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Athena SWAN Gold department award application Name of University: Imperial College London Department: Chemistry Date of application: April 2013 Date of Silver SWAN award: August 2009 & November 2011 Date of university Bronze award: 2009 Contact for application: Dr Patricia Hunt Email: p.hunt@imperial.ac.uk Telephone: +44 (0)20759-41219 Departmental website address: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry

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Abbreviations and References

AOC=Academic Opportunities Committee ARF=Advanced Research Fellow BBSRC=Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council CAOC=Chemistry Academic Opportunities Committee DPS=Director of Postgraduate Studies CPDT=Chemistry Post-Doc Development Team ECDC=Early Career Development Committee EPSRC=Engineering and Physical Science Research Council GSEPS=Graduate School of Engineering & Physical Science HEIDI=Higher Education Information Database for Institutions HoD=Head of Department HoS=Head of Section ICJRF=Imperial College Junior Research Fellow PA=Personal Assistant PDC=Postdoc Development Centre PG=Post Graduate PGSS=Post Graduate Staff Student Committee PGC= Post Graduate Committee PRDP=Personal Review and Development Plan PRES=Postgraduate Research Experience Survey RAE=Research Assessment Exercise REF=Research Excellence Framework RGU=Russell Group of Universities RPG=Research Post Graduate (PhD) RSC=Royal Society of Chemistry SET=Science, Engineering and Technology SOLE=Student On-Line Evaluation TPG=Taught Post Graduate (Masters) UG=Under Graduate National data has been extracted from HEIDI, the Higher Education Information Database for Institutions. https://heidi.hesa.ac.uk/ Data for the Russell Group of Universities includes: The Queen's University of Belfast The University of Birmingham The University of Bristol The University of Cambridge Cardiff University The University of Edinburgh The University of Glasgow Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine King's College London The University of Leeds The University of Liverpool London School of Economics and Political Science The University of Manchester The University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne The University of Nottingham The University of Oxford The University of Sheffield The University of Southampton University College London The University of Warwick Cover photograph is Chemistry RCS1 building by Christian Richters

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1. Letter of endorsement from the Head of Department

Department Of Chemistry Imperial College London Exhibition Road London Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 5763 Fax: +44 (0)20 7594 5804 t.welton@imperial.ac.uk www.imperial.ac.uk

20 April 2013 Prof Tom Welton FRSC Professor in Sustainable Chemistry Head of the Department of Chemistry Sarah Dickinson Senior Policy Advisor Athena SWAN Charter Equality Challenge Unit 7th Floor, Queens House 5/56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields London WC2A 3LJ Dear Sarah, Dear Sarah, I am writing to give my enthusiastic support to the Imperial College Department of Chemistry Athena SWAN application for a Gold award. The implementation of the management and cultural changes that are described in this document have been at the heart of the Department of Chemistry’s Strategic Vision: to be the first choice for the most able students, to be the first choice employer for the most talented staff and to be the first choice research provider for research funders and industry. When I became Head of Department in 2007, I realized that the future success of the Department would depend, not only on the scientific excellence of our individual members, but on how well we work together. My own personal experience of my colleagues’ help through my health challenges had shown me that in extreme circumstances, their support was overwhelming and fantastic. My challenge for the Department was to create a culture that enabled us to harness this kind of freely given mutual support on a day-to-day basis, making it ordinary, rather than exceptional. While this approach was not designed specifically for the purpose of widening diversity within the Department, women and other underrepresented groups benefit greatly from these changes. We do not pigeonhole underrepresented groups into problems to be dealt with. We have a positive culture of diversity through inclusion in which everyone deserves and receives respect, fairness and compassion. We very much hold to the adage that while women and other underrepresented groups are the most often disadvantaged by poor practices, everyone

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benefits from good practices. We do believe that best practice can only be achieved if the voices of women and other under represented groups are heard and we make a particular effort to ensure this. I am pleased to say that we have made huge advances, many of which are reported in our application. Of course there is much more that can be done. This can never be something that can be ‘finished’, nor is there any such thing as perfect. The Department will always have to question itself and adapt to changing environments, but the Athena SWAN process will help to ensure that people are at the centre of our decision making. Winning an Athena SWAN Gold award would not only recognize the progress that we are making on transforming the Department’s working environment, it will provide impetus to help drive the next phase forward. I commend our application to you. Yours sincerely

409 words

Chemistry Taster Days where the department carries out demonstrations and hand-on events for 13-15 year old visiting students. The photos show the students blueprinting and Luminol - in an investigation into the chemistry of

glowsticks. Photograph by Jow Muddiman.

