Women in Tourism October Event at Edinburgh Futures Institute
We’re delighted to announce that booking is now open for our next Women in Tourism event, taking place at Edinburgh Futures Institute on Monday 12 October 2026, from 16:00 to 19:00.
Join us for an afternoon of fresh perspectives, career insights and connection, featuring a panel discussion with Emma Dorfman, Doctoral Researcher at Edinburgh College of Art, Design Informatics at the University of Edinburgh and Associate Artist at the Traverse Theatre, and Sam Rhynas, Founder and Managing Director of 17 Points.
Bringing together two women whose careers span technology, creativity, data, AI, academia and the arts, the conversation will explore their career journeys, the work they are leading today and their experiences as women working in rapidly evolving spaces.
Meet our panellists
Emma Dorfman
Emma is a Doctoral Researcher at Edinburgh College of Art, Design Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, and Associate Artist at the Traverse Theatre.
Her research explores the past, present and future of digitally mediated theatre, with a particular focus on what she describes as “digitally site-specific theatre”: performances created specifically for digital spaces, from social media platforms and mobile apps to video games and extended reality technologies.
Emma is currently working with Gareth Nicholls, Artistic Director at the Traverse Theatre, on the relaunch of its new work development programme, with an emphasis on mid-career theatre-makers and born-digital performance.
Alongside her doctoral research, Emma is an academic tutor at the University of Edinburgh and Subject Editor for Digital Theatre and Performance for the Routledge Performance Archive. She has also been an invited speaker for the Fringe Society and European Festivals Summit.
Sam Rhynas
Sam is the Founder and Managing Director of 17 Points, a Data & AI company helping organisations across Scotland turn technology into real business value.
She specialises in making Data & AI adoption practical, cost-effective and secure, cutting through the buzzwords to focus on genuine impact.
Her career has taken her across sectors including travel and tourism, health and social care, creative industries, agriculture and retail. Today, Sam works with start-ups, scale-ups, established businesses and third sector organisations, helping leaders embed AI into their strategies, unlock new revenue and reduce risk.
Sam is also a mentor for founders and SMEs through Techscaler, Investing Women Angels and Barclays Eagle Labs, as well as an AI Mentor for Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise.
Alongside her work with organisations, Sam is an active voice in Scotland’s technology community. She leads Girl Geek Scotland, co-organises PyData Edinburgh and previously served on the board of the Scotland AI Alliance.
In 2023, Sam was named Inspiring Woman of the Year at the Scotland Women in Tech Awards.
An afternoon of conversation and connection
We’ll welcome attendees to Room 2.55 at Edinburgh Futures Institute from 16:00, with registration followed by tea and coffee from 16:30.
From 17:00 to 18:00, they will join us for our panel discussion, sharing insights from their careers and experiences and exploring what they have learned along the way.
We’ll then round off the afternoon with drinks and an hour dedicated to networking.
Creating opportunities for women across the sector to learn from and support one another is at the heart of Women in Tourism. Our events are a chance to exchange ideas, meet new people, catch up with familiar faces and build meaningful professional connections.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your career, leading a team or business, or somewhere in between, we’d love to welcome you.
Event details
Date: Monday 12 October 2026
Time: 16:00–19:00
Venue: Room 2.55, Edinburgh Futures Institute
16:00 – Arrival and registration
16:30–17:00 – Tea and coffee
17:00–18:00 – Panel discussion
18:00–19:00 – Drinks and networking
Tickets:
Women in Tourism members: £20 per person
Non-members: £25 per person
Booking is now open. Secure your place and join us for an afternoon of ideas, conversation and connection.
