TV Mastermind subject still inspires women
A Teesside engineer who answered questions about the famous mathematician Ada Lovelace on TV’s Mastermind says she still inspires young women today.
Helen Nicklin from Yarm, who is a procurement manager with the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, was invited by the Wilton Centre to speak to 40 teenage girls about careers in science.
The Centre – as well as the 10 other sites owned by Pioneer – took part in events to mark the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) on Ada Lovelace Day.
Even though she died at the age of just 36 more than 150 years ago, Ada’s pioneering work as a mathematician and the world’s first computer programmer is still celebrated across the world every year.
The story of her life and work also persuaded Helen to choose Ada as the subject of her specialist round when she competed in the iconic TV quiz during the 2020 lockdown. “Mastermind is one of those things that had always intrigued me. I love a general knowledge quiz and I just thought I’ve got time on my hands so why not give it a go,” she said.
Sitting down in the famous black chair and facing the formidable host John Humphreys was a “brilliant experience but absolutely terrifying” especially as there was no audience to support the contestants.
Helen narrowly missed out on going through to the next stage of the competition but is planning to try again: “I think I would continue the theme and pick another woman in science and technology – Mary Somerville, Dorothy Hodgkin or Rosalind Franklin, perhaps, to bring it more into the modern world.”
And reflecting on Ada’s significance, Helen said: “She’s such an important role model – even now in a world that’s so vastly changed. It’s so vital for young women to realise that they can contribute in so many different ways.”
Experiments and career options
The students from four Teesside schools – Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, Ryehills Academy in Redcar, St Michael’s Catholic Academy in Billingham and Outwood Academy Bydales from Marske-by-the-Sea – also heard from female scientists who work for Wilton Centre occupiers Absolute Antibody and CPI. Later they took part in experiments and discussed educational and career options with representatives of Middlesbrough College.
Claire Reed, Head of Business and Computing at Laurence Jackson School said events like Ada Lovelace Day are helping to bring about change: “A shift has happened over the past few years. There are so many opportunities on Teesside. If we can get more girls interested in STEM the world’s their oyster.”
Nadia Ammor, a science teacher at Ryehills Academy, said: “The girls seem really inspired. I’m inspired as well. It’s nice to see women taking control and telling us all about the opportunities there are for girls on Teesside. A lot of them want careers in STEM, whereas five years ago it was predominantly the boys.”
Welcoming the teachers and students, the Wilton Centre Site Director Steve Duffield said companies like the Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Absolute Antibody and CPI had women in influential positions, but “that’s probably the exception to the rule and it shouldn’t be the case.”
He added: “We need more women in more key roles to influence what’s happening in the world of science.”