, grab a coffee and get comfy as we share stories, perspectives, and have a good old laugh while we're at it. You thought you didn’t have sisters to turn to for advice? Oh, yes you do.