Athena SWAN success

The Department of Chemistry and the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy both received bronze awards today from Athena SWAN, the charter that recognises commitment to advancing women’s careers in STEMM academia. The University also had its bronze award renewed, which it has held since 2006.

Their success builds on the achievement of the Cavendish Laboratory, which has held a silver award since 2010.

More than half of all higher education institutions that are active in STEMM subjects are members of the Athena Swan charter, including 23 of the 24 Russell Group universities. Awards are available in bronze, silver and gold at both University and departmental level. No university has yet to be recognised at gold level, with Queen’s University Belfast, Imperial College London and the University of Nottingham the only higher education institutions with silver awards.

STEMM subjects have traditionally suffered from an under-representation of women, meaning that education and research in key scientific disciplines are not reaching their full potential. The Athena SWAN awards process enables departments and faculties to develop an action plan aimed at improving the recruitment, retention and promotion of female academic and research staff. They therefore play a significant role in helping departments perform at the highest standards of international excellence.

Submissions for awards are made twice a year – in April and November – and the majority of Cambridge STEMM departments are either awaiting news of an application or are preparing submissions.

Professor Jeremy Sanders, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Affairs at the University, welcomed the news. “As chair of the University’s Athena SWAN governance panel I am delighted that the University’s bronze award has been successfully renewed. The award recognises that progressing gender equality is a key priority for us, leading to a substantial commitment of staff and resources to ensure engagement with Athena SWAN principles across departments, faculties and institutes.

“We are working hard to ensure that women are well represented at the most senior levels of the University, and that women across the whole University are supported and encouraged to achieve their potential. I am particularly proud of the development of our Senior Gender Equality Network to support the exceptional work of the Gender Equality Champion, and the success of a pilot fund to support returning carers, which I hope will reap dividends for both individuals and the University in the future.”

Professor Jane Clarke, academic lead for the Department of Chemistry submission, added: “We are delighted by this award – but it just marks a beginning. Our department has much to be proud of: we are successful at attracting world-class female scientists to postgraduate and post doc positions; in the past three to four years we have made considerable efforts to improve life in the department for all our students and staff; the departmental structure and management has opened up to be more inclusive; and we have made great strides in induction and training for both post docs and students. However, our self-assessment process has revealed evidence of areas where we are failing.

“The Athena SWAN award and process is very important to us – we aspire to be the best in all aspects of what we do, and our action plan will be the basis for change. The process has shown how much can be achieved when a team drawn across the entire department work together with a single goal.”