Event looks at online harassment and abuse of female scientists in the public sphere

A webinar event discussing the online harassment and abuse of female scientists is to take place at Bournemouth University (BU).

The event, hosted virtually by the Women’s Academic Network at BU, will hear from esteemed female scientists in the public sphere about the realities of online abuse.

The trolling and online harassment of women on social media is an invidious form of violence towards women. A panel, facilitated by Dr Emma Kavanagh from Bournemouth University and opened by BU’s Pro-Chancellor, Dr Sue Sutherland, OBE, will speak about the issue and what needs to be done to protect women speaking publicly on important topics such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel includes:

  • Professor Susan Michie, Professor Health Psychology, University College London and an Independent Sage member.
  • Dr Deepti Gurdasani, Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning, Queen Mary, University of London and an Independent Sage member.
  • Professor Christina Pagel, Professor of Operational Research, University College London and an Independent Sage member.

Professor Sara Ashencaen Crabtree, Co-Convenor of the Women’s Academic Network at BU, said, “Female experts in their field speaking in the public domain have frequently been subjected to gratuitous abuse and harassment; and this is particularly the case when speaking about topics considered to be controversial, contested or subject to a barrage of misinformation and ‘fake news’ on social media.

“This timely and important discursive panel webinar brings together three prestigious women scientists, including two Independent Sage members, whose cutting-edge work on the on-going Covid-19 pandemic been widely shared across the British media.”

All three panel members have experienced online harassment and abuse relating to their work in the public domain. Attendees at the event will hear from the scientists about their experiences, concerns and reflections on such abuse and its wider gendered, social implications.

The event will take place virtually on Zoom on Friday 29 April from 11am – 1pm.  Tickets are available for free through Eventbrite.