Florence Schechter - Speaker, Author, Museum Professional, Intersectional Feminist
Florence Schechter is the founder and director of the world's first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to the gynaecological anatomy, the Vagina Museum, founded in 2017. Her background is in science communication and has over 6 years of experience in public speaking and presenting live, on screen and radio.
After graduating in 2014 with a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham, she started her science communication career.
She built up a science YouTube channel with over one million views, then interned at QI, the hit BBC show, for 8 months and was the main researcher for their app "Qiktionary".
In 2016, she enrolled in the Wellcome Trust funded "Talent Factory", a mentorship programme for emerging science communication talent in the UK.
She was invited to be part of the Trajectory, Ideas and Ambassadors Board of Cheltenham Science Festival in 2017 which advises on programming and strategy for the annual festival. As a science communicator, she has presented around the world at science festivals, museums and conferences.
In 2017, she started the project to build the world's first bricks and mortar museum about the gynaecological anatomy - the Vagina Museum. She has won a number of awards for her work and been featured in the media internationally. The Vagina Museum has been covered in international news from The New York Times to The Guardian to The Lancet to TIME magazine to even appearing in a joke in SNL's Weekend Update. She has spoken at a number of conferences around the world about her work in activist museums.
Florence is an accomplished presenter on TV, radio and live on stage. She has been an expert contributor on TV documentary Engineering Catastrophes (Science Channel), a writer and presenter on the podcast Chemistry In It's Element (Royal Society of Chemistry), written for and presented on The Boring Talks (BBC) and voiced an explainer for the cancer charity Eve Appeal.
Her debut book "V: An empowering celebration of the vulva and vagina" is being published with Penguin in March 2023.
Education
2011 - 2014
BSc Biochemistry (Hons), University of Birmingham
Awards
2017
Highly Commended in Arts and Culture Category, Women of the Future Awards
2019
Pioneer of the Year, Sexual Freedom Awards
2020
Nominated Rising Star of the Year, DIVA Awards
Speaker appearances
11 Apr 2023 | Vulvas. Period | Edinburgh International Science Festival |
7 Dec 2023 | Keynote speech, SCI:COM conference | AVIVA stadium, Dublin, Ireland |
30 Nov 2022 | F for Feminism panel | Bloomfest, Taboola |
6 Nov 2022 | Keynote speech, Sexpression UK National Conference | Leeds University |
26 Oct 2022 | Future of Sex Late | Science and Industry Museum, Manchester |
24 Aug 2022 | Ugly Animal Preservation Society | Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh |
15 Aug 2022 | Not Your Grandfather's Biology with Rachel Gross and Lucy Cooke | Vagina Museum |
5 Aug 2022 | Bajingo Bingo | Wilderness Festival |
9 Jun 2022 | Comedy night | Cheltenham Science Festival |
25 May 2022 | Environmental Engagement in Practie | NCCPE |
18 May 2022 | IDAHOBIT Panel | LGBT Foundation |
20 Apr 2022 | What do Animal Genitals Have to Tell Us About Ourselves? | Vagina Museum |
24 Oct 2021 | This is a Vagina | Norwich Science Festival |
13 Oct 2021 | It's About Bloody Time ft. Emma Barnett | Jewish Museum, London |
22 Sept 2021 | Guest lecturer | Sotheby's Institute of Art |
22 Aug 2021 | Bajingo Bingo | Green Man Festival |
