Imperial's Department of Bioengineering has been awarded its first Athena SWAN Bronze award, in recognition of its support for female academics.
This latest round of awards means that 15 of the College’s 19 departments now hold Athena SWAN awards.
The Athena SWAN Charter was established to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research, with each award lasting for three years.
The Department of Bioengineering’s action plan, submitted as part of the application, aims to increase the proportion of female staff and students by targeting prospective applicants through academic networks and increasing the number of female students engaging with schools outreach activities. Other plans include the improvement of processes to support induction and Personal Review and Development Plans (PRDPs).
We feel that this award recognises our efforts to help all staff in the Department to thrive – academic, support, and research staff, as well as our student body
– Professor Anthony Bull
Head of the Department of Bioengineering
Looking ahead, the department has created a new group, the Equality and Departmental Culture Committee, to take forward the Athena SWAN action plan and to work on equality issues more broadly.
Professor Anthony Bull, Head of the Department of Bioengineering, said: “I am delighted that the Department of Bioengineering was successful in gaining a Bronze Athena SWAN award. We feel that this recognises our efforts to help all staff in the Department to thrive – academic, support, and research staff, as well as our student body. We are excited to continue to work towards an even more supportive environment through the newly established Equality and Departmental Culture Committee.”
Other departments' renewal applications have been successful in the latest round of awards, with the Department of Life Sciences receiving a renewed Bronze award and the Department of Physics a renewed Silver award. The College also holds an institutional Silver award, and will be submitting a renewal application in 2016.
Main image: Bioengineering staff and students took part in National Women in Engineering Day earlier this year.
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Elizabeth Nixon
Communications Division
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