MPLS Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023

Category 1: Best Initiative

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

Winner

Computer Science Outreach team (Suzanna Marsh, Sarah Baldwin, Huw Edmunds, Jenny Watson; Huw and Jenny pictured)

The Royal Institution Masterclasses in Computer Science are an ongoing outreach programme that engages year 9 students from state-funded schools across five counties, and then asks the same students to participate in the programme again in years 10 and 11. Schools nominate students to attend sessions across June and July, where they meet speakers from industry, academia and education, learning about computer science topics. When selecting participants, ACORN and POLAR data is used to prioritise students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and the programme aims for 50% of the cohort of participants to self-identify as female because women are particularly underrepresented within computer science. Schools who have not previously engaged in the programme are also prioritised.

Positive feedback has been received from participants including 'I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge and I love computer science even more' and 'I now have more of a passion for computing'. The programme's continuation and this feedback demonstrates its success.

Commended

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

PERIODically is a podcast created by both undergraduate and postgraduate Oxford chemists to discuss experiences of 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. Financial support was received from the Royal Society of Chemistry and ongoing conversations within the department to publicise and continue the conversation.

Listen to the podcast on:

• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon

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

Angus Wilkinson and Leanne Jones

Leanne and Angus are being recognised for their ED&I work within department of Materials and Division, particularly highlighting their work on mental health and wellbeing which included three sessions as part of the MPLS Mental Health Awareness Week – a session on challenges ECRs can face, a talk from a Materials academic on his experiences with Autism, and a panel discussion on anxiety in academia. Alongside these sessions, they organised a number of sessions specifically for the Materials department, including a collaborative discussion to develop a new mental health and wellbeing action plan for the department.

Part of the nomination reads: “Angus and Leanne’s commitment to actively making real change within their department is clear – their ideas have tangible and realistic outcomes and, particularly their mental health action plan, will provide long-term benefits and culture change. Their different roles within the department have, I believe, really helped to make this a successful partnership, allowing them to share their knowledge and understanding from academic staff and graduate student/postdoc research perspectives.”

Commended

Maria Christodoulou, Ruth McCabe and Mariagrazia Zottoli

While the Department of Statistics has been focused its Athena Swan award application this academic year, Maria, Ruth and Mariagrazia have formed an unofficial task group on their own initiative to continue wider ED&I work. Activity includes the development of newsletters for selected celebration days (Anti-Bullying Week and LGBT+ History Month), production of welfare slides to summarise the support available in the department around mental health and harassment, and arranged QR codes to anonymous feedback forms for staff and students to be put up in bathrooms and common areas. In addition, they have proposed several projects which are currently underway but not yet complete: the provision of free menstrual products, more inclusive toilet signs for our gender neutral toilets, and events for October's Black History Month.

Part of the nomination reads: “They have been effective at driving our non-Athena Swan work this year, without prompting and to the immense gratitude of the EDIC chairs. It is a testament to their strong commitment to EDI, and they have worked exceptionally well as a team to get all these initiatives through.”

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 - Professional Service Staff

Wendy Poole

Wendy is the administrative director of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Autonomous Intelligent Machines & Systems (AIMS). She has been nominated by a postdoc student for her support to students coming in to the programme – particularly from a first-generation perspective.

Part of the nomination reads: “Over the past five years, Wendy has had a significant impact on my academic career. She has impacted my time at Oxford—which includes a master’s degree and a DPhil—more than anyone else. Her dedication, compassion, kindness, leadership, and remarkable effectiveness make AIMS possible and have helped numerous students in the program overcome personal and professional challenges. Over the course of my academic career, which spans over 10 years at various institutions, I have not met anyone like Wendy. Wendy lifts up everyone around her, exhausts every option when AIMS students need help, lends an ear to those who are struggling, and is just a kind-hearted, good person.”

