Edith Morley Lecture: In conversation with Penny Mordaunt MP
Tuesday, 28 February 2017
On 10 March, Penny Mordaunt, the Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North and a University alumna, will be talking to the Vice-Chancellor, Sir David Bell, as part of the Edith Morley Lecture.
The event is scheduled for 1-2 pm at Meadow Suite. To book a place, please visit the Events listing page.
During her visit to the campus, Penny will join us for the renaming ceremony of the HumSS building. It is to be named after Edith Morley, who was the UK's first female professorial appointment.
Penny has had a successful career is business and communications – working in the private, public and charitable sectors.
She was the director of one of the top performing local authorities in the UK, delivering excellent services for one of the lowest council taxes in the country.
She went on to be director of a national lottery distributor and created the Veterans Reunited programme, enabling service men and women to visit WWII battlefields and be involved in commemorative events.
In 2006, Penny became Director of Diabetes UK - the largest patient organisation in Europe. She expanded the services of the charity and substantially increased its income, and set up services in developing countries particularly prone to diabetes.
In 2004 she set up her own business which she sold on her election to Parliament in 2010.
In 2015, Penny was appointed as the Minister for Armed Forces and is the first female Member of Parliament to hold this position. In 2016, Penny was appointed as Minister of State for Disable People, Health and Work.
This special event is in memory of Edith Morley, believed to be the first woman to be awarded the title professor in a British university. Appointed as professor of English Language at Reading in 1908, Professor Morley was dedicated to her subject, her students and her cause. She believed that women should have an equal place in academia and society, and was and was an inspiring and motivating force for the young people around her.
Over 100 years on, we are pleased to celebrate this extraordinary part of our heritage with this annual event to inspire young women today to achieve great things.