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2. The self-assessment process Describe the self-assessment process. This should include: (a) A description of the self assessment team: members’ roles (both within the department and as part of the team) and their experiences of work-life balance)

• The self assessment team is the Chemistry Academic Opportunities Committee (CAOC). The CAOC is embedded as a permanent part of the Department management structure and has a wide remit to support all staff.

Alan Armstrong (Professor): Alan’s research interest is organic synthesis. His wife is a management consultant and the only female Partner in her firm. Alan therefore has great experience of supporting a successful woman. Mike Bearpark (Reader, Disabilities Officer) Mike’s research area is computational photochemistry. He participates in the STEM Disability Committee and HE STEM Programme. Michael is married to a mathematics teacher and has 2 young children. Eileen Boyce (Department Operations Manager): Eileen is responsible for the administrative functions to the Department. A philosophy graduate of University College Cork, Eileen lives with her long-term partner in Ealing. Rachel Brooks (MRes Champion, MRes Rep, Rectors Ambassador) Rachel joined Imperial in 2012 and is interested in sustainability issues. She represents the college on schools visits and in her spare time runs a charity building schools in the South Pacific. Nicholas Brooks (Early Career Researcher, Member ECDC): Nick is a Research Lecturer who previously established and headed up the Chemistry Post-Doc Team and is a founding member of the Early Career Development Committee (ECDC). Michelle Cheung (PhD Champion) Michelle is a final year PhD student and enjoys the challenge of the research and the flexibility it has afforded her to pursue personal passions. Silvia Díez-González (Early Career Lecturer): Silvia joined the Department as part of the first cohort of IC Junior Research Fellows and was appointed as a Lecturer in May 2011. Liz Elvidge (Head of the Postdoc Development Centre): Liz provides support and coaching for Imperial’s 2000 post-docs and is particularly interested in working with female post-docs. She is married and has two grown step children. Matt Fuchter (Senior Lecturer): Matt’s research is focused on the design, synthesis and optimisation of functionally useful molecules. His wife is a paediatrician and they live in Chiswick. Ling Ge (Chemistry Post-Doc Development Team): Ling has been leader of the CPDT for four years, member of the ECDC and a College level representative for the department. In her spare time she writes a science column for the Financial Times.

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Sue Gibson (Professor): Sue is interested in diverse aspects of organic synthesis and applications of transition metal chemistry. She is a past President of the Organic Division of the RSC and chairs the RSC Awards and Prizes Committee. Sue is married to the Chief Scientist at the MoD and is a parent. Patricia Hunt (Chair CAOC, Faculty AOC member, Senior Lecturer): Patricia’s research focuses on the computational study of liquids and novel catalysts. Tricia has a very supportive partner who is a software developer in a Law firm. Christopher Roberts (UG Champion): Chris is currently in his 3rd year of an MSci degree in Chemistry and has been a hall senior for the past two years. “I’ve grown so much, both academically and personally, during my time here, and I look forward to completing my degree and starting postgraduate research.” Milo Shaffer (Professor): Milo is a Professor in Nanomaterials Chemistry. He is married to a clinical psychologist and has 2 young children. He has been warden of an undergraduate Hall of Residence. Ed Tate (Chair of the ECDC, Reader): Ed’s research focuses on the applications of chemistry to understand and manipulate living systems and is a member of the Faculty's Fellow's Forum. His wife works for a medical charity and they have 2 young children. Maria Tortelli (PA to the Head of Department): Maria is responsible for the provision of PA services to the Head of Department and provides support including: website editor, event manager and HR administrator particularly with regards to recruitment, induction and promotion of academic staff. Tom Welton: (HoD, Professor): Tom's research involves the development and investigation of ionic liquids. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Heads of Chemistry UK and actively promotes diversity and the development of all staff. Tom’s partner is a senior manager for a water services supplier.

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(b) An account of the self-assessment process: details of the self assessment team meetings, including any consultation processes that were undertaken with staff or individuals outside of the university, and how these have fed into the submission.

• The CAOC meets every 2 months. In addition, subgroupings with specific responsibilities meet informally and the Chair and HoD meet once a month. Information and progress is circulated within the team regularly.

• External consultation has included Athena SWAN workshops, discussions with other UK university SWAN coordinators (particularly Alison Rodger chair of the Warwick Athena SWAN Network) and the RSC. The Gold renewal from York Chemistry Department and the Gold application from Edinburgh Chemistry Department have been studied.

• Within college advice has been sought from the NatSci Faculty AOC with particular input from the Physics Department (Project Juno Champions). Within the College, Chemistry is a key SWAN leader offering advice and support.

• The CAOC identifies areas of concern, collects information and opinion, discusses and proposes actions, allocates tasks and evaluates the results. The CAOC communicates aspirational targets, disseminates best practice, and works towards culture changes that benefit women.

(c) Plans for the future of the self-assessment team, such as how often the team will continue to meet and how the department will deal with the turnover of team members, any reporting mechanisms and in particular how the self assessment team intends to monitor implementation of the action plan.

• The CAOC, is an embedded part of the departmental management structure, and will continue to meet, progress and evaluate actions as outlined above. Membership of CAOC is reviewed annually, and represents a cross section of the department from UGs through to Professors. Since our last SWAN submission there has been ≈45% change in membership.

• The Chair sits on and reports to the department Management Committee, the Faculty AOC and regular updates are presented at full staff meetings throughout the year. Minutes are published on the Imperial intranet.

• The self-assessment and monitoring activities are now well-established and include biannually a day of professionally facilitated workshops with staff and students at all levels. A report based on this activity presents an overview of the department, its people and culture. Statistics are reported on annually. Feedback is sought from a wide range of sources (departmental and external reviews, induction feedback, individual interviews, annual Post-Doc survey, Imperial College Survey etc.) and discussed in CAOC meetings. The action plan guides meetings; progress is reviewed and plans revised as required. New actions evolve out of free and frank discussion where the impact on women is always explicitly considered.

1014 words

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3. A picture of the department Provide a pen-picture of the department to set the context for the application, outlining in particular any significant and relevant features.

Main Chemistry Building, photograph by Christian Richters

Imperial College’s Chemistry Department is the 3rd largest in the UK with 50 academic staff, 110 PDRAs and 40 operational staff, 205 PhD students, 68 PG Masters students and 440 Undergraduates, all originating from all around the world, approximately a third of our students come from outside the EU. We have 6 academic women, three of which are Professors, in addition we have 2 female Fellows at Lecturer equivalent. The Department has a research grant income of ca. £13 million p.a. and it is the largest single recipient of EPSRC Chemistry funding. In the last RAE the Department was ranked 3rd in the UK, based on the proportion of world leading and internationally excellent research (i.e. 4* and 3*). In 2008 the Department began a program of change in its practices and culture to enhance our position as a world-leading, research-led Chemistry Department. The Athena Swan process has been immensely helpful in this. We began with defining what success means to us and have articulated this in our strategic vision “we aim to be the first choice educator for the most able students, the first choice employer for most talented staff and the first choice research provider for funders”. We recognised that the world around us was changing, with ever greater need for collaborative working both within Chemistry and in multidisciplinary teams with people from different subjects in order to meet global challenges. We also recognised that the Department as a whole can only be a success if we recruit the most able (both staff and students) and enable these to reach their maximum potentials. A lack of diversity in our senior staff is strong evidence that we have a long way to go to achieve this aim. We have come to learn through our application of the Athena Swan process that the best practices for creating a more successful department and the best practices for increasing diversity in general and the representation of women in particular are the same. Imperial Chemistry will achieve its goals through being a fulfilling, productive and happy place in which to learn, teach and carry out research. We will ensure the long-term success of our research and teaching by appointing the best scientists and supporting them within a culture of

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collaboration to fulfil their potential. The Department operates an open culture, where quality, flexibility and continuous improvement are key features. All members of the Department join in our open and collaborative decision making processes and we continue to work pro-actively to attract, and strongly support, early career staff via both external and internal research fellowships. We recognise strength in diversity of all kinds. The Chemistry Department has, for some time, been purposefully changing its environment to increase collaborative working. Effective collaboration can only flourish in an atmosphere of trust and mutual support. Achieving this has required transparent, fair, objective decision making and the bringing together of people to help and support each other – all excellent practice for increasing diversity and the representation of women. We are also working on changing the physical environment, such as building new laboratories such designed for multidisciplinary working (e.g., Chemistry in the Clinic at Imperial West). These changes are also designed to increase levels of sociability and solidarity within the Department, so as to generate the desire at all levels to provide (and perhaps more importantly permission to receive without being judged) help and support. We can show strong evidence that this is working. 40% of all grants held in the Chemistry Department are now collaborative in nature. 70% of all collaborations are with colleagues from other disciplines and the remaining 30% are with fellow Chemists in the Department. In addition, the Chemistry Department has a substantial number of research partnerships with other academic institutions and our academic staff are a vital part of four cross-College Doctoral Training Centres and six cross-College Institutes. Our increased collaborative working has led to our Research Volume increasing from £8M in 2007-8 to £13M this year.

At the same time, staff are reporting increased satisfaction at work in staff surveys. The Department believes that these changes make us more attractive to prospective employees, but particularly so for women candidates. Our activities are having a wider impact across the College. The Chemistry Department is held up as an exemplar for staff development and many of our practices are being adopted by other Departments. We have pushed the College centre to improve its provision in a number of areas. For example, their statistics collection has become significantly more robust, as it is now centralised and managed by a single individual who is aided by a College funded management trainee and the Department Operations

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2008-09

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2011-12

Imperial Chemistry Research Volume 2007 - 2012

Research Volume

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Manager. Lobbying the College was thus successful in providing resources, not just for the Chemistry Department but for the whole College. The Previous Action Plan: Where awards are being renewed or upgraded, a copy of the previous action plan should be included, with indications of progress made. When awards are renewed or upgraded, panels do not expect to see every single action completed by the deadlines set out in the plan. However, they do expect to see evidence of progress responsive to the needs of the department or institution. Our most recent action plan (covering the 3 years from Nov 2011) was detailed and specific and we received feedback that it contained too much information, thus the following table summarises progress since Nov 2011, some actions are on-going and items are carried through onto, and detailed within, the current action plan. 1. Data • We have key data back to 2003 (ie 10 years) this information held in a statistics

document updated annually, which includes substantially more detail than presented in the Athena SWAN applications.

• Staff awareness of M:F statistics has been increased at all levels, through UG and PG engagement, staff meetings, web-based information and informal discussion

• We have instigated records of: committee membership by female staff (internal and external), all outreach activities by staff, Post-Doc appointment statistics and all Fellowship holders in the department.

2. UG & PG • We have established UG and PG champions, encouraged and obtained forthright feedback and information from our UGs and PGs which has been used to generate actions in the current action plan

• We have encouraged more outreach activities, are setting up a data-base of outreach activities, applied for funding with the aim of increasing female participation, supported female focused events and supported female student and staff involvement in outreach activities

• We have raised the profile of female role models by instigating 3 new prizes named after women Chemists

• We are monitoring feedback from UGs and PGs through SOLE, PRES, Student Barometer, NSS and mentors. We obtain feedback on UG and PG issues from individual staff, the Postgraduate Tutor, the UG Tutor, Student-Staff committees and in direct feedback from UG & PG champions. We are encouraging students to provide frank and honest feedback and opinion. The CAOC is actively discussing and acting on the points raised - many items appear in the current action plan.

3. Academic Appointments & Promotions

• 2 female Readers have been supported in successful promotions to Professor, one female research fellow has been successfully mentored into a permanent post created specifically for her.

