Review of Neuro-psych of Women (NoW) Aberdeen Seminar

In October, I came across the Instagram page of Neuro-Psych of Women (@neuropsychofwomen), a student organisation founded in Glasgow that seeks to highlight the inequities women have historically faced in research. As I read through their posts, I felt an immediate sense of recognition; many of the frustrations I had experienced as an undergraduate were being articulated clearly and openly. Even in our day-to-day lectures, the realities of gender imbalance in science often seemed under-discussed, and the urgency of addressing this disparity was rarely emphasised. 

After discovering that my friend Kayla shared these same frustrations, we decided to take action. Together, we proposed hosting a seminar the following year to bring greater attention to these issues within our own community. 

After several months of planning, we were delighted to host Aberdeen’s first Neuro-Psych of Women seminar, and hopefully the first in a continuing series of student-led events. Seeing around forty students attend on a Monday afternoon, so close to exam season, was a powerful demonstration of the passion and motivation surrounding this topic. 

Introducing NoW, ‘The Default’ and Contraceptive Bias

(Presented by Lucy Browning and Kayla McCabe)

We began by introducing the aims of NoW:

• Supporting women studying psychology, neuroscience and related disciplines 

• Raising awareness of women’s health research 

• Encouraging and supporting students conducting female-specific research 

We also emphasised the importance of establishing a dedicated society at Aberdeen, something Kayla and I were unfortunately unable to fully commit to due to being in the final year of our undergraduate degrees. 

I then led this introduction into a discussion of Caroline Criado Perez’s book Invisible Women (read our review here), which presents striking evidence of how gender bias in data collection can have profound real-world consequences. For example, women are significantly more likely to be misdiagnosed during heart attacks; in part because their symptoms (such as nausea and fatigue) differ from ‘classic’ symptoms more commonly studied and experienced in men. This example illustrates how disparities in research design and medical education can cascade into serious and fatal outcomes. It set a clear foundation for the seminar: why these conversations matter and why inclusion must begin at the earliest stage of scientific inquiry. 

Kayla then discussed contraceptive bias, highlighting how responsibility for contraception continues to fall disproportionately on women. Although male contraceptive methods have been explored, several trials have been discontinued due to side effects that women have long been expected to tolerate. As Kayla noted, ‘the message of equal responsibility falls short when the conversation turns to contraceptive measures’. 

Autism and Menopause

(Presented by Caitlin McKenzie) 

Our first guest speaker, Caitlin McKenzie, shared findings from her recent research exploring the intersection of autism and menopause. She discussed the limited evidence base in this area and how menopausal changes may exacerbate autistic traits, cause a decline in mental health and, overall, pose additional challenges that aren’t clearly explored in literature. She noted that survey findings indicated that nearly all participants felt misunderstood by clinicians, underscoring a critical gap in medical awareness and education. 

Despite the lack of research into this interplay, since Caitlin’s review, more research has been published, including a book titled ‘Autistic Menopause’ by Dr Rachel Moseley and Prof Julie Gamble-Turner. Hopefully, a signpost of change towards a more inclusive healthcare system. 

WiNUK have previously discussed this topic in ‘Do Autistic Women Experience Menopause Differently?’

Personal Experience in Academia

(Presented by Dr Emilie Hollville)

We were fortunate to hear from Dr Emilie Hollville, who spoke candidly about her journey through PhD study, postdoctoral research and establishing her own lab and research at the University of Aberdeen. Her reflections on navigating academia as a woman were both inspiring and deeply relatable for all in attendance. 

Importantly, her talk created space for informal networking after the seminar. Many students took the opportunity to ask questions and discuss career pathways - exactly the supportive and empowering environment we hoped to create. 

The Leaky Pipeline in Psychology 

(Presented by Monika Mya) 

Monika Mya explored the concept of the ‘leaky pipeline’, often visualised as a scissor-shaped curve, showing the progressive decline in representation of women and other underrepresented groups as academic career stages advance. While undergraduate cohorts in disciplines such as psychology and neuroscience are frequently female-dominated, senior leadership positions remain disproportionately occupied by men. 

Her talk also highlighted positive developments, including the psychology department’s recognition through the Athena Swan Charter for its work advancing gender equity. However, after speaking to a Professor at Aberdeen, she emphasised that parenthood remains a major challenge, with maternity leave and unequal access to paternal leave continuing to influence career progression. 

Pain and the Female Brain

(Presented by Tanisha Khera)

Our final speaker, Tanisha Khera, addressed misconceptions surrounding the idea of a distinct ‘male’ and ‘female’ brain. Drawing on preclinical animal research, she described how certain painkillers can actually have opposite effects in male and female mice, illustrating fundamental biological differences in pain processing. 

This reinforces the need for sex-specific research, particularly in conditions such as endometriosis, which remain significantly under-studied despite affecting millions of women. She ended on the message that women experience chronic pain more frequently yet are also more likely to have their symptoms dismissed - a contradiction that underscores the urgency of improving both research representation and clinical understanding.

For more information on gender pain disparity read our blogs ‘Does it hurt more being a woman? Understanding sex differences in pain perception’ and ‘Endometriosis, Women’s Pain and the Power of Storytelling’.

Getting Involved with Women in Neuroscience UK (WiNUK)

Before concluding, I introduced attendees to opportunities available through WiNUK, including ways to engage with the blog and volunteer roles. As a newly appointed review writer, I hoped to encourage others to participate and help expand the reach of both WiNUK and NoW. 

Lasting Impact of the Seminar

The level of engagement following the seminar was incredibly encouraging. Several students approached us to discuss how they might establish a NoW society at Aberdeen, a movement that would help create a lasting space for activism, discussion and support. Connecting our far north university to a wider UK network focused on gender equity in science feels like an important next step. 

On a personal level, one attendee later shared that she had discussed the seminar with her mother, particularly the point about gender differences in room temperature (as most rooms are designed for the metabolic rate of a 40-year-old 70kg man, chronically too cold for women), a fact highlighted in Invisible Women. This conversation ultimately led to a discussion with her boss and a workplace temperature adjustment, improving comfort for herself and other female employees.

These seemingly small, everyday changes are precisely the kind of impact we had hoped the seminar would inspire. We hope attendees carry these reflections forward into their future careers, ensuring that science (regardless of discipline) continues to move toward being more inclusive, equitable and representative for all! 

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This article was written by Lucy Browning and edited by Rebecca Pope, with graphics produced by Suzana Sultan. If you enjoyed this article, be the first to be notified about new posts by signing up to become a WiNUK member (top right of this page)! Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch.