As part of the University’s commitment to promoting gender equality, the School of Geosciences will be re-applying for an Athena SWAN award in 2018. Athena SWAN awards recognize the commitment and pro-active actions of higher education institutions and departments to advance gender equality.
The Athena SWAN Charter, launched in 2005, evolved from work between the Athena Project and the Scientific Women's Academic Network (SWAN), to advance the representation of women in science, engineering and technology (SET) in higher education and research.
Athena SWAN Charter beliefs
- The advancement of Science, Engineering and Technology subjects is fundamental to quality of life across the world
- It is vitally important that women are adequately represented in what has traditionally been, and is still, a male-dominated area
- Science cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population, and until women and men can benefit equally from the opportunities it affords
What is the School of Geosciences doing about Athena SWAN?
Our work towards an Athena SWAN award will address things such as: student achievement; progression of women to further study; recruitment and promotion of women; and the contribution of women to School management. Moreover, the exercise provides an opportunity to enhance all aspects of equality and diversity within the School, and to ensure that all staff and students work in an inclusive, supportive environment.
The School has also recently launched the Visiting Female Researcher Programme, details of which can be found here.
To guide the application process, a School of Geosciences self-assessment team (SAT) has been put together comprising staff and students.