International Women's Day - In Conversation with Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan

This event is a collaboration between Ulster University Wo/men's Network, the Development and Alumni Relations Office and Athena Swan.

The theme for International Women's Day 2021 is #ChoosetoChallenge. A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let's all choose to challenge. How will you help forge a gender equal world?

• Celebrate women's achievements
• Raise awareness against bias
• Take action for equality

To explore this theme, we will have an 'In Conversation' with Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan to hear about her story, how she has chosen to challenge, her passion for a gender equal world and her exciting plans for the future as she embarks on a career break to explore new challenges outside of Ulster University.

Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and External Affairs) at Ulster University.

Professor Gormley-Heenan is responsible for developing and leading the University's research and impact strategies as a research led university, ensuring that Ulster University achieves its research targets, and that its research informs its teaching and benefits society locally and globally.

Cathy is a Professor of Politics with research interests in the areas of political elites, peace processes, the politics of divided societies, public policy and governance. She is a regular political commentator for the BBC on both television and radio and has recently completed making a new radio programme for BBC World Service on Walls and Peace.

Cathy has been elected and/or appointed to a number of national boards including the National Executive Committee of the UK’s Political Studies Association (PSA) from 2012-16 and is also a member of the UK’s Kennedy Scholars Association. Currently, Cathy serves on the boards of Matrix, the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel; Catalyst Inc (formerly the Northern Ireland Science Park); and the UK government’s advisory body on EU Exit, Universities, Research and Innovation chaired by universities and science minister Jo Johnson, among other things.