International Women’s Day: Perspectives from Three Women Across the Pembroke Community

“Despite the apprehensions of Pembroke men, past and present, the College is still standing,” declared Linda Harris at the end of her first year as one of the 26 women who joined Pembroke in 1979 – the year women were admitted to Pembroke for the first time. Not only is College still standing 46 years later, it is excelling, in large part because of the women who have joined and shaped the Pembroke community from 1979 onwards. 

Whilst entering Pembroke as the minority in a College full of men could not have been easy for those women who were admitted in 1979, they paved the way for their success and that of the women who came after them. From entering top leadership positions at Oxbridge, such as former Pembroke Fellow Irene Tracey who is now Oxford’s Vice Chancellor and former undergraduate Elisabeth Kendall who was appointed Mistress of Girton College in Cambridge in 2022, to Pembroke alum Katharine Viner becoming the Guardian’s first female Editor-in-Chief at The Guardian in 2015; a lot of women have passed through Pembroke’s doors and gone on to achieve incredible things! 

Just last week, Pembroke alum and Paralympic Gold medallist Erin Kennedy OBE coxed Pembroke W1 to victory in her eponymous Empacher, winning a historic Torpids Headship to add to W1’s collection of Eights Headships. 

For this year’s International Women’s Day, we thought we’d ask three Pembroke women from across the College community - a staff member, a Fellow, and a student - some questions to find out more about them and their experience at Pembroke and in Oxford. 

CAROLINE BARNES

Caroline has worked at Pembroke for 11 years in total over two stints and now works in Pembroke’s Academic Office as Academic Registrar and Director of Admissions.

"Tell us a fun fact about your role as a Bedel." 

A Bedel is an official in some British universities with ceremonial duties. The role has existed at Oxford University since the 13th century. 

I took on the Bedel role when I was still working in the Proctors’ Office in March 2018. I was only the third full-time female Bedel at that point, we now have another. The role has a history as long as that of the University. Participating in degree ceremonies is great now I am back at Pembroke as I get to see our students graduate!

Best experience so far: meeting Katy Perry at one of the Encaenia garden parties (picture: June 2018)!

"What role has rowing played in your Oxford experience so far?"

I got roped into rowing in my first term as a student at Harris Manchester (MT 1997!) as a favour to a friend from our neighbouring college Hertford. She needed a person to sit in a boat for an outing at short notice. Somehow, two outings later I was racing with them at Christ Church regatta and we won our first race. Needless to say, I was hooked! I rowed with Hertford W1 until 2000 when I graduated then moved to City of Oxford. No question of returning to my hometown and leaving the river by that point!

Swapped clubs a few times and rowed for Wallingford as well as CORC. When I started working at Pembroke, the Women’s Captain heard I had rowed so I also joined PCBC W1 from 2003-09. I also coached our M2 and we won blades at Torpids in 2008. I actually only chose to apply for the job at Pembroke in 2003 as I had previously (when a student) dated a PCBC M1 rower and really liked visiting College with him!

I stopped rowing a few years ago now but I’m a Senior Umpire for OURCs which means I’m still involved from the riverbank but get fewer blisters!

Fair to say rowing has played a rather major part in my Oxford experience!

Picture: Torpids 2006 in a blizzard – I’m at 7! 

LUCY RODGERSON

Lucy is Pembroke’s JCR President and is a second-year undergraduate reading Law.

"Tell us about a goal for the future and what is a lesson you've learned at Pembroke that you'll take away with you?"

My aim for the future is to become a corporate lawyer. Pembroke has taught me so many things but perhaps the most important lesson that I have learnt here that I will take away into my career is that success is rarely achieved alone. Whether this is drawing on your friends and family to lend support, or by working in a team taking multiple perspectives into account to achieve an ultimate goal, I will definitely take this lesson away with me into my legal career. 

"What made you want to run for Pembroke JCR President." 

My decision to run for JCR Pres. was really the product of having such an amazing first year here and feeling like I really wanted to get involved in continuing that fun and inclusive spirit. Not only most of the time is being part of the Committee really good fun but also there is a real tangible impact that the committee is able to bring to our community. Being part of a team that not only celebrates Pembroke spirit but also drives meaningful change is incredibly inspiring. Leading such a diverse and talented group of people has broadened my horizons considerably, affording me unique opportunities and imparting valuable lessons that I will definitely carry forward.

PROFESSOR YIMON AYE

Professor Aye is one of Pembroke’s newest Fellows; She is a Tutor and Fellow in Organic Chemistry, Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and a Royal Society Wolfson Fellow.

"If you had to describe your research to an alien from Mars, what would you say?"

"We innovate new tools and apply them to decode the roles of short-lived chemicals in cellular communications. By the way, do you guys have a research institute, for collaborations and students-exchange?"

You can read more about Yimon and her research here.