Our School of Environmental Sciences has achieved an Athena Swan Gold Award. This is the first Gold award in the Faculty of Science & Engineering and first awarded Nationally to a School of Environmental Science.
A Gold award recognises significant and sustained progression and achievement in promoting gender equality, a well-established record of activity coupled with data demonstrating continued impact and sustained efforts to champion and promote good practice to the wider community.
The School was commended for its exemplary data and survey analysis, which has led to an action plan underpinned by robust evidence. The progression of female academics to senior grades and the early uptake of the Technical Career Pathway were also praised.
The assessing panel also highlighted best practice initiatives to ensure that fieldwork is more accessible and inclusive. For example, guidance on the provision of access to toilets and sanitation for all, including menstruation, individual rooms with personal bathrooms for a variety of needs, and local, non-residential field days for students with anxiety or caring commitments.
Prof Richard Chiverrell, Dean said: “I am delighted that our efforts relating to equality, diversity and inclusion have been recognised by this Athena Swan Gold award. This reflects the collective efforts of many for more than a decade – through our progression from Bronze (2015), Silver (2019) and now Gold.”
“The application for this award has been a huge team effort by many of our academic and professional services colleagues. Special thanks to the writing team Dr Morag Rose, Dr Heather Sangster, Dr Kasey Clark, Mrs Verity Foster and Mrs Artemis Mermigki. With thanks also to the wider diversity, equality and inclusion committee and colleagues who have been involved as case studies or providing additional evidence over the years.”
“I am especially proud of our efforts to ensure our field class delivery (pic above) is accessible and inclusive as possible, and we are developing exciting plans to share further our best practices across the sector.”
“All staff within the School have a role in contributing to the positive and inclusive culture we have developed, and I am excited that this award will incentivise us to make further improvements for the benefit of our staff and students.”
Above: School of Environmental Sciences PGT student event
Dr Morag Rose and Dr Heather Sangster, EDI Committee co-chairs said: “We’re delighted that the School’s work towards gender equality has been recognized with this award. It has truly been a team effort, the result of work by colleagues from across the School of Environmental Sciences. As a School we are committed to an intersectional and inclusive approach in all we do, we are proud of the significant progress we have made so far and strive to continue to develop innovative and novel approaches to embed EDI in all we do. Looking forward we will continue to learn as we implement our Gold Action Plan and share our experiences and good practices across the Faculty, University and beyond.”
For further information on the School’s application and action plan please contact the Schools Diversity, Equality and Inclusion committee soesde@liverpool.ac.uk.