22 Jul 2021 | Taking Museum Engagement on Histories of Sexuality and Gender | University of Exeter |
19 Jul 2021 | Learn Live: Vagina - Know Your Anatomy | British Library |
12 Jun 2021 | Cosmic Shambles | Cheltenham Science Festival |
20 May 2021 | Museum and Markets Conference | Chapman University, USA |
27 Feb 2021 | Bajingo Bingo | St Hilda's College, University of Oxford |
16 Feb 2021 | Archives, Museums and Spaces | FUTURESEX WITNESS |
3 Dec 2020 | Open Courtauld Hour: Rainbow Lenses | The Courtauld Institute of Art |
18 Nov 2020 | Learn Live - Know Your Anatomy | British Library |
21 Oct 2020 | Why Are We So Obsessed with Gay Penguins? | University of Exeter |
6 Jun 2020 | Vulva Bunting Workshop | Cheltenham Science Festival |
3 May 2020 | Secret Vaginas of Judaism | Limmud Festival |
10 May 2020 | The Penis Gallery | The Book of Man Festival |
25 Feb 2020 | Brief History of Vulvas in Art | Vagina Museum |
21 Feb 2020 | Queer Sex Panel | National Student Pride |
20 Feb 2020 | Queer By Nature | Vault Festival |
2 Feb 2020 | Conway Hall Annual Ethical Gala | Conway Hall |
15 Jan 2020 | Which Role for Museums in Community Advocacy on Global Challenges? | Museum Connections Conference, France |
2 Dec 2019 | Skeptics In The Pub | The Monarch |
12 Oct 2019 | Badass Women's Hour | Talk Radio |
6 Oct 2019 | What We’re Told Not To Talk About (But We’re Going To Anyway) | Cheltenham Literature Festival |
23 Jul 2019 | Period Poverty and Sustainable Solutions in Africa | Zambia High Commission, London |
30 Jun 2019 | The History of Vulvas | Bradford Literature Festival |
2 Jun 2019 | Making The Case For Her: Breaking Taboos | Women Deliver Conference, Canada |
3 May 2019 | Bodykind Festival Cabaret | Bodykind Festival |
13 Apr 2019 | Why The World Needs A Vagina Museum | Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium |
28 Mar 2019 | Ri Youth Summit | Royal Institution |
17 Mar 2019 | A Brief History of Vulvas in Art | Eroticon |
10 Mar 2019 | Why The World Needs A Vagina Museum | Burgh House |
6 Mar 2019 | Changing Bodies | JW3 |
22 Feb 2019 | A Brief History Of Vulvas In Art | Tate Modern |
6 Feb 2019 | Why The World Needs A Vagina Museum | Wellcome Trust |
22 Oct 2018 | Project Pleasure | Roundhouse |
27 Sept 2018 | Agony Auncles of Science | Gravity Fields Festival, Grantham |
14 Sept 2018 | Why The World Needs A Vagina Museum | British Science Festival |
2 Jun 2018 | Vagina Day | Feminist Library |
17 May 2018 | Data Beers | Facebook HQ |
28 Apr 2018 | Solitary Pleasures Conference | Freud Museum |
14 Feb 2018 | Valentine's Day Vaginas | Royal Institution |
21 Jan 2018 | Women's Radio Station Live | Jermyn Street Theatre |
8 Sept 2017 | Dr Jiggs Bowson | British Science Festival |
7 Sept 2017 | OutThinkers - Pride in STEM | British Science Festival |
5 Sept 2017 | The Post-Antibiotic Apocalypse - NESTA | British Science Festival |
5 Aug 2017 | Skeptics On The Fringe | Banshee Labyrinth |
5-26 Aug 2017 | Agony Auncles of Science | BarBados, Edinburgh Fringe Festival |
28 Jun 2017 | Large Stand Up Collidor | Science Museum Lates |
23 Dec 2016 | Science Showoff | Croydon Comedy Festival |
1 Nov 2016 | Scarier Than Fiction | The Harrison, London |
1 Oct 2016 | Science Showoff | Rhonda McGraw Theatre |
7 Sept 2016 | Your Favourite Dead Scientist Was A Dick | The Star of Kings, London |
5 Jul 2016 | Science Showoff | Royal Society |
9 Jun 2016 | Animal Showoff | Grant Museum |
16 May 2016 | Science Showoff | The Star of Kings, London |
17 Dec 2015 | Scriggler Live | The Finborough Arms |