• A record is now kept of all Fellowship holders within the department, and we are actively monitoring M:F balance - a current action plan item is to increase the number of female fellows

• New instructions for a dedicated search committee are now in place (requiring potential candidates to be approached on a M:F 50:50 basis) and there is a yearly agenda item for the CAOC to reflect on the appointments process

• Senior staff have been encouraged to consider their mentoring role, staff are being told at a departmental staff meetings they should be identifying future fellowship candidates, and that women candidates tend to wait to be asked

• Staff that should be going for promotions soon or are having any kind of difficulty that would prevent future promotion are being identified at the annual departmental promotions meeting are all offered mentoring by their Section Head and this is being followed up by the HoD office to ensure it is occurring.

• Staff identified by the HoD as having difficulty when the annual performance criteria are collated are being are being offered support before it becomes a problem for

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their career, this may mean bespoke mentoring, professional coaching. • The collection of Research Staff application/appointment statistics has been

substantially improved • Induction processes are established and active (research and academic staff) and

feedback is that they are very good

4. Support at Early Career and Career Development

• Research staff are actively encouraged to consider career development opportunities: we have promoted taking the entitlement 10 days development, instigated explicit discussion of fellowships into personal review and development plan (PRDP) meetings, and encouraged PIs and mentors to increase "tapping on the shoulder"

• Post-Doc PRDPs are monitored and a file showing who has and has not undertaken the PRDPs for their Post-Docs is circulated. The Annual Post-Doc survey is currently underway.

• More communication and information is being delivered to all staff from the HoD and central administration: a list of all fellowships is on the web, timely reminders of upcoming grant opportunities and due dates are e-mailed department wide. HoD circulates e-mails of successful grants communicating award sources and those who can be approached for advice.

• CAOC members have organised and/or actively participated in career development days targeted at women. (Irene Joliot-Curie conference in collaboration with Warwick University, Springboard Women's Development Program, Fellowships for Researchers event, Individual presentations at UK Universities, Women Scientist Workshop, ETH.) Our own Post-Doc symposium has been extended to include other Departments. Other departments are following our lead with their own Post-Doc symposia.

5. Culture and Organisation

• Prof. Sue Gibson was awarded of an OBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list for services to Chemistry and Science Education. Sue sits on the CAOC and is a role model for academic women in the Department and the UK.

• CAOC membership changed, a change-over in Staff (1F Prof. left and 2 young staff 1M and 1F added) a Research staff representative (F), 1 UG (M) and 2 PG (F) champions have been added.

• Chemistry hosted the faculty-level “Stepping Up My Career in 2013” networking meeting

• Information on committee membership and structure has been clarified and posted on staff web-pages, statistics collected and M:F representation monitored

• A record is now kept of women on decision making committees both internal and external to the department, the impact of work-load (internal and external) on all staff is now being discussed at PRDP meetings.

• Administrative support has been completely reorganised, in what was a substantial Departmental undertaking. The new format has been based on staff opinion where information obtained was from a survey and follow-up interviews, an item in the action plan is to follow-up with feedback on the new arrangements

• All professors have been contacted and organisation of a forum has been initiated • Department social events are occurring regularly

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a) Provide data for the past five years (where possible with clearly labelled graphical illustrations) on the following with commentary on their significance, how they have affected action planning, and any improvements since the department’s Silver award.

3.1 Student data (i) Numbers of males and females on access or foundation courses

Not applicable

(ii) Undergraduate male and female numbers

1. The percentage of Female UGs is steadily rising

• Since 2008 (year Athena actions were implemented) the number of female UG has

increased from 38% to 44% and is now above the national average from HEIDI (43%). This increase may be in response to a larger proportion of outreach activities being lead or undertaken by female staff and students, which has increased from 26% to 38% to 45% from 2009-2011. The drive to enhance outreach has been successful however, more men than women have responded and the proportion of women participating has droped to 27% in 2012. Thus we will be targeting more women to participate in outreach activities, Action 1A. We aim to keep an upward trend in the percentage of female UG numbers, Actions 1A and 1B. Monitoring of UG statistics is on going, Action 1E.

