Adebola Akintonde – Student

My name is Adebola, I’m originally from Nigeria but grew up in Dublin. I’m a 3rd year Pharmacy student here at Queen’s and I am also the president of the QUB African and Caribbean society. We are proud that the society is currently run by an all-women team. I think that International Women’s Day is a great time to look back, and look forward, to the advances of women in tech and in STEM, and across the world in general – something that is particularly important to me coming from a culture which still has very traditional views of women. As a student at Queen’s, I feel inspired to do well both academically and to develop myself as a person. I also want to be an inspiration to other women of colour so they too feel that the traditions of our families and pasts do not have to define our future.

Stephanie Gatdula – Student

My name is Stephanie. I am originally from Philippines, but I lived in Scotland for 10 years before coming to Belfast for a PhD in Medicine at QUB. I currently work at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, researching epigenetics in oral cancer. My favourite pastime is cooking and helping my Mum & Dad develop dishes to go on their restaurant menu. I also particularly enjoy living in Belfast as it gives me easy access to water sports as well as beautiful walks and hikes. Personally, I have been very fortunate with my experience as a woman of colour in the UK, but I recognise that some women may have had very different experiences which is why there needs to be a collective effort to break the bias against women and people of colour through awareness and targeted policies. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, among many other amazing women, inspires me to better myself every day.

Yetunde Amusan – Student

My name is Yetunde, I’m a mother of 3 and the owner of an African catering service called “Yetunde's Kitchen”. I was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK 18 years ago. Migrating here has been difficult - I faced a lot of challenges - however they didn’t stop me from achieving what I have today, in fact, they have made me stronger. As well as running a company, I am also a dental nurse and have recently gone back to study to continue expanding my knowledge. Life as a mother, CEO, dental nurse and student is busy so I make sure to take time for myself to recharge every so often. For International Women’s Day 2022 I will honour my mother – she is my role model. She fought her way despite the odds. She put her family first and made tough decisions to provide for us in Nigeria. She is my partner in everything - in life, business, and love.

Amy Wong – Staff

My name is Amy and I am a Lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery having started as a Research Fellow in 2019. I completed my PhD in Australia exploring the impact of providing assessors with feedback on enhancing the consistency of their judgements of student performance in clinical examinations. My research focus is on health professions education research in the areas of assessment, faculty development and digital literacy. I enjoy travelling and experiencing different cultures. My experience of living in different countries has made me appreciate the contribution everyone makes regardless of gender and cultural background to make this world a better place. A collective effort to recognise and celebrate achievement will move us closer to create an equitable and inclusive world. Together we can break the BIAS –

Believe in yourself

Inspire others

Achieve the best that you can

Showcase & celebrate success!

Linda Oyama – Staff

My name is Linda and I’m a Microbiologist. My work at Queen’s is in antimicrobial chemotherapy, designing novel anti-infectives to treat superbugs in human and veterinary medicine. I like to listen and watch an orchestra, spend time watching the waves and watching foreign TV shows just to be weird (no, really, because I love different cultures). Equality in gender and race is an aspiration towards a certain state of inclusivity. Everyone, irrespective of gender and race must work towards this ideal. It is not just the work of the underrepresented race or gender. It is all of our work. We are all inherently biased towards one another, we need continuous reminders to keep us in check. We must not always wait until an unfortunate event has occurred before we highlight problems.  My role models are the many dedicated women in my childhood and in the present who believe in me and cheer me on

Nimmy John – Staff

My name is Nimmy and I’ve been working as an Adult Nurse lecturer at Queen's for the past year. When I pulled on my crisp new student nurse uniform in India back in 2001, I could never have imagined I would find myself working in Belfast as a lecturer. I’m privileged to have such a fulfilling career - it's hard to pick out what I most enjoy, but I’ll always be a nurse first and an educator second. I’m also co-chair of iRISE, a network open to all staff at QUB who identify as BAME and International that aims to support, educate and inspire.

This International Women’s Day I want us to focus on recognising women for who we are, what we do, and the way we think. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the contribution women have made to the University's education and research, including our nurses' collaborations across the world, particularly during the pandemic. The pandemic has in some cases exacerbated gender inequality and has seen many women across the globe shouldering some of the worst impacts of the virus. From this space, I send a huge thank you to all who actively contribute to gender equality, diversity and inclusion, and the women who make Queen’s such a wonderful place to work.