Hello! My name is Cate Baxter, I live in the UK and am originally from Lincolnshire on the east coast, right now; however, I am living in Cambridge to attend university. I am a second year history student and my studies focus on the early modern period of European history. My favourite topics so far have been early modern childbirth, hierarchies within the early modern family and wider gender history which I study as part of a specific historiography paper.

Before I started my history degree my main interest was politics and I was lucky enough to spend my summer volunteering with my local MP in the Houses of Commons in London. Unfortunately for him the history of the building interested me far more than the politics being conducted. (There are still tennis balls hit by Henry VIII into the rafters and I was able to sit in the very same cupboard the Suffragettes locked themselves in!)

Outside of my studies my main hobby is music, I play the flute and have played with orchestras across the UK and Europe, most recently travelling to Leipzig, Germany to play in front of the statue of Bach there.

At university I run my college History society and organise events themed around history and careers for history students as well as providing support for the history student body. Recently we have hosted talks from academics within the university and from guests speakers such as MPs and even a survivor of the Holocaust.

My dream career is to be an Historian; I love my studies and the close relationships I have with my supervisors and so I would relish the opportunity to continue to study history and teach a future cohort of students. My real dream is to publish a book at some point, I just have to figure out the topic first!

As history has become my passion I have been fortunate enough to visit innumerable museums. My all time favourite museum would have to be the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy, France. I first visited it when I was only twelve years old and I was instantly amazed by the tapestry and the story it tells, one which is so integral to the history of the country I have grown up in.

In the UK my favourite museum would have to be the Mary Rose exhibit in Portsmouth. I would wholeheartedly recommend that everyone go and see the remains of that famous and beautiful ship. Seeing this boat frozen in time was mind-blowing. 

The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge will always hold a special place in my heart and is the place I retreat to when my studies get overwhelming. Their collection of Italian Renaissance art is my personal favourite exhibit.

One of the biggest issues facing girls that I know, including myself, is the imposter syndrome that many of us feel within education. Academia remains a male dominated field and in my experience many boys are quick to perpetuate this idea; this can make an uncomfortable environment for us girls. I have tried to request female academics and take an interest in topics which affect women and girls and I have felt empowered by these women and these topics. This has helped me to get over my imposter syndrome and to ignore the minority of boys at my university who continue to believe girls are unfit for elite universities.  

I am so looking forward to working with Girl Museum and can’t wait to start to work on projects with them as the female experience throughout history is a topic which is very close to my heart.

-Cate Baxter
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.