About us

Members of the WInSTEM team inside a lecture room.

WInSTEM is a committee stemming from the School of Computing and Engineering at the University of West London, with the main aspiration and objective being to provide inspiration and motivation to women and young girls, encouraging them to pursue studies or careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) subject areas, as per the expertise and field specialisation of the existing members.

We arrange visits to schools all across London, where we are spreading the word to female students about these exciting and dynamic areas.

If you would like your school or college to be part of our women in STEM programme, please contact our WInSTEM Chair, Dr Anastasia Sofroniou at Anastasia.Sofroniou@uwl.ac.uk.

PhD student Livia working in the Faringdon Centre for Non-Destructive Testing

The video shows a former PhD student, now Dr Livia Lantini, conducting important research into ways to measure the health of trees without causing them harm.

Why study STEM?

Why study STEM?

In our view, STEM subjects offer an unbeatable combination of challenge and reward.

If you are thinking about studying a STEM-related subject at university, explore our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Computing, Engineering and Mathematics.

The most enjoyable aspect of Computer Science, in my view, is that it combines theory and practice, abstraction and logic. One of the best feelings that kept me eager to continue studying was the satisfaction I got when, after hours of hard work, I finally made my code function as expected."

- Mickey, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student

WInSTEM committee members

Here's some information about our members, and what inspired us to take up STEM careers.

  • Chair: Dr Anastasia Sofroniou

    Dr Anastasia Sofroniou profile photo

    Anastasia is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at UWL. She is the Course Leader for the BSc and MSc Mathematics and Statistics as well as for the PhD programme in Mathematics. She is a STEM UK Ambassador and the Chair of WInSTEM for the Academic Year 2022/23.

    She says:

    The Reality is that mostly everything stems from STEM!

    Some subjects and topics may diffuse as time evolves, but thankfully, there will always be Science, Technology, Engineering and most definitely we will always have Mathematics, laying the foundations for complex thinking abilities.

    From a young age I have always been fascinated by the beauty of mathematics, tackling mathematical problems and trying to find the optimum and most elegant solution. As a mathematician, the questions 'why' and 'how' are critical, and I am always looking for arguments that answer these. The importance of mathematics is another driver for my fondness for the subject, as it can be seen in almost every aspect of life, exhibited all around us: in nature, science, medicine, engineering, finance and economics, through to emerging technologies”.

  • Secretary: Dr Livia Lantini

    Livia Lantini has dark brown hair and is smiling against a white background

    Livia is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar at UWL. She is the Secretary of WInSTEM for the Academic Year 2022/23.

    She says:

    I have always been fascinated by the idea of understanding how the world around us works, and as a civil engineer, I also get to be a part of this. I believe that women, just like men, can do anything they set their minds to, and engineering is no exception. Engineers can make a meaningful impact on the world, but even though it is often pictured as a male profession, women have so much to offer to our communities”.

  • Engineering Lead: Dr Nadia Djaid

    Nadia is stood outside infront of some green shrubs and bushes. She is wearing a purple hijab and has rectangle glasses on and has green eyes.

    Nadia is a Lecturer in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, she has an Engineering degree in Electronics and Control, and a PhD in Robotics. She says:

    I come from a family of Engineers, both my dad and grandfather are Electrical and Electronic Engineers. I was fascinated by different electronic parts from a young age. The idea of connecting parts with wires and creating amazing projects was appealing to me and my career choice was clear. I heard many false perceptions about engineering not being a girl’s field, I never agreed with it and never will. Boys and girls think and learn in different ways and working together will undoubtedly create amazing things, as Mary Curie said, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.”

  • Industry Lead: Dr Efcharis Balodimou

    Efcharis is wearing a plum coloured t-shirt and is smiling into the camera. She has short, light brown hair, brown eyes and freckles..

    Haroula is a Senior Lecturer in Built Environment and joined UWL after working as an architect for several years. She brings into her teaching a wide experience of her industry work and has a strong interest in incorporating sustainable practices in the built environment.

    She says:

    Women in the UK are still underrepresented in disciplines relating to the Built environment. It is encouraging to see more girls wanting to study these disciplines and performing well.

WInSTEM committee members

  • Fehmida Mohamedali

    Fehmida is wearing a burgundy shirt with a wide colar. She has dark red lipstick on and has long dark brown hair and brown eyes.

    Fehmida is a Senior Lecturer in Information Technology and Head of Computing (shared) within the School of Computing and Engineering. She is a member of the British Computer Society, the Institute for Learning and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

    She says:

    I was born in Tanzania and spent my childhood days in a small town of Morogoro where women engaging in any career was not heard of, let alone careers related to Science or Technology. At the age of 13, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to come to England to pursue education and build a life for myself.

    I came across a lot of challenges, language barriers, cultural differences and many more, but I was determined to fight and overcome all obstacles.  I was successful in obtaining GCSE’s, “A” levels and later studying Mathematics at undergraduate level followed by postgraduate studies in Information Technology.

