Athena SWAN success

Three University institutions have been recognised for their good employment practices for women working in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM).

The School of Clinical Medicine, which covers 12 University departments, received a silver award from Athena SWAN, the charter that recognises commitment to advancing women’s careers in STEMM academia. The Department of Engineering and the Department of Veterinary Medicine also heard that they had received bronze awards.

Their success adds to the growing number of University departments responsible for research and teaching in STEMM subjects that have been recognised by the Athena SWANN charter. The Department of Chemistry and the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy both received bronze awards in April this year, while the University had its bronze award renewed. The Cavendish Laboratory has held a silver award since 2010.

More than 60 per cent of all STEMM staff in the University now work in departments with an Athena SWAN award.

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.

The Clincal School’s succes has potentially important ramifications for future funding. In 2011, Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies made it clear that the National Institute for Health Research would only expect to shortlist medical schools for biomedical research centre and unit funding if the school held a silver Athena SWAN award. She suggested that this would come into effect at the start of the next funding period in 2016.

Professor Fiona Karet, of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, and Athena SWAN academic lead for the School of Clinical Medicine, said: “We are delighted that our hard work has been recognised with this silver award. We made an early decision to make our efforts School-wide and, when we applied in April, the School included almost 1,300 academic and research staff across 12 departments and three cross-disciplinary institutes, and has since expanded even further.

“The landscape for women in the School really has changed over the past few years as a result of our commitment to Athena SWAN, but much of what we have developed has benefits for all staff, not just women. We now have the tools in place to recruit more effectively, to support our staff more comprehensively, and to celebrate achievements more widely. We also have a great deal more to do to make our action plan a reality.”

Professor James Wood, Head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, said: “Equality is particularly critical within the Department of Veterinary Medicine, given that we probably have more female students, and as many female staff, as any other department in the University. We are delighted to have received an Athena Swan bronze award, which signals how importantly we regard the support for, and promotion of, equality.”

Professor Dame Ann Dowling, Head of the Department of Engineering, said: “I have, for a long time, been concerned about the gender imbalance in engineering, and so I am delighted that the department has received this award in recognition of our commitment to equality.

“I believe this is crucial for a supportive, congenial and successful department. We have already started to implement our Athena SWAN action plan and are benefiting from it. Thirty per cent of our recently appointed academic staff are women and our Women in Engineering Forum provides a clear focus for activities, support and information for women across the department from undergraduates to senior academic staff."