Chair of Women in Materials, Minerals and Mining (WiM3)

Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining

Contract type

Voluntary role

Location

-

Closing date

30 Sep 2026

Salary

N/A

Women in Materials, Minerals & Mining is a voluntary committee of IOM3 whose goal is to provide a focus for women members within IOM3 and help support them in their careers. WIM3 is committed to increasing female participation in IOM3 governance, events and activities and to attracting more women into our profession at all levels. Member network boards meet between two and six times a year, depending on the board’s desires and workload.

Aims:

• To raise the profile of women members of IOM3 and increase female participation, representation and recognition within the Institute’s governance structure.
• To develop and promote pathways and support mechanisms for the professional development of women in the wider materials, minerals and mining community working with other groups and organisations as appropriate.
• To encourage the recruitment of women members to the IOM3 at all professional levels.

Deliver the following services:

• Open up a dialogue with women members regarding mentor, networking and education.
• Engage with younger members, and those considering joining the Institute, as to what the Institute can do to support their needs and making appropriate recommendations to the Institute.
• Arrange networking and professional development events of particular interest to women members in all areas of materials, minerals and mining, working with other groups as appropriate. These events will be organised on an inclusive and gender free basis.
• Investigate the work of other organisations in their engagement with women members, (e.g. other Professional Engineering Institutions, Professional Societies, Learned Societies and Councils concerned with science and engineering) and create benchmarks for best practice.
• Develop and maintain links with relevant organisations, companies and groups, both within and outside the Institute, that share the objective of promoting the role of women in materials science and engineering.
• Identify, encourage and endorse appropriate cases for relevant Awards within and outside the Institute recognising the achievements of female members.
• Promote improved mentoring services for all members.
• Encourage all ‘returners’ to careers in the materials cycle.
• Direct and provide content for relevant parts of the Institute website and member magazines.

Any member in good standing interested in supporting the aims of WiM3 can apply. Please submit a CV and a statement of what you propose to do as Chair to support members, improve equity, diversity, and inclusion to anita.horton@iom3.org by 30 September 2026. 

Find out more about the IOM3 WiM3 Group

Don’t meet every requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At IOM3, we are building a diverse, inclusive and authentic Institute. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the role description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles.