Championing Change: Pompey Tech and Professional Forum Organises A Special Edition Of International Women's Day Program To Tackle Gender Gaps and Diversity in AI.

Portsmouth, UK: March 1, 2025 In a compelling celebration of International Women’s Day, the Pompey Tech and Professional Forum an initiative under the Portsmouth Tech and Cultural Hub CIC hosted a powerful special edition event focused on the urgent topic: The Gender Gap in STEM Fields and the Importance of Diversity in AI Development (Progress and Challenges) in the United Kingdom. Held at Spark Community Space, the event brought together voices from technology, academia, and social impact sectors to spotlight the persistent gender disparities in STEM and the critical need for inclusivity in artificial intelligence design and policy. The keynote was delivered by Becky Lodge, Founder and CEO of Little Kanga Ltd. and Desk2Educate Ltd., a renowned advocate for women in business and STEM entrepreneurship. Her address set the tone for an afternoon of honest, thought-provoking dialogue about the barriers women still face in entering and thriving in STEM fields, and how biased AI systems reflect broader structural inequalities. She further share her childhood experience and challenge your girls to aim higher and enter into the STEM field as the field is changing from traditional coding to a more creative one. She further urged male allies to give girls and young women the opportunity to thrive. The panel included a dynamic group of professionals: Edie McCoskrie and Denisa Grigoriu, both Executive Business Communication Officers at Cyberwomen Portsmouth and current students of Counter Terrorism, Intelligence & Cybercrime at the University of Portsmouth, served as critical voices from the emerging tech generation. Edie shared her journey on how she found herself in STEM, the challenges and the vast opportunity in the Cybersecurity space. Denisa also served as the session host. Seun Cole, a Data Officer for the West Midlands Racial Justice Initiative (Church of England), offered insight on intersectionality and the power of data in driving equity. She took us back on her journey in STEM and how she found her way into tech and fell in love with data. She noted that her current role as a data officer has helped her to understand the bias that is inherent in building an inclusive data and AI processes. She encouraged Parents to allow their girl child to pursue a career in STEM as it is a rewarding one which will help shape our society into a better one. Omon Fagbemigbe, Lead Emission Impact Analyst and KTP Associate at the University of Portsmouth, provided an environmental and analytical lens to the conversation, she spoke on the power of mentorship and not downplaying your skills as a young girl and a woman. She emphasised how she navigated her career from the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and the challenges she has overcome as a woman of colour in a male dominated field. She encouraged young girls to stand up for what is right and be extremely excellent in their chosen field of endeavour. Sandie Davis, Partnership Coordinator at Spark Community Space, grounded the discussion in community resilience and inclusion at the grassroots level. She noted how the field is changing to a more creative STEM and not limiting children who are not traditionally good in mathematics to the art sector. She continued by advocating for more funding at the local level and the third sector to drive real growth in the education industry. More Than Just Talk The session wasn’t just about awareness, it was a call to action. Each speaker shared solutions and personal experiences, ranging from inclusive hiring practices to creating culturally aware tech ecosystems. The forum highlighted how building representative AI begins with amplifying underrepresented voices in education, recruitment, and innovation. The event was powered by the Portsmouth Tech and Cultural Hub CIC, with support from Spark Community Space and Pathway to Salesforce. A Step Forward As AI rapidly integrates into every layer of modern life, events like this play a vital role in steering the conversation toward fairness, safety, and shared progress. By placing women at the centre of tech leadership and development, Portsmouth tech and cultural hub is helping shape a more equitable future, not just in code, but in culture.