Solid green circles = Heidi average, Thin green lines and open circles = the lowest and highest

% Female from Russell Group of Universities, Filled diamonds=Athena SWAN gold award

holding departments.

Female and male undergraduate students in the Chemistry department

year ending

F %F M Total

2008 169 38% 276 445 2009 172 38% 281 453 2010 178 38% 289 467 2011 187 39% 289 476 2012 201 40% 306 507 2013 219 44% 281 500

External comparison: The percentage of

UG students Nationally in Chemistry year

ending national

heidi max,min

heidi York Edinb-

urgh 2008 44% 48,32% 39% 41% 2009 43% 50,35% 39% 49% 2010 43% 52,36% 40% 48% 2011 43% 58,36% 43% 49% 2012 42% 59,34% 44% 50%

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(iii) Postgraduate male and female numbers completing taught courses

1. Total numbers are small

• The percentage of women TPG has been about 46% for the last 4 years, which is above

the national average from HEIDI (44%). The number of TPG students is not large, hence the wider variation in the data. The increase in total numbers in 2009 and 2010 are due to new MRes courses starting.

• We are aiming towards a 50:50 ratio of men and women and hope to improve this through Actions 1C, 2B and 2G. Monitoring of PG statistics is on going, Action 2I.

Numbers of TPG (Masters) Students

Female and male Taught Post Graduate (Masters) Students

year ending

F %F M Total PGT nationally

heidi 2008 19 58% 14 33 42% 2009 32 68% 15 47 46% 2010 28 47% 32 60 44% 2011 28 45% 34 62 41% 2012 29 47% 33 62 45% 2013 31 46% 36 67 -

Kathryn Rix, a PhD student, preparing a rotating disc electrode in the Electrochemical Engineering Laboratory.

Photo by Dave Guttridge

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(iv) Postgraduate male and female numbers on research degrees

1. Percentage of female PGs is above the national average 2. The pipeline is being maintained at the UG (40 %F) to PG (43 %F) transition. 3. Of concern is a slight fall in %F PG since 2012 (≈3%)

• The percentage of women RPGs is 43% and thus above the national HEIDI average of 40% and close to that of York (44%) and Edinburgh (39%) Chemistry Departments. There is a higher percentage of women at the PG compared to the UG level coming through the department. Monitoring of PG statistics is on-going, Action 2I

• The percentage of women RPGs decreased slightly in 2012 and has not recovered. This can be traced back to a decreasing percentage of women applying (see (v) ratio of applications, offers and acceptances for RPGs below). This will be addressed locally through Actions 1C, 2B, and 2G, and nationally through Actions 7A and 7C.

• The Imperial PhD has been made more female friendly with initiatives that include; expanding PG mentoring, Post-Doc buddies, a PG handbook, a clear timeline for PGs, regular PG/supervisor meetings, a confidential report option, PG Friday coffee, a PG Champion on the CAOC, new prizes for PGs named after women.

• The external PG Research Experiences Review (PRES) in 2011 highlighted many areas of good practice. PRES also noted two weaknesses; links to/from Departmental PG committee and addressing coping mechanisms, rather than the culture. We aim to address these through Actions 1C, 2A and 2F.

• Feedback from RPG has been for more social events, more social interaction with staff, support for conferences, more careers advice and better induction for PGs from other institutions. These issues are addressed in Actions 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F.

Numbers of RPG (PhD) Students

Solid green circles = Heidi average, Thin green lines and

open circles = the lowest and highest % Female from Russell Group of Universities, Filled diamonds=Athena

SWAN gold award holding departments.

Female and male Research Post Graduate (PhD) Students

year ending

F %F M Total

2008 75 46% 87 162 2009 77 45% 94 171 2010 102 46% 119 221 2011 101 46% 119 220 2012 92 43% 121 213 2013 98 43% 129 227

External comparison: The percentage of RPG students Nationally

year ending

PGR national

heidi

PGR max,min

heidi

PGR York

PGR Edinb-urgh

2008 40% 57,29% 39% 35% 2009 40% 58,28% 42% 38% 2010 40% 53,30% 44% 41% 2011 40% 51,27% 44% 41% 2012 40% 51,31% 39% 40%

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(v) Ratio of course applications to offers and acceptances by gender for UGs

1. The percentage of female UCAS applications is steadily increasing 2. A higher percentage of women are made offers than apply at the UG level

• The number of women applying has been steadily increasing over the last 4 years,

moreover for the last five years the percentage of offers to women UGs has been higher than the percentage of women UGs applying.

