Meet the committee: Joanne Kenney
I joined Trinity Women Graduates in 2020 making me one of the newest Committee members. I had attended several of their events in the years before and had been exposed to the warmth and inclusivity of the organisation.
I work at Trinity College Dublin as a Research Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council. I study the structure and the function of the brain in psychiatry using neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography. Neuroscience is my passion and I count myself fortunate that I work in an area that inspires and challenges me daily. Working at Trinity College Dublin over the last few years has exposed me to people, opportunities and a culture I had not experienced before. It is exciting, dynamic and fast paced. Last year, I was appointed as Assistant Junior Dean, working closely with the Junior Dean and senior college officers at the college. I experienced the core workings of the university and amassed a wealth of information about university structure and governance. In this role, I had the opportunity to work with and provide support to the students of the university.
While working at Trinity College has opened many doors for me and enhanced by personal and professional development, I have also witnessed and experienced the many barriers that women and minorities still face in their academic careers and in society. While academic careers can be exciting, they are also very difficult and fraught with ever increasing challenges. It can be a lonely place at times with little support provided. I joined a charity called Women in Research Ireland in 2018 and I have been co-director since 2019. We are a volunteer-run organisation which provides a platform and support system for women and minority groups working in universities. I have found much solace and a sense of belonging from being part of Trinity Women Graduates and Women in Research Ireland, meeting many like-minded people who have shared similar experiences to me. Diversity and inclusion has become a core passion of mine and I was very humbled to be a finalist for the International Diversity Role Model Award this year in the annual Diversity in Tech Awards. I was also selected as one of the ten women from Trinity to take part on the Advance HE Aurora leadership programme, a leadership development initiative for women working in higher education.
Change to a culture is always slow and resistance is strong but I believe that a shift is slowly starting to occur in Ireland. This year, the first ever female president of a university was announced when Prof Kersten Mey became President of University of Limerick. Trinity College is 428 years old and there has never been a female Provost. I think it’s about time, don’t you?
As a neuroscientist, I understand the influence of people, culture and surroundings on your sense of self and well-being. There is a quote that says - surround yourself with people you most want to be like. The women at Trinity Women Graduates are most definitely the people I most want to be like, people who connect, support and inspire all generations of Trinity women. I feel truly privileged to be a part of this organisation as it approaches its 100 year celebration. Here’s to the next 100 years of celebrating Trinity women.
