To mark Women’s History Month, the University of Reading is inviting local residents to join staff and students for a free public lecture on Thursday 26 March at the Whiteknights campus.
A Celebration of Women – 100 Years of Courage, Legacy, and Changemakers will feature a live in-conversation interview with Dr Alice Mpofu-Coles, the current Mayor of Reading, who will share her remarkable journey.
Dr Mpofu-Coles is the first Black female Mayor of refugee background in Reading and also a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at the University.
The event will explore the passion, resilience, and dedication that have shaped her life and leadership. It will also highlight her Mayoral theme, which focuses on inequalities in Reading by supporting charities working on food poverty and initiatives for women and girls. Attendees can expect a broad and honest discussion covering her previous work as a diplomat, life in academia, social justice, volunteering, and her experiences of facing challenges like breast cancer and losing family members, as well as the racial and gendered dynamics faced by Black women.
The lecture is known as the Annual Edith Morley Lecture, named after Professor Edith Morley, who was the first female professor in England and worked at the University of Reading. This year’s lecture forms part of the University’s centenary celebrations.
Dr Mpofu-Coles said: “It is such an honour, and I am grateful for the support from the residents of Reading and to the University of Reading’s Women’s Network and allies to be part of the legacy of Professor Edith Morley, a Fabian like myself, and to celebrate women and 100 years of the University.”
The evening will include music and poetry performances, concluding with a live audience Q&A, giving attendees the chance to engage directly with the Mayor of Reading as a civic leader.
The event will start at 7pm in the Edith Morley building on Whiteknights Campus.
Admission is free, but booking is essential.
