Negative Gravity: Mysterious Forces and Bold Women in Tech

It's about time cosmology took over the South West London Tech Cluster. Not only is 8th March International Women's Day with the Theme for 2017 of 'Be Bold for Change', but 8th March is today's inspiration, Dr Beatrice (Tilly) Shilling OBE's birthday too. (More about her below). AND ALSO, we are celebrating the official opening of Canbury Works flexible workspace, right in the middle of Kingston's aviation birthplace under Sopwith and Hawker.

The Speakers - The Message - Women 'Be Bold for Change'!

This is a timely theme all right, considering we just had the largest worldwide demonstration by women the world has even seen. We have a suitable line up of speakers to put flesh on the bone.

1. Sabrina Clarke

Managing Principal, Build Global

Sabrina will give a strategic overview of SW London Tech Cluster in the global and national context.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-clarke-2b004768

@SabrinaBG2032 (https://twitter.com/SabrinaBG2032)

2. Henrietta Heald, Writer and Editor

Henrietta will talk about her new project, Magnificent Women and their Revolutionary Machines.

https://unbound.com/books/magnificent-women/

@henrietta999 (https://twitter.com/henrietta999)

3. Melanie Hardman, Ximb.io, Disruptive Life Sciences Innovator

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaniehardman/

@abovebelowh20 (https://twitter.com/abovebelowH2O)

4. Charlotte Downs, Co-Founder, More Than Carrots

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlottedowns/

@CharlotteLDowns (https://twitter.com/CharlotteLDowns)

Drinks and canapes sponsored by Canbury Works and [tbc]

Celebratory awards.

Official opening of Canbury Works

Tilly Shilling and Negative - G

https://a248.e.akamai.net/secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/c/c/6/f/600_457972335.jpeg

Aero engineers will know Tilly Shilling's legacy as the woman who made the Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft engines work properly during WW2. She overcame the problem of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines conking out when the aircraft pulled negative-G during combat. Not good, but she fixed it, and in doing so helped RAF pilots to win the Battle of Britain.

Others will know Tilly Shilling as the gal who was awarded the Gold Star for lapping the Brooklands racing circuit at 106 miles per hour on her Norton M30 motorcyle, beating professional riders.

Tilly Shilling's biography is Negative Gravity: A Life of Beatrice Shilling (Charlton Publications, 2004) by Matthew Freudenberg.