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Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Women in University Science Departments
Peter MainDirector, Education and Science, IOP Gender Equality EventUCL18th March 2008
peter.main@iop.org, www.iop.org
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Plan of Talk
Diversity Programme
Site Visit Scheme
JUNO Code of Practice
Working with other organisations
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Diversity Programme
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Diversity Programme
1.5 FTE staff Katharine Hollinshead: Programme Leader Saher Ahmed: Programme Coordinator
Examples of Activities Career breaks guidance Women in university physics departments report Diversity in HE (with the RSC) Best practice guide on Disability
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Physics nationally
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9.5
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All grades Lecturer andabove
Researchers Lecturers Senior Lecturers Professors
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Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Site Visit Scheme
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Background
Wrote to each department in the UK and Ireland (copied to the VC)
Visits by invitation only and there was no charge
Visited 17 (out of 46) physics departments in all.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
The Visit
Paperwork (sent beforehand) included admissions statistics, gender disaggregated student numbers, pass rates, staff handbook etc.
Meeting with departmental management , admissions tutor, director of teaching, HR representative etc
Meetings with: Female academic staff (where none, women staff
from cognate subjects) Male academic staff Female RAs and PGs Male RAs and PGs
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
The Visit
Lunch with female UGs. No staff were present
Laboratory tour
Informal feedback at the end from the chair of the panel to the HoD
Confidential written report is sent to HoD with recommendations.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Observations
Women underrepresented in seminars and colloquia
Most departments were not monitoring statistics
Departments without women suffer in many ways (eg admissions, role models). Male staff are usually aware of this but are very reluctant to do anything about it.
The fact that the visit took place meant that gender issues were discussed, perhaps for the first time.
Situation on the ground is often very different from what management believe.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
The “Best” Departments Sympathetic Head of Department (they were all
male). In some cases, it was clear that former HoDs had been very biased.
Male participation in family-friendly policies. If they did not, women felt they were perceived as “letting the side down” by, for example, taking maternity leave or fitting their hours around the nursery.
A high fraction of young staff. Young fathers appreciate the problems but younger men are generally more sensitive to gender issues.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
The “Best” Departments
Women involved in senior management. But women were often disinclined to get involved because they found the prevailing attitudes so unpleasant.
Strong, informal social networks for women. (In some places found that men had unconsciously created an uncomfortable atmosphere by being so friendly among themselves).
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Important Issues
Formal, transparent procedures at all levels.
Recruitment (no secret discussions, women on interview panels)
Promotion (major issue)
Appraisal (particularly for RAs)
Workload allocation
Women on “serious” committees
Career breaks
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Important Issues
Even successful female RAs and PGs did not want an academic career:
Not consistent with starting a family Average age of academic appointment is ~ 35. Effect of multiple short term contacts Lack of a well-defined career structure Lack of good careers advice Lack of role models Long hours culture
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Important Issues
Childcare facilities were usually thought to be inadequate and, where they were good, did not have enough places. The best matched their hours to those of the university.
Harassment. Although almost every place had a procedure for dealing with harassment, the panels were told of several cases, almost none of which had been dealt with in a satisfactory manner.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
General Report
General report highlighting the issues and disseminating good practice has been published
Created a lot of interest amongst other learned societies
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
JUNO Code of Practice
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
JUNO Code of Practice: Principles
A robust organisational framework to deliver equality of opportunity and reward.
Appointment, promotion and selection processes and procedures that encourage men and women to apply for academic posts at all levels.
Departmental structures and systems which support and encourage the career progression of all staff and enable men and women to progress and continue in their careers.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
JUNO Code of Practice: Principles
A departmental organisation, structure, management arrangements and culture that are open, inclusive and transparent and encourage the participation of all staff.
Flexible approaches and provisions that encompass, the working day, the working year and a working life in SET and enable individuals, at all career and life stages, to maximise their contribution to SET, their department and institution.
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Two levels of engagement
Supporter:Physics department endorsing the 5 principles set out in the Code of Practice
Champion: Physics departments confirmed as meeting the 5 principles set out in the Code of Practice
Launched: June 14th 2007
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Working with other organisations
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
SPIDER
STEM Professional Institutions: Diversity and Equality Resources
Core members: IOP, RSC, RAEng & RCUK (sec)
Four strands: HE and research institutes Business: private and public sector Professional bodies: internal organisation Public engagement
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
SPIDER: HE and Research Institutes
Athena Partnership: IOP, RSC and UKRC
Promoting resources and activities Benchmarking and checklists Using good practice guides ( e.g. RCUK Research staff
concordat) Department site visits ASSET Survey JUNO SWAN awards Enabling other professional societies to get involved
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Virtuous cycle
Where are we now?
How does that compare with
others?
What could we do to improve?
Knowledge base
What are we going to do?
Action plan
Benchmarking
DO
Evidence
Business caseCommunicateBe inclusive
Celebrate successGet recognition
Promoting physics, supporting physicists
Promoting physics, supporting physicists