Athena SWAN at Warwick especially in Chemistry where we are going why we bother

Alison Rodger BSc (hons), PhD 1985, Sydney Research Fellow, Newnham College, Cambridge Research Fellow, St Catherine’s, St Hilda’s, Oxford Glasstone Fellow, Oxford Warwick since 1994: Biophysical chemist: polarized light spectroscopy of DNAs, proteins etc. Reader 2003, Professor Director of EPSRC-funded Doctoral Training Centre and of Warwick Centre for Analytical Science. Only female academic in chemistry > 11 years.

Family??? Is there such a thing as work-life balance???

A day’s juggling act Before anyone else got up: finalised talk; read proofs of a paper. At work: group meeting, 2 student meetings, laboratory issues, job advertisement Husband in Australia Daughter 2 on school trip to France I’m here now Daughter 1 has 2 visitors from Chile staying with us (who need B, B, L & D) Daughter 1 due to an orchestra audition at 5.15 in Coventry (husband usually does music, wasn’t told about his until last week…) I need to get to the audition, feed visitors, prepare for tomorrow’s US visitor from ECU tonight

From successful PhD to successful Professor What are the differences? –Less time (more responsibilities) –& energy (age + responsibilities of ‘life’) –Can’t focus on one thing –Leader –More administration— means what? –Managing not doing –Teaching  What doesn’t change?  Scientific skill  Creativity (but less time)  Flexibility  Tenacity  Collegiality

What does success mean to you? Research income? Papers? Promotion? Recognition? (sell science in all fora) Fun? Nobel Prize? Clear conscience? People development? What price are you willing to pay?

What has been MOST enjoyable? (academic & professional development) People Discovery Finalising the ideas — in papers, talks etc. What challenges you have faced and how you have overcome them? Husband is academic Coming to understand you can probably have anyTHING you want but not everything Expectations of behaviour/competence for men Not being prepared to build my career at expense of others

What I wish I’d known? How to write proposals! How the system works –— I don’t drink….. How others view me What my potential truly was/is Where to put my efforts

5 tips for progressing your career 1. Decide what success means TO YOU. What is important 2. Look at your CV in light of an advertisement for a job you might want: what is missing? (Papers, funding applications, funding success, teaching experience, good references, leadership experience, transferable skills) 3. Find a community that recognises you as YOU. Perhaps find collaborators outside your current environments. 4. Work out what you enjoy and what you do not enjoy. Maximise (and notice) the former, minimise the latter. 5. Your research is very important, but other things count too—so collect evidence and enjoy doing so!

PG Certificate in Transferable Skills in Science Contrary to popular opinion: Research usually gets you short-listed, other things often get you the job. 30 CATS (certificate) or 20 CATS (award) then post docswww.warwick.ac.uk/go/pioneers Literature review; Research plan; Mini reports ; Attend a conference; Conference Presentation; Research seminar; Undertake Poster Marking/Presentation; Review a paper; Review a grant; Write a paper; Propose and manage a budget; Organising a conference or workshop; Visit another laboratory; Host a visiting researcher; Supervise a project student; Write a research proposal; Chair a meeting or committee including establishing agenda and follow-up; Public engagement in science activity; CV/Applications; Teaching; Play a role in a national society; Pathways to impact plan; Optional Task; Optional Task

Athena SWAN Warwick: Bronze: University, WMS, psychology Silver: Chemistry, Physics Submitted: Engineering, WMG (resubmission), Life Sciences, Chemistry In progress: Maths, Stats, ?? Computer science The beliefs underpinning the AS Charter are: The advancement of science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine is fundamental to quality of life across the globe It is vitally important that women are adequately represented in what has traditionally been, and is still, a male-dominated area Science cannot reach its full potential unless it can benefit from the talents of the whole population, and until women and men can benefit equally from the opportunities it affords

Why bother? Is is just a badge We can get on to a hobby horse of political correctness but why should we even bother to consider gender equality in SET/STEM? Figures suggest there is an issue, but does it matter? Will addressing it make Warwick a better place in terms of –happiness –productivity –finances –reputation

Surely we’re past all this? At a job interview in 1988 I was asked what would happen if I had children — it was deemed a reasonable part of a selection process 2012 at a dinner at Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences asked by a senior US colleague “Who are you with?” Recent research shows appointments committees assume men are more likely to be successful in science.

Warwick/Chemistry AthenaSWAN paperwork: what academic grades are female staff in? (Men make the total to 100%) The funnel points are different in different disciplines Non-STEMM not so very different!!! PhD/ SET=STEM UG=PhD=PDRA 7/8 9

What happens to women? Two aspects of % of women decreasing with seniority: –women leave –women are not promoted. Changing either requires a culture change which won’t happen unless academics are committed to the concept. Not imposed from above or by admin. Gender equality What is gender equality? (not 50:50 in SET)

Quotable quote Both men and women benefit from good practice, but women are adversely affected by bad practice more than men Sean McWhinnie Ex. RSC

Chemistry: Original Athena SWAN action plan We used our Athena SWAN silver application to create a process to address these issues. Communication: lists that work, monthly newsletter (not just academic), suggestion box. Agreed we’d try to have women on promotions and executive committee. Improved (created) induction material Worked on reviving our post doc forum Transferable skills training for PhD students and post docs — Women seem to benefit more than men

Terms of reference of Chemistry’s WCC To promote a positive working culture and collegiate environment within the Department of Chemistry. Responsible for facilitating effective communications within the Department. To take forward the Action Plan from the Athena SWAN and PULSE survey, encouraging participation from all members of the Department. To provide reports to Staff meeting and to Executive Committee when requested. Chaired by HoD

Warwick/Chemistry AthenaSWAN paperwork: what academic grades are female staff in? (Men make the total to 100%) Our challenge is PDRA to independent career PhD/ SET=STEM UG=PhD=PDRA 7/8 9

PDRAs Chemistry postdoctoral researchers’ forum Postgraduate certificate in transferable skills for postdocs It is a national problem Irène Joliot-Curie Conference ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT CAREER IN CHEMISTRY October 1–2, 19 universities represented. Communication & Impact for Female Early Career Researchers 4–6 January 2013, Cumberland Lodge, Great Windsor Park

Getting people together Lunch for female academic staff (occasional, now monthly) WCG Athena SWAN University network AS Steering Committee

University Athena SWAN network Grew from the original University Self Assessment Group Informal, meets once or twice a term over coffee or lunch Good representation across our 10 STEM departments Desperately dependent on SB’s energy and organisation Enjoyable, sharing of ‘best practice’ ‘To do’ agenda of supporting AS applications Members play some role in their department activities Has a researcher representative, academics, HR, administrators, not enough men

Warwick Medical School Had been talking, but NIHR provided motivation. AS been extremely valuable in getting good practice in WMS more widely known as so much of it was 1–1. Their Welfare & Communication Group has been successful in addressing issues that have nowhere else to go. E.g. wanted a nursery on site. … Realised core issue was parents couldn’t leave parking space to visit a baby in nursery. So parking spaces set aside for parents.

Not… “I survived so they should…” Why Athena SWAN? –Data driven –Can find out good things that are happening and expand them Use it to make your department a better place