Named after the pioneering mathematician recognised as the world’s first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace Day was founded in 2009 as a way of celebrating the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Last year, the organisers of the global annual event announced it was being cancelled due to a lack of funding, representing a major blow for those who care about championing women’s careers in these vital fields. But now, we couldn’t be happier to say that Ada Lovelace Day is coming back for 2023 – with support from Stylist.

Ada Lovelace Day will now go ahead on Tuesday 10 October, with Stylist as its proud media partner, and an event will be hosted at The Royal Institution in London.

Hosted by comedian Helen Arney, the exciting show will feature Jennifer Rohn, head of the Centre for Urological Biology, University College London, Azza Eltraify, senior software engineer at Ultracell Networks Ltd, Sophie Carr, Mathematician, Bays Consulting Limited, Aarathi Prasad, Writer, broadcaster, and geneticist and Anjana Khatwa, Earth scientist and presenter, with tickets available to purchase now.

“When we heard that Ada Lovelace Day was under threat we wanted to help save it,” says Lisa Smosarski, Stylist’s editorial director. “As a champion of gender equality, we had always admired the day as a truly authentic way of championing women in STEM and for showcasing the pioneering work of women like Ada.

“Considering women are still hugely underrepresented in this field, this day is still very important and much needed. By adding the Stylist brand network and influential audience, we’re thrilled that Ada Lovelace Day will run in 2023 and for many more years to come.” 

According to data compiled by the organisation STEM Women, the number of women in the STEM workforce in the UK increased slightly between 2016 and 2019, rising from 21% to 24% – representing around 1 million women. However, the proportion of tech roles filled by women has stalled at 16% since 2009 – with data trend analysis suggesting women will still hold less than 30% of jobs in the overall STEM sector by 2030.

The Ada Lovelace Day team will now relaunch its newsletter on Substack, where it will publish profiles of women in STEM and highlight books and podcasts by and about women in STEM. The event in London in October, meanwhile, will feature appearances from women in STEM who will share their experiences, insights and expertise in order to “inspire and empower the next generation”. This is crucial, because lack of awareness of the achievements of women in STEM is an ongoing problem: one in three young people (aged 14-19) across the UK say that they haven’t been or don’t remember being taught about a woman scientist in the past two years, according to a survey by Stemettes. 

Experts say this lack of awareness can prevent women and girls from pursuing groundbreaking, innovative careers in STEM – and that locking out female talent prevents the scientific community from finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the world. With STEM jobs crucial to tackling the climate crisis (as well as being among the highest-paid in the UK), and the government unveiling plans to cement the UK’s place as a science and technology superpower by 2030, it’s never been more crucial for women to play a pivotal role in the sector.

Ava Lovelace Day’s founder Suw Charman-Anderson says she created the annual celebration “to champion and encourage girls and women who are studying or working in STEM not just because they need our support, although they do, but also because we need them to be there”. 

STEM affects nearly every aspect of our lives, Charman-Anderson continues. “In fields like technology, engineering and medicine especially, the absence of women’s knowledge and experience has resulted in our needs going unmet. Health apps that don’t allow for period tracking, mobile phones designed for male hands, or drugs that harm women because the dosage hasn’t taken women’s physiology into account could all have been avoided if there had been women at the table.

“Stylist’s support means that this year’s event will go ahead on 10 October at the Royal Institution, and we will be able to reach a new audience of smart, ambitious and amazing women. Ada Lovelace Day isn’t just a celebration of women’s achievements, it also epitomises equality, support and empowerment of women in all professions and disciplines.”

Tickets start from just £7.79 and are available to buy here. Discover more about Ada Lovelace Day 2023 and how you can get involved at findingada.com

Images: Ada Lovelace Day/Getty