• In the 2012/13 the percentage of women UG accepting offers is the highest yet, and for the first time we have more than 50% of women accepting offers.

• We are well above the national HEIDI average for Chemistry departments offers:acceptances which is 40%:42% (we are 46%:51%)

UCAS Applications, Offers and Acceptances

year ending

F apply

M apply

total apply

F offers

M offers

total offers

F accept

M accept

total accept

% F apply

% F offers

% F accept

2008 357 557 914 230 319 549 63 100 163 39% 42% 39% 2009 339 508 847 225 303 528 64 100 164 40% 43% 39% 2010 277 402 679 157 205 362 50 86 136 41% 43% 37% 2011 306 417 723 178 238 416 61 93 154 42% 43% 40% 2012 338 417 755 186 247 415 64 88 152 45% 45% 42% 2013 338 403 741 199 225 424 75 73 148 46% 47% 51%

Numbers of Female UCAS Applications, Offers and Acceptances

Percentage Female UCAS Applications, Offers and Acceptances

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(v) Ratio of course applications to offers and acceptances by gender for TPGs

1. The percentage of female applications, offers and acceptances is essentially 50%

• The number of female MRes applications has been steadily increasing since 2008. The

percentage of female applications, offers and acceptances has been very close to 50:50 for the last 2 years

• Monitoring of PG statistics is on-going, Action 2I. The introduction of Doctoral Training Centres in-which a PG undertakes a 1 year MRes followed by a PhD will require adjustment of the traditional distinction between TPG and RPG, particularly as those entering on the TPG will by automatically transferred to a RPG degree.

Taught Post Graduates (Masters)

year ending

F apply

M apply

total apply

F offers

M offers

total offers

F accept

M accept

total accept

% F apply

%F offers

% F accept

2008 46 49 95 26 23 49 19 15 34 48% 53% 56% 2009 56 67 123 35 31 66 28 15 43 46% 53% 65% 2010 85 122 207 44 53 97 31 38 69 41% 45% 45% 2011 95 110 205 29 39 68 19 24 43 46% 43% 44% 2012 99 117 216 32 35 67 26 28 54 46% 48% 48% 2013 113 110 223 41 42 83 32 33 65 51% 49% 49%

Numbers of Female Taught Post Graduates (Masters)

Percentage Female Taught Post Graduates (Masters)

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(v) Ratio of course applications to offers and acceptances by gender for RPGs

1. A higher percentage of women are made offers than apply at the PG level 2. Of concern is the continuing declining %F applications for PhDs

• The percentage of women PGs receiving offers is equal to or higher than the percentage

of women applying (except for in 2011). Thus we have a general trend towards offering more women places.

• A trend is emerging of a general decrease in the percentage of women applying for a PhD. This decrease is also feeding through into the total percentage of female research PGs, causing a decrease. We will address this locally through improving the UG experience, offering more careers advice, being proactive about female role models, and surveying PhDs on this point, Actions 1C, 1D, 2B, 2G and 2I We will also approach the problem at a national level, Actions 7A and 7C.

Research Post Graduates (PhDs)

year ending

F apply

M apply

total apply

F offer

M offer

total offer

F accept

M accept

total accept

% F apply

%F offer

% F accept

2008 102 124 226 42 42 84 26 25 51 45% 50% 51% 2009 93 119 212 40 38 78 20 28 48 44% 51% 42% 2010 75 109 184 21 30 51 18 25 43 41% 41% 42% 2011 79 104 183 21 31 52 12 25 37 43% 40% 34% 2012 61 109 170 20 34 54 14 30 44 36% 37% 32%

Numbers of Female Research Post Graduates (PhD)

Percentage Female Research Post Graduates (PhD)

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(vi) Degree classification by gender

1. There are no clear trends

• The percentage of F/M (out of all women/men) obtaining first class degree shows no

clear trend by gender, these numbers oscillate significantly. • The numbers getting third class or pass degrees are very small and have not been

represented on the graph.

