Changing the way women are represented on Wikipedia

A group of students passionate about changing the way women are represented on Wikipedia joined the ranks of Wikipedia Editors this weekend.

An informative and entertaining workshop, under the excellent guidance of Dr Alice White Digital Editor and Wikimedian-in-Residence at the Wellcome Trust, showed students how to claim a subject, and the many tips on the do’s and don’ts, of improving an existing page and or creating a new one.

“I’m so excited to be able to start highlighting the achievements of some amazing women!”

For those who doubted how important Wikipedia can be, the Principal shared her own experience of how much civil servants and diplomats rely on Wikipedia to find out more about people they want to meet, or who want to meet them. It helps build bridges, identify common interests, work out who the movers and shakers in a society are. She said was surprised – and touched – to find that someone had written a Wikipedia entry for her.

This, the first in a series over the 150th Anniversary period was dedicated to honoring notable women who have passed away.  Future events will focus on those currently making – or who have recently made – significant impact.

Updates included:

  • Dharma Kumar, economist and economic historian, who looked at the impact of colonialism on Indian agriculture with new eyes
  • Ida Freund, the first woman lecturer in chemistry in the UK
  • Dorothy Garrod, the first woman Professor at either Oxford or Cambridge
  • Kate Bertram, biologist and President of Lucy Cavendish College
  • Philippa Fawcett, mathematician and educationalist
  • Gertrude Elles, geologist, the first woman Reader at Cambridge
  • Jessie MacWilliams, mathematician

New pages under creation included:

  • Eileen McKee, computer pioneer
  • Victoria Cohen, ocular oncologist

Work on entries continued after the event closed, and to date the number of words add has doubled since Saturday.  Alice continues to offer students support with their editing.

“An honor and a privilege to be creating and updating Wikipedia pages today”

MCR Member Fania Christodoulides described it as “an honor and a privilege to be creating and updating Wikipedia pages today,” while Schools Liaison Officer Lucy Rogers said, “I’m so excited to be able to start highlighting the achievements of some amazing women!”

Incoming President of the Roll Committee, Annette Spencer, said “Today’s students were so enthusiastic about what they had learned, and how easy it was, so I have real hope that we have created some lifelong Wiki editors today.”

If there’s a subject or person that you know about, why not become a Wiki editor yourself? A warning though – once you start updating Wikipedia, it becomes addictive!