Linda Conlon, chief executive of the International Centre for Life (Life) in Newcastle upon Tyne, has been honoured with a prestigious award.
A driving force behind the creation of the Life science centre, which opened in 2000, Conlon joins an elite group of fellows of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) – the US-based body representing science centres and museums across the world.
ASTC’s Fellow Award for Outstanding Contribution recognises people for their exemplary service to the field and furthering the public understanding of science.
The association’s highest individual honour was presented to Conlon at the opening ceremony of its annual conference in Chicago.
Accepting her award, she said: “I’m proud and humbled to receive such a prestigious award from my international colleagues. I see it as not only a personal honour for me but also a strong endorsement of the innovative work that the Life team does on a daily basis.”
“I believe strongly that the world desperately needs science centres. The pace of development in science and technology is accelerating, bringing with it opportunities and threats for us all. As trusted places, science centres play a vital role in helping people to separate the fact from the fiction and to make informed choices about their lives.”
ASTC, which represents 600 organisations in more than 40 countries, has given the award just 32 times in its 50-year history. This is the first time the award has been presented to a European woman.
ASTC’s highest individual honour
In 2015, Conlon became the first European woman to be elected president of ASTC. She has also served as chair of the Association of Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC), the UK’s science centre network organisation.
Chair of the board of trustees at Life, Fiona Cruickshank, said: “Linda leads a team that plays a crucial role in engaging people of all ages and from diverse communities in science, paving the way for the next generation of scientists, engineers and technologists – something that is desperately needed in North East England.
“Linda also possesses exceptional commercial acumen. She has created a self-sustaining business model that is admired globally and is an incredible role model and mentor to women in the industry internationally.”
