Oct

13


2015

2015 October Meetup

Tue (06:00 PM - 08:00 PM)

Summary

When a plan comes together it can be very satisfying? Even more so if no planning was involved. For October, with little or no organisational effort, Agile Yorkshire is celebrating Ada Lovelace Day in the only way it can, with two amazing speakers on the subject of women in technology. Women in tech. has been on the topic backlog for a while; but after it was pointed out the second Tuesday in October is the official Ada Day the stars seemed to have aligned. The second Tuesday has been Agile Yorkshire's traditional monthly slot since 2007, how we missed the coincidence until now is a mystery. Hopefully, in the future, the Agile Yorkshire community can help mark the occasion annually. Some will already be familiar with Jessica Drackett through her Phd research, started over two years ago, as participants included members of the AY community. Amy Lynch is based at the Thoughtworks offices in Manchester and as a regular contributor and organiser of events in the north she is also well known to many. If your reading this but are double booked with another Ada Day celebration we're sorry and we'll miss you; but we're glad that's even possible. Wherever you end up we hope you have a super inspiring time.

Programme

Just Jokes & Gender Gaps
In this talk I will present some of the findings of my PhD research around Internet memes, organisational humour and the gender gap in technology.
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Jessica Drakett
Jessica Drakett is a PhD researcher in psychology at Leeds Beckett University, using qualitative methods from a feminist standpoint to explore the gender gap in technology. Jessica is interested in the role of humour and banter in organisational settings, with a specific focus on Internet memes and how these may impact on the experiences of women working in technology. Prior to starting her PhD research, she worked as a software engineer for a company providing clinical software to the NHS and other organisations.
It's up to us!
The tech industry faces significant challenges – skills shortages in certain areas, a growing focus on making money as opposed to doing something for the greater good and a general lack of diversity amongst those who make up the IT workforce. As people working in the industry, we have an opportunity to transform the future of IT by giving something back, providing opportunities for others and inspiring the next generation. This session explores ideas and initiatives that will help us to drive positive change, growing a more inclusive and highly skilled tech community for the future.
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Amy Lynch
Amy has been working with technology teams and organisations for almost a decade, providing advice and support on their recruitment and marketing strategies. Currently working for a global software consultancy and a coorganiser of Ladies Who Code Manchester, she is passionate about diversity and inclusivity as well as promoting the tech community in the North.