Athena SWAN
The Athena SWAN Charter recognises commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in academia.
We are delighted to have received a Bronze award in 2019.
DSIS retains a bronze Athena Swan award, recognising our commitment to equality (in particular gender equality). In our last award submission in late 2018, we set out 36 specific actions to undertake, to continue to improve equality within the Division before our next application.
Many of these are already being progressed, and we want YOUR input to see which actions are most important to you, and should be prioritised going forwards. We also want you to submit any new equality actions you believe are important to consider, given time has passed and the world has changed! Please click the link below to vote on actions and/or add your own suggestions!
Future plans
Athena SWAN is about making changes in the workplace to redress gender bias. As well as our ongoing initiatives detailed above, we are planning:
- To address gender inequality on all DSIS committees, including the DSIS Executive Committee.
- To address gender inequality at all levels at DSIS, particularly the most senior.
- To increase completion rate of all mandatory training for DSIS staff, including Diversity training
- To ensure that all of our initiatives cover non-academic staff employed at DSIS.
Our Athena Swan champions
Cheryl Gui Zhen Teoh
PhD Student | Royal Free Campus Champion
What is your Athena Swan role?
I promote awareness of the division’s initiative to support gender equality and run an informal women only lunch/forum once a term for staff and students to discuss any issues, with focus on equal opportunities, both academic and professional for women.
Why are you involved in Athena Swan?
I would like to ensure women are supported as they begin embarking a career in science and are fully aware of the opportunities available as well as the obstacles they may face, in addition to learning about what is and can be done to enhance gender equality.
What can people ask you?
Anything! My role is to support and assist as well as proactively promote gender equality.
Where can people go for additional information?
I have found the UCL HR website and the gov.uk website useful for most general queries.
Faith Hanstater
Campus Administrator | Bloomsbury Campus Champion
What is your Athena Swan role?
I believe I am well placed to be an ideal point of contact for any issues concerning Athena SWAN. I disseminate information that I think is important, useful and of interest, and I am very keen for my colleagues to submit news, views, articles or experiences either for sharing with others or in confidence as appropriate. I am in the process of organising a regular women's lunchtime forum for Bloomsbury.
Why are you involved in Athena Swan?
It is pretty shocking that gender inequality is still an issue in 2015! There are many reasons for this, but I don't believe that any of them are insurmountable. I intend to do my utmost to explore and promote ways of redressing this imbalance.
What can people ask you?
Absolutely anything! I am no expert (yet!) but I want my colleagues to know that they can come to me, with the assurance of complete confidence, with any issues that may be affecting their experience at UCL. I will endeavour to provide advice or discuss possible solutions if appropriate, direct people to other resources, or simply provide a sympathetic ear.
Where can people go for additional information?
