The Athena Swan Charter is a framework which is used across the globe to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. It was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment.
In order to receive this recognition, the Athena Swan working group, led by Dr Eddie Cussen, Department Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, prepared a detailed application document including an thorough analysis of the current status of gender equality in the Department, with details of initiatives already undertaken to promote equality, along with a plan for future actions which will contribute further to ensure ongoing gender equality.
With Dr Cussen overseeing the application, the contributions of Dr Lisa Hollands, who carried out much of the data analysis, and Drs Becky Boston and Michael Trikic, who compiled the action plan in line with the details in the submission, were critical to the success of the application.
Eddie commented, “This was really a team effort and we are really proud to have received the Silver award. The team of Lisa, Becky and Michael along with Stephanie Sharples, Dr Amy Gandy, Amanda Southworth, Stephen Birch and Professor Dan Allwood, worked really hard to make the submission as good as it could be.
“As a Department, we are pleased to be recognised for providing equal opportunities to everyone who studies and works here, and we think of ourselves as the Materials Family. We also like to be seen as setting a positive example for our students, so everyone who graduates can go on to the next stage of their careers believing that they can achieve their aspirations.”
Professor Serena Cussen, Head of Department for Materials Science and Engineering, added, “The Department continues to attract strong female role models from across all career stages and our collective commitment to ensure gender balance in our department is not only reflected in this renewal of our silver Athena Swan award but also makes this a welcoming and inclusive place to work.”
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering first received the Silver Athena Swan award in 2016. Pictured here is Dr Amy Gandy when she attended that award presentation ceremony on behalf of the Department.
