To mark International Women’s Day (Sunday 8 March), the Cambridge Festival (16 March–2 April) is spotlighting the outstanding achievements of women across a wide range of disciplines.
From breast cancer and music to reproduction and politics, the festival will showcase the ground breaking work of women who have profoundly influenced our understanding of the world.
These events highlight the importance of recognising and celebrating women’s impact on academia, science, and culture. Here are some of the key highlights to watch for:
Professor Diane Coyle, Research Director at the Bennett School of Public Policy, will be joined by a panel of experts including Dr Jeni Tennison, Director of Connected by Data, and Dr Kathryn Chapman, Executive Director of Innovate Cambridge, to showcase the University of Cambridge and the Bennett School of Public Policy’s leading research, teaching and real-world impact in AI and digital policy, examining digital transformation beyond market cycles, and asking what institutional capabilities require/endure beyond hype and unrealistic expectations.
In an era of misinformation, algorithmic influence and rapidly shifting political landscapes, the question of what we mean by “truth” has never felt more urgent. In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking talk, multi-award-winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr and broadcaster, writer and social commentator Carol Vorderman invite audiences to explore how truth is constructed, challenged and defended in the 21st century.
Professors Charlotte Coles and Jean Abraham will be joined by patient representatives to explore how research being undertaken in Cambridge is transforming the future of breast cancer care – from developing kinder, more personalised treatments to tackling health inequities and improving outcomes for everyone.
Founder of Clarissa’s Campaign, Hilary Nicholls, will be joining a panel to discuss sporting health and the vital importance of heart and lung research. Clarissa’s Campaign was established the charity in 2023 to raise awareness of cardiac conditions in young people.
Executive Director of the Milner Therapeutics Institute Professor Cathy Tralau-Stewart will explore the Institute’s journey to date, celebrate key milestones, and share her perspective on how the Institute will continue to drive discovery and innovation in the life sciences.
There are also several events which focus on breaking barriers for women in politics, philosophy, health and theatre.
In Breaking Barriers: Women in Politics Film Screening and Panel Discussion, there will be a screening of the documentary ‘Groundbreakers’, where some of the most influential women in Parliament share their stories about their personal and political journeys, in the early years of women’s representation in the House. The event will include a panel discussion with founder of Women’s Parliamentary Radio, Boni Sones OBE and associate Jackie Ashley in conversation with Anne Campbell, former Labour MP for Cambridge, and Baroness Gillian Shephard, former Conservative Minister, who were interviewed for the documentary.
Crafting life: Responding creatively to reproduction and women’s health is a unique event bringing together scientists, artists, writers and musicians to explore how creative practice can illuminate and respond to research on women’s health and reproduction. Organised by Cambridge Reproduction, the event invites audiences to experience and reflect on the intersections between art and science.
Did women do philosophy in the Middle Ages? This is question being answered by Doctoral Researcher Tatiana Barkovskiy in an event which will look at the works written by several medieval women philosophers and offer some strategies for addressing these and other difficulties hindering their recognition as such.
Join the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre for an inspiring evening screening of Shades of Survival, an award-winning international documentary that shines a light on global inequalities in breast cancer care for Black women.
What was life like for women in the Georgian theatre? What challenges did these women face in their efforts to thrive in a male-dominated arena, at a time when women’s place was in the home? Dr Sarah Burdett presents a series of dynamic addresses spoken / written by forgotten female theatre-makers of the Georgian period, granting unique insight into the gendered experiences and challenges of the theatrical profession.