Three University staff named as Oxfordshire Women of the Year
23 Oct 07
Three Oxford University staff are among eight ‘Oxfordshire Women of the Year 2007,’ selected by the Women of the Year Lunch and Assembly committee.
Mrs Elizabeth Crawford, Professor Helen Mardon, and Professor Irene Tracey were picked by a nomination council including actress Maureen Lipman, tennis star Virginia Wade, and television presenter Floella Benjamin.
Mrs Elizabeth Crawford is the Domestic Bursar of University College, and the chairman of the Domestic Bursar’s Committee for all 39 Oxford colleges,
Professor Helen Mardon, Tutor in Medical Sciences at St Catherine’s College and Professor of Reproductive Science, works in enabling technologies for stem-cell micro-monitoring and expansion. Her group at the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology investigates the interaction of extra cellular signalling molecules with their receptors in the human endometrium, a lining of the uterus.
Professor Irene Tracey is Director the of Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain (FMRIB) Centre, Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetic Science, and a Fellow of Medicine at Pembroke College. She runs a multidisciplinary research team of approximately 25 scientists and clinicians focusing on using FMRI and electroencephalography to study pain processing within the human brain and spinal cord of chronic pain patients.
Dr Kenneth Fleming, Head of the Medical Sciences Division, said: 'The Division is very pleased that Professors Mardon and Tracey have been honoured in this manner. Not only does this recognise their personal contributions to biomedicine, but it also provides an inspiring example to many others.'
The awards were established in 1955 by Lady Tony Lothian, and aim to bring together outstanding women from all ages and backgrounds. Sister Frances Dominica was announced as the overall ‘Woman of the Year 2007’ on Monday 15 October, at an awards ceremony held at the InterContinental Hotel, Park Lane, London. Sister Frances is the founder of Helen House, the world’s first children’s hospice, which opened in Oxford in 1982.