International Women’s Day 2026: Reflections from the Science Ceilidh Team
International Women’s Day is a moment to pause and recognise the women who shape our lives, our work and our communities.
Earlier this week, we shared reflections from some of the Science Ceilidh team on social media. We asked a few simple questions about what the day means to them, what inspires them in their work and communities and the women who have influenced their lives and careers.
Their responses highlight many different perspectives, but also a shared recognition of the women whose courage and creativity continue to shape the world around us.
Here are some of their reflections.
Sophie
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
"It provides an opportunity to reflect upon the women who paved the path for others to be able to pursue their goals. It's also a chance to recognise the systemic difficulties that women continue to face around the world."
Tell us about another woman who inspires you:
"It sounds cheesy but I'm so inspired by my mom and sister. They both work tirelessly every day to ensure everyone around them feels heard and valued, which is a massive piece of why I strive to support community-led research!"
Sophie’s reflection highlights an important balance that International Women’s Day often invites us to hold; recognising progress, while also acknowledging the barriers that remain.
Becky
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
"To me, it is a chance to recognise the women who have shaped the opportunities we have today, and to reflect on the work that still needs to be done."
Tell us about another woman who has inspired or influenced your life or career?
“My Grandma, Margaret. She was the first girl in her family to go to a grammar school on a scholarship, against her family’s wishes, who were encouraging her to leave education and start work. She loved to learn, and worked hard to continue her education against the odds. She always encouraged me in both education and work, reminding me that the opportunities women have today are hard-won and shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
What inspires you in your work or in your community?
"I'm constantly inspired by the strong, intelligent and creative women I meet in my day-to-day life, both at work and in my community. Seeing so many independent, passionate women pursuing their ideas and supporting others around them motivates me to keep building on my own goals, even on the days when motivation feels a wee bit harder to find!"
Across communities, workplaces and networks, women continue to inspire one another through creativity, leadership and mutual support.
Lewis
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
"We are still so far away from social justice for women, and this day in the world of 2026 is a reminder how we need to approach this completely intersectionally. This work doesn’t stop today, and for men, it’s our responsibility to show and step up: a more socially-just world for women is a more socially-just world for everyone."
Tell us about another woman that has inspired or influenced you in your life or career?
"It’s a cliché but it’s my mum. She came here as an immigrant with very little and worked so hard and sacrificed so much for me and my brothers. Throughout it all, she always encouraged me to be curious, to sing, to dance, to find joy...and just to create in any way I can to believe in myself and connect and build understanding with others."
What inspires you in your work, or in your community?
"So much of community development and research, youth work, STEM and culture is led by incredible women working tirelessly and often completely thanklessly and invisibly in spite of the barriers put in their way by people, structures and our society. I am constantly learning and grateful to them and work to ensure we spotlight this as we can."
Lewis highlights the importance of allyship, and the role everyone can play in recognising and challenging the structures that shape inequality.
Natalia
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
"To me, this day is a time to commemorate the work done by women and allies to build a more equitable and just world. It is about making sure that everything, from the language we use to structural issues like equal pay, is fair. It is a reminder that every human being deserves to feel safe and comfortable, where consent is a reality rather than a dream and women can be in public without fear. Ultimately, it’s a day to celebrate the efforts that allow women to fully participate, speak, and have a say over our own bodies, lives, and careers."
What inspires you in your work or in your community?
"I am inspired by seeing happy people (especially women) thriving while doing what they love. There is something very powerful about people being fully themselves and finding joy in their own skin."
Tell us about another woman who has inspired or influenced your life or career?
"My sister has inspired me to advocate for others and for myself. She isn't afraid to speak up about difficult themes like violence, oppression, race, and discrimination, especially when talking with young people. As a mother, she navigates these conversations about justice honestly, I see this as a small effort that acts as a seed for a much more just world."
Natalia’s reflection reminds us that International Women’s Day is not only about recognition, but also about justice and the ongoing work of building fairer systems.
Max
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
“Women's day is public space/time, a moment to reflect about where we are and affect where we want to go. Women's rights advocacy is an everyday task, egality, visibility, respect, and recognition are not earning a day, but today we remembered, showcase, celebrate and plan ahead for more.
What inspires you in your work or in your community?
Sisterhood, support, and encouragement from fellow women for being and pursuing who I am and what I believe to be good for our world. But what I get the most joy from is the chance to give back to women of any age and disposition the same confidence, pride and will power I found in my life.
Tell us about another woman who has inspired or influenced your life or career?
It would be difficult to name them all. Some are muses like B. Rossler and Chiara Boticci, Nan Shepherd writers that speak to my heart. Some are just amazingly strong and kind women I have had a conversation with on a boat ride to North Uist, in a hut in Peru or supportive women I have met while travelling out and about. To choose one would be unfair to the contribution a kind smile and a nod have done when stories are shared about what being a woman is.
Max’s reflection recognises the collective power of women supporting each other and the many ways inspiration can appear…through writers, conversations, shared experiences and everyday acts of encouragement.
Alexia
What does International Women's Day mean to you?
"A day of commemorating past struggles and victories and for celebrating achievements, a reminder not to take things for granted and to keep striving for a more just world."
What inspires you in your work, or in your community?
"In my work, I am inspired by what each of us contributes to projects, offering our range of skills, expertise and insight, and generously sharing our time and support with each other. Working collaboratively towards a shared goal in our day to day is an inspiring example of how much can be achieved when people work together and how much we can all learn from each other."
Alexia’s reflection highlights the power of collaboration and shared effort in building meaningful change.
Celebrating women in our communities
Across these reflections, a common thread emerges: the importance of community, collaboration and the women whose influence and work shapes the spaces around us.
International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate those contributions, while also recognising that the work of building a more equitable world continues every day.
At Science Ceilidh, we see that work happening in real-time within the communities we work with, and through the organisations that we collaborate with. We are grateful to the many women whose ideas and leadership help make that work possible.