    With my determination to study and be successful as a woman in STEM subjects, I took up teaching and have been doing so for the last 30 years. I am passionate to support my students, encourage women, and particularly those from diverse backgrounds to take up careers in STEM subjects.  The benefits and opportunities are immense and open to all, not just man”.

  • Dr Sama Aleshaiker

    Sama is waring a navy striped jacket and a white top. She has a silver necklace and silver earrings. She is wearing pink lipstick and has long wavy brown hair.

    Sama is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at the UWL and the Course Leader for the BSc Computer Science.

    She says:

    My main inspiration to enter the field of computing was the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem that was anticipated to cause chaos around the world. My interest in problem solving led me to dive deeper into this field as I was fascinated by the different solutions proposed for the millennium problem back then.”

    Visit Dr Sama Aleshaiker's staff profile for more information.

  • Dr Nagham Saeed

    Nagham Saeed profile picture

    Nagham is a Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering and the Head of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) research group. She is IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) UK & Ireland (UKI) Chair and IEEE UKI WIE Early Profession Lead. She mentors early career engineers and aims to promote electronic and electrical engineering to young girls through many events and workshops. Nagham won the IEEE R8 Region 8 Outstanding Women in Engineering Section Volunteer Award 2022.

    She says:

    I aspired to a career that would provide me with enticing challenges and prevent me from stagnating professionally. This, combined with my passion for mathematics, encouraged me to pursue a career in engineering.”

    Past events and projects

    Early Career Talks:

    2022 Challenges and Opportunities: Women's Roles in Digital Era webinar:

    The webinar gave an insight into how professional female engineers can lead and significantly contribute to the digital era.

    IEEE WIE UK&I Career Development Day:

    One of the WInSTEM members, Dr Nagham Saeed, was part of a team supporting the first IEEE WIE UK&I Career Development Day. The event was organised by IEEE Women in Engineering UK and Ireland and hosted at Queen Mary University of London on 30 September 2022.

    There were inspirational talks from distinguished speakers Dr Izzet Kale, Dr Yue Wang, Dr Yansha Deng, Dr Joel Obstfeld, Dr Ruth Brown, Dr Joanne Chamberlain, and Dr Nagham Saeed. There was a stimulating panel discussion to motivate students in order to pursue careers in electronic engineering as well as a poster competition. 

  • Edyta Krol

    Edyta Krol

    Edyta is the Subject Librarian for the School of Computing and Engineering at the University of West London, and has several years of experience supporting university students.

    Edyta says:

    I love supporting students to enable them to become lifelong learners. I believe I have a big impact on the success of the School of Computing and Engineering in increasing student success and retention, decreasing STEM student attrition and directly benefiting the scientific community as a whole. It’s great to be a part of such a friendly and dynamic team!

  • Dr Atiyeh Ardakanian

    Atiyeh Ardakanian profile pic

    Dr Atiyeh Ardakanian is a lecturer in Civil Engineering.

  • Dr Fateme Dinmohammadi

    Dr Fateme Dinmohammadi is a Senior Lecturer in AI & Robotics and acts as a Course Director of MSc Software Engineering at the School of Computing and Engineering, University of West London.

  • Dr Laden Husamaldin

    Laden Husamaldin

    Dr Laden Husamaldin is a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems and Project Management. She has over 10 years of academic experience which she has balanced with industrial practice gained from consultancy work projects for both private and public sectors.

    She says:

    Woman have historically been underrepresented in Information Systems and Project management academic career, but the field is becoming increasingly diverse. As women, we can bring unique prospective and approached to academia which can lead to more innovative learning and better team dynamic"

  • Parisa Saadati

    Parisa Saadati

    Parisa is a Lecturer in Information Technology at UWL. Parisa is teaching Digital Transformation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. She is also a certified Agile project manager.

    She says:

    Since I was a child, I was always playing with my toys, unlike any other child, making unusual things with Legos or making my own storybook with lovely illustrations. Coming from a family of a teacher and an engineer, I was always encouraged to do creative things and make my own little world.

    Life is challenging for many girls from male-dominant cultures like mine. Soon I have learnt I must dream big otherwise hope for less! Creativity is one of the essentials of dreaming big in life. And life is your most significant project. Be the best project manager and problem solver, and never quit. As Vince Lombardi once said, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

    I am looking forward to helping more girls to dream big and make their dreams come true.”

  • Dr Maria Winnet

    Maria Winnet

    Dr Maria Winnett is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science and Information Management at the University of West London. She has a BSc in Physics and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester, and a PhD in computer science from Kingston University.

  • Dr Bolanle Noruwa

    Bolanle is wearing a black and white patterned top. She is smiling and has dark brown hair that is close cut and brown eyes.

    In her early career, Dr Bolanle Noruwa has worked in consultancy firms carrying out primary quantity surveying duties of keeping close eyes on construction project finances and contractual relationships during pre and post contract period.

  • Indira Chauhan

    Indira Chauhan profile picture

    Indira specialises in built environment and civil engineering education.

