'Forensic Anthropology - no job for a woman' public lecture by Professor Sue Black

A Public Lecture by Professor Sue Black on Monday 23rd February 2009, at 6:30pm, will introduce a month long series of events celebrating women's achievements in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

The theme of 'no job for a woman' was taken from the title of a novel by Val McDermid, which was about the role of female private investigators - it was called 'Suitable job for a woman?'

People are often surprised that in the UK, 98% of undergraduate students, approximately 80% of all postgraduate students, and nearly 90% of professional practitioners in the field of Forensic Anthropology are female. No-one knows why. There are some subjects that are deemed more attractive to women and forensic anthropology seems to be one of them. It may seem surprising, due to the harsh and often unsettling, never mind dangerous aspects of the work, but often the feminine touch is crucial. Forensic Anthropologists work in an area where science, politics and society meet, and they often require a delicate touch of diplomacy.

This lecture will look at the reality of forensic anthropology in our current world and explore why this is such a female dominated subject.

This is a free event and everyone is welcome. Tickets are available from www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets, Tower Building Reception, 01382 385564 or events@dundee.ac.uk.

This is the first year of what we hope will become an annual event recognising and showcasing the important contributions and achievements of female scientists and engineers within Tayside and on the national and international stages.

A number of other events, including film screenings, family events, workshops and lectures are taking place in the Universities of St Andrews and Abertay, Sensation Science Centre and SCRI. There is also an exhibition celebrating the achievements of Women in STEM running from 16 February to 14 March inclusive at 3 venues at the University of Dundee - the Queen Mother Building, Lamb Gallery (Tower Building), and the Wellcome Building.

For more information about any of these events, please contact Jon Urch on 01382 386669 or email j.urch@dundee.ac.uk.