MPLS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Awards 2024

Category 1: Best Initiative

For a successful activity or initiative aimed at increasing equality, diversity and inclusion in a department, group, or subject area.

Winners

PERIODically Podcast (Charlie Simms, Manami Imada, Sofia Olendraru, Felicity Smith, Josie Sams, Charlotte Oliver, Amygrace Berger, Elba Feo)

PERIODically is a podcast created by undergraduate and postgraduate Oxford chemists to discuss how having a period has affected their time studying chemistry. The physicality and intense nature of a chemistry degree can sometimes be put under extra pressure by symptoms of periods such as cramps, mental health and medical issues surrounding periods. This podcast sheds light on some of the problems periods pose, attempts to tackle stereotypes, and creates a conversation on how we can improve studying for people with periods.

In season 2 of the podcast, released in 2024, they built on the success of the first season to widen the discussion across a range of topics on menstrual and reproductive health, with a broad range of contributions with guests from across the UK.

Listen to the podcast on:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon

Commended

Jenny Woods and the Oxford Physics Mentorship Scheme

Following a pulse survey in 2020, the Oxford Physics Mentorship Scheme was created to address some of the concerning results and provide support for postdocs, ranging from career progression to managing the personal and professional difficulties of this high-risk career path.

Jenny Woods, Research Facilitator in Physics, pretty much single-handedly led the development of this scheme, which now has 46 mentors. Jenny has also shared her experiences with a number of other MPLS departments, demonstrating the high standard the scheme has set for other departments.

Category 2: Best Team Effort

To recognise effective collaboration between team members howsoever comprised (teams may be within a department or across departments) working together on an equality, diversity and inclusion related activity or initiative.

Winners

Charlie Garner and Nicole Malloy

Inspired by the University’s EDI in Research Funding report, Charlie and Nicole have been working together to embed principles of ED&I into internal processes for supporting fellowship applications and internal selections.

They lead conversations with the Physics Research Facilitation team to discuss EDI issues and iterate approaches ahead of each EOI round, acting as sounding boards and critics for each other's ideas. They plan for each fellowship scheme, balancing EDI goals with operational practicalities. They ensure that relevant training is passed forward to the wider Research Facilitation team, including having EDI sessions at away days, and flagging examples where opportunities to promote EDI best practice have been missed. They’ve also worked to ensure maximum clarity around how EOIs will be assessed, and encourage candidates to discuss with any circumstances (including parental leave, caring responsibilities, health conditions/disabilities, career breaks, academic sponsorship etc.) that might affect assessment of their CVs. Candidates are encouraged to request additional support should they need it, matching our approach to that of an increasing majority of research funders.

Commended

Rhiannon Savage and Nikita Handel

Rhiannon and Nikita were the lead organisers of the Oxford Women & Non-Binary People in Mathematics conference, which was held in the Mathematical Institute in February 2024.  The event - with the theme 'Beyond the Pipeline' - was the first student-led event of its kind to be held in the department, aiming to encourage women and non-binary people to pursue careers in mathematics and to create a community of like-minded people.  The conference is now planned to be an annual occurrence.

Category 3: Outstanding ED&I Champion – Staff

An award made to an academic, researcher or professional services member of staff who has shown outstanding dedication, sustained commitment, and effective leadership or impact in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.

Winner

Jake Taylor

Jake has almost singlehandedly established a successful and mutually supportive LGBT+ Network which effectively functions in Physics and beyond. Jake created a Slack channel for communication and mutual support within this group, organises termly coffee and cake get togethers which are open to the whole department, organises activities for LGBT+ in STEM Day, and applied for funding to establish (and then deliver!) an annual LGBT+ public lecture. Jake also organised for the Network to march in Oxford Pride, and held events during LGBT+ history month. Jake has dedicated a lot of time behind the scenes to this network and to raise the profile of LGBT+ issues.

Commended

Georgia Broome

Georgia’s dedication to creating an inclusive environment is evident not only in her primary role as a communications specialist but also in the additional time and effort she invests in ED&I initiatives beyond her job description. Georgia has made a particularly significant contribution by developing a practical and thoughtful “Neuroinclusive communications guide”. This guide reflects her understanding of the challenges neurodivergent individuals face in accessing and engaging with communications. She has shared this resource with the communications community across the University of Oxford, actively promoting the need for clear, accessible, and inclusive communication practices. Her guide has had a tangible impact, helping colleagues understand the nuances of neurodivergent needs and encouraging them to adapt their communications accordingly.

Georgia’s resources can be found here:

• Neuroinclusive communications guide
• How to create a neuroinclusive workplace guide

Category 4: Outstanding ED&I Champion – Student

An award made to a postgraduate or undergraduate student who has shown outstanding dedication, sustained commitment, and effective leadership or impact in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.

Winner

Lessah Mandoloma

Lessah has been the driving force behind an impressive range of innovative activities to enhance inclusion in Biology and beyond, all alongside completing her DPhil. Notably, she helped organise an online event for graduate students to talk about global events and their impact on student wellbeing. In the context of devastating wars, natural disasters, and human suffering around the world, Biology students were able to come together in a safe space to talk about their own struggles and share resources to support each other. She has also helped create opportunities for African students to feel included in Oxford, with a freshers’ orientation for African students admitted to Oxford from across different departments. Lessah has been instrumental to developing exciting activities in her department, as well as engaging with divisional ED&I work through the ED&I Steering Group and Fellows.

Winner

Vik Shirvaikar

Vik’s dedication and energy for all things ED&I is outstanding. His keen involvement in departmental ED&I activities has enhanced local activities and engagement. From organising Statistics’ first-ever events for Neurodiversity Celebration Week, to helping with the department’s first women in machine learning hackathon, to advocating for changes in policy and support for students when supervisors leave the University, to serving on the department’s Race Equality Task Force, Vik has been an integral part of important work. His ability to connect with people, going door-to-door to student offices to talk to people about the graduate survey, and helping to increase visibility of departmental MHFAs, is admirable.