The Department of Chemical Engineering was awarded a Silver Athena SWAN Award in 2009 in recognition of good practice towards the advancement of gender equality in our department. Our award was renewed in 2014 and recently in 2018 under the new post-2015 criteria.
If you would like to request a copy of our application(s), please click here.
The Department is proud of the support offered to staff and encourages a healthy work-life balance. Scroll down to hear from from current staff members.
Dr João Cabral is a Reader in Soft Matter. He benefitted from enhanced shared parental leave in 2016 and is the first male academic to have been awarded the Elsie Widdowson Fellowship:
"I am very grateful and proud of my Department and the College for enabling an environment that fosters academic success and family balance in such an inclusive and considerate way."
Ms Aleksandra Szymanska is our Research and Finance Manager. Aleksandra has been supported in completing management and finance training and, since the birth of her son in 2012, has benefitted from compressed working hours and flexible working arrangements:
"My positive experiences gave me the skills and confidence to apply for my current managerial role, for which I was actively encouraged and supported by my line manager and the Director of Resources through mentoring and interview coaching."
Professor Claire Adjiman is a Professor of Chemical Engineering, Co-Director of IMSE and Director of CPSE. Claire has been awarded the Elsie Widdowson Fellowship on two occasions and has benefitted from flexible working arrangements:
"It has been invaluable to work in a flexible environment, where the focus is on results rather than prescribed working patterns. The use of flexible working hours and remote working technology has been very helpful, particularly when dealing with unplanned events such as children’s illnesses."
Professor Amparo Galindo is a Professor of Physical Chemistry and Director of Postgraduate Studies. Amparo has been awarded the Elsie Widdowson Fellowship on two occasions, and was mentored by senior staff when she was a Fellow in the department:
"On each academic year that I have taught since my children were born I have requested to have one day a week free of teaching and work from home, if no other meetings require me to be in the office; this request has always been granted"