The awardees are chosen by the previous award holders for their scientific achievements and ability to inspire others. This scientific “relay” takes place every two years, and creates an inspiring network of women connected by their link to the scheme.

In 2018, Elizabeth Bradbury, Professor of Regenerative Medicine & Neuroplasticity at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), was recognised for her scientific leadership at the Suffrage Science awards. Speaking at the time, Professor Bradbury said, ‘I feel honoured to know that I will be a link in this chain, which symbolises and celebrates the strong bonds and empowering networks we can create with our fellow female scientists. As Suffrage Science awardees I believe we should aim to harness the power and solidarity we have as a network to try and improve the future for women in science and to help the next generation to achieve their goals.’

For the 2020 Suffrage Science award, Professor Bradbury has nominated Dr Veronique Miron from the University of Edinburgh to be the next link in this prestigious and important chain.

Of her reasons for choosing Dr Miron, Professor Bradbury said:

Dr Miron, a senior lecturer and principal investigator in neuroscience, will be honoured at a special event on Friday 6 November 2020, the sixth Suffrage Science awards celebration for women working in the Life Sciences.

IoPPN Suffrage Science awardees in the past also include Professor Corinne Houart, who received the award in 2016, and in 2018  passed on her award to Professor Irene Miguel-Aliaga from Imperial College London.

The Suffrage Science scheme was founded nine years ago by the Medical Research Council’s London Institute of Medical Sciences (then Clinical Sciences Centre). It celebrates and inspires women in science, creating a self-perpetuating cohort of talent that will encourage others to enter science and reach senior leadership roles. The awards themselves are “heirloom” items of jewellery commissioned from students of the art and design college, Central St Martins-UAL, who worked with scientists to create pieces inspired by research. The pieces also draw inspiration from the jewellery of the Suffragette movement, from which the award scheme takes its name.