In February, Bedford College alumna Professor Georgina Rippon spoke at Regent's University, Bedford's former premises, about her recently published book 'The gendered brain: The new neuroscience that shatters the myth of the female brain' (which destroys some long-standing myths). In attendance were fellow Bedford alumni, including Betty Hales, who shares her account of the evening.

By Betty Hales (BSc Physics 1973 and Bedford Society Committee member)

What a pleasure it was to hear Gina Rippon speak about her brilliant new book, ‘The Gendered Brain’ and how delightful to walk from Baker Street station through the park again.

Gina is a wonderful speaker, keeping us fully entertained with her very informative and lively presentation and then answering a range of thought-provoking questions. For centuries Science has been looking for the ‘hard-wired’ difference between the female and male brain as if such difference definitely exists. But we know that the brain is plastic and any slight difference detected could well be due to a lifetime of experiencing different expectations. We laughed at tokenistic attempts to blur the pink and blue sections in the toyshop, such as an ‘Engineer Barbie’, complete with high heels and mini skirt under her cute lab coat who investigates the workings of a pink washing machine and a pink rotating wardrobe! Perhaps we should have cried.

The event was well attended by several Bedford alumni alongside Regent's students and others. Wine flowed freely throughout the evening, thanks to the hospitality of the Regent’s Psychology department. They couldn’t have chosen a better first speaker and topic for their planned series of public events. This was a fitting tribute to the significant contribution that Bedford College played in the history of higher education and emancipation of women. Thank you, Gina.