Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Physics
The School of Physics and Astronomy is committed to inspiring our students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the local and global communities. The School endeavours to create an environment which is not only free from discrimination, but celebrates and values diversity. This both reflects and is fundamental to achieving our goals. We are committed to ensuring that each person, regardless of heritage or personal circumstances, will have the opportunity to give their best and be appropriately recognised and rewarded for their contributions.
Presentation by Dr. Jess Wade, at the first Post-Graduate Women in Physics Conference, held in Nottingham in March 2020.
We have an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which works to ensure that everyone in the school feels included and is able to thrive while working or studying with us. In 2022 students in the School of Physics and Astronomy were 29% Female, 71% Male, and 19% Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), 79% White. Staff in the school were 27% Female, 73% Male and 13% Black and Minority Ethnic, 81% White making our school more diverse than the average Russell Group Physics Department. We have an active outreach programme aimed at, amongst other things, encouraging students from groups that are currently under-represented to consider studying physics at undergraduate level.
We are very keen to hear about any issue that impacts on equality, diversity or inclusion. Please use our contact form to report any issues. Any enquiries will be treated as anonymous.
Current award status
In 2023 the School was granted renewals of our Silver Athena SWAN award by AdvanceHE and our Juno Champion status by the Institute of Physics, both in recognition of our work towards gender equality”. Our application and action plan can be found here and here.
School Colloquia
Each year one of the School’s colloquia is on an EDI related topic.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
The Equality and Diversity Committee is responsible for the development and implementation of policies/activities to help provide a working and studying environment that all colleagues value and appreciate. We aim to deliver and maintain a well-balanced diversity of gender and ethnicity across all job families in the School of Physics.
It has representation from academic, technical, research and administrative staff together with undergraduate and postgraduate students.
School policies
In addition to implementing the University's Equality & Diversity strategies the School also offers:
- paid maternity leave for Home/EU postgraduate research students
- informal flexible working
- reduced teaching and administration duties for staff returning from maternity leave
- whole-School meetings, events and training held in core hours.
Supporting female students
We have long established systems for supporting female students. We pair female students in a tutorial group, which also guarantees at least two female students in all laboratory and workshop groups. Feel free to approach any member of staff if you have any concerns, but we have a special tutor with whom female students can discuss problems – Clare Burrage.
Equality and Inclusion in Science and Engineering
Anne McClaren Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Anne McLaren Fellowships are aimed at outstanding female scholars in science, technology, engineering and/or medicine at the early stage of their academic careers. The Fellowships enable female researchers in STEM subjects – often under-represented in these areas - to establish independent research careers.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/researchwithus/fellowships/internally-funded.aspx