On Monday we had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Gina Rippon to Francis Holland School for an Academic Enrichment Lecture.

Professor Rippon is a researcher in the field of cognitive neuroscience at the Aston Brain Centre at Aston University, Birmingham, and an advocate for initiatives to mitigate the under-representation of women in Stem subjects.

Our Lecture Theatre was full to the brim with girls from the Thirds up to the Upper Sixth; relishing the opportunity to be stimulated and challenged by an expert in the field of neuroscience. Professor Rippon showed us how we first arrived at the conviction that the female brain is “different” (and thus inferior), how this misperception persists into the 21st century, and how the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience can, and should, dispel such fallacies for ever. It was a brilliantly engaging, academically rigorous, and self-reflective lecture.

We encourage everyone to put Professor Rippon’s new book ‘The Gendered Brain’ on their Christmas list next month! An essential read for gender equality.

Ms. Lewis

Assistant Head of Teaching & Learning