    She says:

    As a child I was fascinated by structures and the designing of buildings. The sight of huge cranes gave me a mystical feel about working on construction sites. A desire to prove that there are misconceptions about gender-specific roles in the industry inspired me to work in construction. I love the range and variety of projects and the infinite possibilities of arriving at various solutions. I am passionate about conveying this to more female students, encouraging them to enter the world of design and construction with confidence."

  • Sangeetha Nesiah

    Sangeetha is the School Administrator for the School of Computing and Engineering.

    She says:

    I am encouraged to see students from many under-represented groups at the School of Computing and Engineering. It is my hope that once they graduate, all students will be able to pursue their passion and thrive in their workplace environment.”

Our activities

Members of UWL WInSTEM speak at schools, industry conferences and elsewhere to promote the cause of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Please contact the UWL outreach team if your organisation is interested in working with us.

WInSTEM activities from its initiation to date:

WInSTEM student stories

Learn more about studying a STEM subject with our series of videos introducing you to some inspiring female students in a range of fields.

The most enjoyable aspect of Computer Science, in my view, is that it combines theory and practice, abstraction and logic. One of the best feelings that kept me eager to continue studying was the satisfaction I got when, after hours of hard work, I finally made my code function as expected."

- Mickey, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student

PhD student Livia working in the Faringdon Centre for Non-Destructive Testing

Livia, a former PhD student at The Faringdon Research Centre for Non-Destructive Testing and Remote Sensing

Livia was a former PhD student at the School of Computing and Engineering at the University of West London. Her research focused on the assessment and health monitoring of trees and the investigation of tree roots and soil interaction, using ground penetrating radar and other methods that bring no harm to the trees. Find out more about Livia, her project and her experiences by watching this video.

Mickey, BSc (Hons) Computer Science student

This episode features Mickey, a third year student BSc (Hons) Computer Science student at UWL. Mickey describes what she loves about her subject and why she'd recommend STEM to anyone, regardless of their gender.

Maria, visiting researcher

This episode features Maria, a visiting researcher from Finland, spending time at UWL as part of her PhD project. Maria talks about her background, why she chose chemical engineering, and her hopes for the future.

Mina, Civil Engineering student

In this video we hear from Mina, who has recently completed her Civil Engineering degree. Find out what attracted her to the subject, what she has found challenging, and why she thinks civil engineering has been a great choice for her.

WInSTEM news and announcements

students in lab

Inspiring women in STEM posters

WInSTEM, in collaboration with the School of Computing and Engineering, cordially invite all students to take part in a creative competition by drawing, creating a collage, a painting or an infographic or an inspiring female STEM figure.

WInSTEM panel members and the Head of the School of Computing and Engineering will judge the entries. The best three posters or paintings will receive admirable recognition by being displayed and hung on the walls of the teaching and learning space of the School.

We love learning and getting encouraged by the amazing works women have achieved in STEM related sectors. This is your opportunity to get imaginative and show us your artistic skills!

  • Competition launch: Monday 9 October 2023
  • Submission deadline: Friday 17 November 2023, by 5pm*
  • Final outcome of the winning posters: Friday 24 November 2023, 5pm

* For electronic submissions: Your entry should be submitted in high quality PDF format. We will print winning posters in A1 or A2 so please ensure your poster is high quality enough to allow for printing at this size. For hard copy submissions: Please submit A1 or A2 poster size in high quality PDF format or the original poster in BY.03.019.

For further information and submissions, please contact Dr Anastasia Sofroniou (Chair of WInSTEM): anastasia.sofroniou@uwl.ac.uk

V Awards 2023 Nominees for Organisation of the Year, including WInSTEM

Volunteering Organisation award nomination

WInSTEM was delighted to be nominated and shortlisted for the Organisation of the Year Award, whereby the invaluable, diligent, collaborative and effective work of all WInSTEM members was especially recognised and appreciated at this ceremony. Well done WInSTEM!

 

Two student forensic scientists working at a microscope

Award for Academic Excellence and sponsoring STEM skills

WInSTEM is excited to announce that for this academic year, they will be offering an “Award for Academic Excellence and Sponsoring STEM skills” to the best female student applicant at the University of West London.

This award of £100 will hopefully motivate our female students to continue to progress in their STEM studies and perhaps eventually embark on a career in STEM.

A girl focussing on a touch screen

WInSTEM partners up with Code First Girls

Have an ambition and want to aspire? WInSTEM’s goal is to inspire and guide you to achieve and acquire!

Please contact WInSTEM to receive your unique affiliate code and gain access to free online coding courses and top employment opportunities with brands across the world for female and non-binary students.

Contact details: Dr Anastasia Sofroniou, Chair of WInSTEM, Anastasia.Sofroniou@uwl.ac.uk.

Resources for researchers

Student at computer

Online resources

Here you'll find a list of useful resources for students, researchers and others interested in finding out more about women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

This list has been compiled by Edyta Krol, a Subject Librarian at the University of West London and member of WInSTEM.