The Embassy of Ireland, in conjunction with the Centre for European Studies at ANU, is hosting a panel discussion to mark the occasion of St Brigid’s Day. In contemporary Ireland, St Brigid’s Day seeks to celebrate the successes and achievements of women, and promotes individuals and institutions who tirelessly break barriers in achieving greater gender equality and opportunities for women, and marginalised gender identities.

This year we are also marking 50 years of Ireland’s membership of the European Union, which gives us a chance to reflect on one of the primary values we practice and uphold - the continuous effort to strive towards gender equality with increased and enhanced participation of women in politics, and in positions of power, to build more representative and accountable governments.

This panel event will feature inspiring and successful women in the fields of foreign affairs, defence, and academia, who will share and discuss their career paths, the obstacles which continue to face women today, and advice they may have for the future generation.

The panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception which will provide a space for guests to make meaningful connections, and cultivate new relationships among peers, potential mentors and mentees.

The event will be hosted at the ANU Research School of Social Sciences on 17 February from 5pm to 7.30pm.

Guest speakers include:

Dr Ruth Adler GAICD - Former Australian Ambassador to Ireland (2012-2016) and High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam (2006-2009). Also served as Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Mexico City and Second Secretary, Australian Embassy, Manila.

Dr Ruth Adler is a former senior career officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). In DFAT, Dr Adler held various Senior Executive roles, with responsibility for a range of bilateral, regional, multilateral and corporate issues. As Assistant Secretary of DFAT’s Environment Branch (2009-2011), Ruth advised ministers on climate and environment issues, sustainable development and the future of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). She was also Australia’s lead negotiator for the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Ruth is currently an independent consultant and Director of the Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies - Asia-Pacific Pty Ltd.

Dr Claire Davis - Strategic Research Program Manager at Defence Science And Technology (DST)

A native of Dublin, Dr Davis has been working in the fields of science and defence for more than 20 years. After gaining her PhD in Photonics and Fibre Optics, she began her career in Australia in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (now DSTG) as a research scientist in the Aerospace Division. In 2020, she was seconded to the role of Associate Director at Defence Science Institute, before returning to DSTG in a Strategic Program Management role late last year. Dr Davis is currently the group leader for the STaR (Science, Technology and Research) Shots program, which brings together interdisciplinary expertise from across Australia and around the world to address Defence and national security challenges.

Associate Professor Faith Gordon is Deputy Associate Dean of Research at ANU College of Law, Director of the Interdisciplinary International Youth Justice Network and an Associate Research Fellow of the Information Law and Policy Centre, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London.

Faith is originally from rural Annaclone, County Down and first in the family in all generations to go to University. She completed her LLB Law with Politics, Masters and PhD at Queen’s University in Belfast. Faith is internationally renowned for her socio-legal research, which explores serious contemporary legal problems impacting children, young people, and vulnerable groups. Faith has an extensive record of international and local impact and engagement and was awarded the ANU Vice Chancellor’s Award for Impact and Engagement Excellence in 2022. Faith’s advocacy has led to her academic publications being utilised - resulting in significant changes and reforms in her field, including to the regulatory framework/contents of the UK’s national professional guidelines for journalists and outcomes in cases protecting the rights of minors in the UK, Ireland and in Aotearoa-New Zealand. Faith provides pro-bono guidance to Indigenous-led organisations, Children’s Commissioners, and multi-cultural youth organisations in Australia. Faith is one of three appointed members of the Queensland Family and Child Commission Child Rights Expert Peer Review Panel. She co-leads Diplomacy Training Programme’s training of government officials and civil society organisations in children’s rights and co-hosts online webinars accessed by over 12 countries.

This event forms part of the ANUCES Jean Monnet project Culture in International Relations: Europe and the Indo-Pacific (CIR) supported by the Erasmus + Program of the European Union.