Commended - Professional Service Staff

Ginger Jansen

Ginger is being recognised for her exceptional commitment to advancing ED&I at Oxford and her continued journey of learning, which she uses to influence change within the Maths Institute and the division. Just a few of her contributions and work are listed below.

As an active member of Maths EDIC, she supports a number of priorities including but not limited to, the departmental Race Equality action plan, the departmental wellbeing strategy, and free period products initiative. Ginger runs a number of departmental mental health initiatives including organising the training and ongoing support for departmental Mental Health First Aiders, a programme of Mental Health Awareness courses and the creation of a wellbeing room in the Andrew Wiles Building. Outside of her mental health and other ED&I work, Ginger also implements the departmental EDI Calendar and delivers inclusive and engaging events, including: International Women’s Day, Pride, Black History Month and Anti-Bullying Week.

Part of the nomination reads: “Ginger demonstrates exceptional commitment to advancing EDI at Oxford. She has a detailed knowledge of the subject areas and issues and is committed to a journey of continued learning – Ginger’s is skilled at sharing best practice with the EDI network / peers while also engaging the wider community with great energy.”

Winner - Academic/Researcher

Laura Cunningham

“Since joining the Department of Chemistry in 2020, Laura has been continuously active in improving the community for fellow PDRAs and female researchers. She has consistently advanced initiatives, including the establishment of an annual PDRA symposium in chemistry, where she ensured a high level of gender balance in presenters. Beyond her event-based activities, Laura has had a sustained input on departmental decisions, being an active contributor on multiple department committees, from ED&I to academic staff meetings. Last year, she was also trained as a mental health first aider and has routinely advocated for awareness and support of students and staff with mental health issues.

Laura was elected as the president of Oxford Women in Chemistry (OxWiChem) in 2021 and has grown the committee to incorporate representatives from a range of backgrounds. She has led the organization of many events which strengthen the community for women in chemistry, such as career seminars from invited female academics and coffee mornings with the research facilitation team to promote fellowship applications by female researchers.

Laura’s commitment from the moment she arrived in Oxford has been sustained, effective and encouraging for others. I hope that I have conveyed the extent to which she clearly cares about ED&I matters and the impact she has had already. I strongly believe that Laura’s efforts and passion make her wholly deserving of recognition through this award.”

Commended - Academic/Researcher

James Sparks

James is being recognised for his wonderful allyship and inclusive approach – with part of the nomination reading:

“I have known James both as a faculty member, and as head of department. James has been exceptionally inclusive and welcoming from the very first interaction, both as HoD, and as a group member, and has generously given of his busy time to provide with critical helpful information in both of his roles. He essentially provided me with informal mentorship, and being an extremely dependable ally, despite his busy schedule as a HoD.”

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

Misha Patel

During her time at the Department of Engineering Science, Misha has dedicated her free time to help build supportive communities across her department and the MPLS Division. Examples include becoming Vice President of the Women in Engineering Network in the first year of her PhD, being a co-convenor of BIPOC STEM Network, advocating for formal recognition of those who dedicate time and effort to ED&I initiative and raising these topics in a podcast with Oxford University Vice Chancellor. Misha has spent countless hours supporting outreach activities helping to encourage young people to pursue STEM, particularly from underrepresented backgrounds. She participated at the Beyond Boundaries Competition, and helped St Peter’s college outreach scheme by showcasing her research to year 12 students on an engineering residential course. 

Commended

Charlie Simms

Charlotte has been the student lead and driving force in setting up the PERIODically podcast project (see ‘Best Initiative’ category). She co-wrote the application to the Royal Society of Chemistry Equality and Diversity fund, recruited students to participant and lead meetings.

Part of Charlie’s nomination reads: “Aside from her amazing work on the Periodically podcast, she has been a remarkable mentor to me throughout this year and has gone above and beyond her duties to support me. Charlotte is an inspiration both professionally and personally. She is dedicated to ensuring that the environment we work in is one of equality and respect, and has spoken out against discrimination in difficult situations.”