WITS AGM 2022

32nd WITS Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2022

Saturday, 26 November 2022

The 2022 WITS AGM took place on Saturday 26th November 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Land, Dublin 8 and online via Zoom. Thanks to all who attended from around the country. Here are some notes of the meeting.

Review of 2022

As outlined at the 2021 AGM the Executive focused on 4 pillars of work. They are:

1. Research proposal: Advocating and advancing women in STEM. The WITS research proposal was not funded by DHFERIS. WITS will continue to seek and secure the funding in 2023.
2. Relevant and trusted source. WITS participated in a number of consultative opportunities which our reputation as a trusted source has afforded us. For example, the Chinese Ambassador reached out to get advice on holding an International Woman’s Day event.
3. Corporate Partnerships – WITS had the opportunity to add members' voice to a number of Corporate Partners who were in various stages of creating and re-invigorating Women and Allies ERGs and sought WITS advice.
4. The Her STEM Skills Mentorship program. It was not funded; however the proposal will be re-submitted in the New Year.

WITS continued to create and promote events such as the Coaching Series in the first half of the year, the recent Student Series, the Coffee Catch Ups and the WITS Reads book club. There were events with partners e.g. the AWS/WITS Student Career Panel in April and a Career Event with Women+ in STEM UCD in November.

WITS was a partner of the Inaugural Women in STEM Summit held at Croke Park in Dublin on 30 March 2022.

The Role Models in pSTEM project launched at UCD in May with WITS as one of the partners led by Julie Hogan WITS Chair 2017-2020.. The project, funded by the HEA Gender Equality Fund, was led by Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin and Dr Catherine Mooney of UCD, both WITS members.

The 2022 Officers and Executive and all who worked for WITS during the year were thanked.

The 2023 Chair is Dr Andrea C Johnson and the Officers and Executive are here. Plans were outlined for 2023:

• The world of work has changed – politically, geographically, and demographically. The WITS 2021-2025 Strategy was created before the pandemic, and it is time now to review it and reflect if it still resonates in this new world.
• There will be a focus on re-energising the committees and we’re carrying some vacancies on the Executive into next year but plan to fill them with people who can assist our strategic direction.
• WITS will review our membership model during next year.