EDI Celebration

The EDI Celebration is an important way to recognise the incredible work that Brain Sciences colleagues and students undertake, which may otherwise go unnoticed.

At the same time, the awards aim to foster and raise awareness of 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

Nominations Procedure

Please complete this Nominations Form by Wednesday 24 May 2023. If for any reason you are unable to use the Form or need support to complete it, please contact us directly on fbs.edi@ucl.ac.uk where we will be able to help.

Shortlisted nominees will be chosen by our judging panel and announced for each award category prior to the ceremony.

Any member of staff or student can be nominated to receive an award in accordance with criteria in the award categories. Self-nomination is also accepted.

FAQ

Who is eligible for the awards?: Any UCL/UKRDI member of staff or team in the Faculty of Brain Sciences can be nominated to receive an award. We also have additional categories where students can be nominated. Please refer to the award categories for further details.

There are no restrictions on who can nominate within the UCL community, but they should be able to explain why the individual or team deserves the recognition.

NB. Those who occupy full-time paid EDI job roles should not be nominated for an inclusion award. The awards are to acknowledge EDI institutional citizenship within the Faculty.
How are the winners chosen?: Nominations will be considered by the judging panel, members of which are the UCL EDI Team, Vice Deans, and the Dean at FBS. When writing a nomination, please remember that the panel can only judge based on the contents of the nomination form, so please do include as much detail as possible on how the nominee (s) meet the criteria for the award.
Are PhD students eligible for awards?: PhD students can be nominated for a staff award category if they also hold a teaching contract.

Can an individual or group be nominated if their contribution to EDI was at UCL institutionally, and not only at the Faculty level?
Yes, they can. Their contribution will be equally considered from those who only contributed to EDI within the Faculty.
When will the awards ceremony take place?: The award winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony on 19 June, from 14:30 onwards. You can register your attendance on Eventbrite.
What are the scoring criteria?: The panel will choose winners based on some or all of the following criteria:
•   is the nominee being recognised for voluntary work undertaken on top of their current role
•   has the individual's contribution led to meaningful change
•   to what extent is the individual a visible role model/ally
•   how inspired will staff and students be by the individual's contributions
•   do the individual's / group’s contributions stand out from others
Can a Division/Institute be nominated?: Yes, if they fulfill the criteria of the category- they sure can!

The EDI Celebration is an important way to recognise the incredible work that Brain Sciences colleagues and students undertake, which may otherwise go unnoticed. At the same time, the awards aim to foster and raise awareness of impactful and innovative activities in all areas of equality, diversity, and inclusion (including disability, LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, gender, mental health, and wellbeing, and more!).