Brain Sciences EDI Awards & Celebration 2023

The awards aim to promote and celebrate impactful and innovative activities in all areas of equality, diversity, and inclusion (including disability, LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, gender, mental health, and wellbeing, and more).

The awards segment will cover excellence in all areas of Faculty and wider UCL life through the following categories:

Award Categories

Dean’s Excellence in EDI Award

This award recognises an individual or group that has been a catalyst for change and has generated intentional, sustained, impactful, and/or innovative EDI efforts. Efforts can be related to mentoring, advising, community building, teaching, outreach, research activities, hiring/recruitment, department climate, retention, reducing systemic barriers, developing equitable policies — anything that promotes EDI excellence.

Eligibility: Staff

Contribution to EDI in Education and Student Experience

This award recognises an individual or group that has developed innovative teaching, learning and/or assessment practices, or other initiatives that advance inclusive education for a diverse range of students and contributes positively to the student experience.

For example: Athena SWAN action to eliminate the gender awarding gap amongst UG students was achieved.

Eligibility: Students and Staff    

Contribution to EDI leadership

This award recognises an individual or group whose activities are impassioning, influencing, and leading positive change, making the Faculty of Brain Sciences or wider UCL community a more inclusive place to work and study.

Example: Professor Mike Stevenson from Ear Institute led a careers surgery that is offered across the academic year, which includes volunteers across the Institute.

Eligibility: Staff 

Contribution to EDI in Research

This award recognises an individual or group whose research activity has led to enhanced and improved policies, practices, or procedures at FBS or wider, that address inequality and lead change around inclusion.

Example: A group of Early-Career Researchers started a research project that looks into the bystanders effect of Senior Professors when addressing bullying and harassment.

Eligibility: Staff     

Contribution to EDI in International Community

This award recognises an individual or group that regularly goes above and beyond, making a positive difference to the embodying its ever-growing international community through celebrating culture and/or creating and contributing towards innovative projects and activities that enhance the experience of UCL’s international community.

Example: A group of students hosts events across the year that celebrate cultural diversity such as Luna New Year and Norwegian National Day. Tell us in no more than 250 words what initiative/project/event the nominee has done and the impact of their contribution(s).

Eligibility: Student or Staff 

Contribution to EDI in Innovation and Enterprise

This award recognises an individual or group who has significantly contributed to EDI using innovation and enterprise activities, that led to an inclusive and equitable impact for students and/or staff at FBS and beyond.

Example: A staff member worked with external stakeholders to create an app that helps women who are breastfeeding find their closest facility.

Eligibility: Student or Staff