Numbers of men and women graduating by degree classification

year ending

female first

female 2A

female 2B

female 3

female pass

female total

2008 9 24 13 3 0 49 2009 8 17 7 2 0 34 2010 9 17 15 2 1 44 2011 17 22 4 0 0 43 2012 12 24 10 1 0 47

year

ending male first

male 2A

male 2B

male 3

male pass

male total

2008 18 13 13 7 2 53 2009 15 23 11 3 0 55 2010 14 26 13 6 0 59 2011 22 30 10 4 0 67 2012 40 28 1 1 1 78

The percentage of women (out of all women) or men (out of all men) obtaining a first class

degree

year ending

% F first

% M first

2008 18% 34% 2009 24% 27% 2010 21% 24% 2011 40% 33% 2012 26% 51%

The percentage of women (out of all women) or men (out of all men) at degree level)

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3.2 Staff data (i) Female:male ratio of Research Staff

1. The percentage of female research staff is comparable with Russell Group Universities 2. Large jumps in the number of male staff contrast with a slow but steady increase in the

number of female research staff

• The average proportion of female research staff over the last 5 years is 29%. The

Department compares favourably to other Chemistry Departments nationally at all levels (In 2011/12 the HEIDI average ≈28%, Edinburgh 19% and York 34%).

• A trend of decreasing %F research staff has also been occurring nationally, this trend is of concern. Imperial has seen a decrease of 5% from 2008-12, nationally the decrease has been 2%.

• The total number of research staff has almost doubled since 2008, most of the increase has been due to "jumps" in the number of male staff in 2009 and 2012. During this time the numbers of female research staff have been slowly increasing.

• We appoint a higher percentage of women than apply for post-docs. The jumps in male research staff may be a reflection of the numbers of men arriving with fellowships or other funding (and hence are not appointed through the normal HR route) in combination with a larger number of women post-docs leaving in specific years. This trend needs further investigation and will be addressed as a specific Action 3C

Research Staff

Research Staff

year ending

F %F M %M Total

2008 22 32% 46 68% 68 2009 29 28% 75 72% 104 2010 28 27% 77 73% 105 2011 32 30% 73 70% 105 2012 35 27% 93 73% 128

Percentage female (%F) Research Staff from Heidi, National Average, Edinburgh, York and

Imperial.

year ending

Nat. Edin. York Imp.

2008 30 31 30 33 2009 30 36 32 36 2010 29 31 29 33 2011 29 26 34 26 2012 28 29 34 28

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(i) Female:male ratio of Academic Staff

Lecturers and Fellows

Lecturers including research fellows with responsibilities equivalent to a

lecturer

Year F %F M %M Total 2008 3 25% 6 75% 9 2009 3 30% 7 70% 10 2010 4 40% 6 60% 10 2011 4 27% 11 73% 15 2012 3 27% 8 67% 11

Senior Lecturers and Readers

Senior Lecturers and Readers

Year F %F M %M Total 2008 3 17% 15 83% 18 2009 4 22% 14 78% 18 2010 4 18% 18 82% 22 2011 4 19% 17 81% 21 2012 2 10% 18 90% 20

Professors

Professors

Year F %F M %M Total 2008 2 9% 20 91% 22 2009 2 9% 21 91% 23 2010 1 5% 20 95% 21 2011 1 5% 21 95% 22 2012 3 12% 23 88% 26

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(i) Female:male Profile within the Department

1. The percentage female profile is more complex than the classic "leaky pipeline" profile 2. Our next key area to work on is the PhD (43%) to Post-Doc (29%) transition

• The proportion of female staff has been monitored since 2003 and is on-going, Action

3G. The percentage of total female academic staff in the Chemistry Department (23%) lies between that for Edinburgh (19%) and York (28%), and just below the HEIDI average for Chemistry departments nationally (26%). The percentage of female academic staff is relatively static; variations in staff numbers reflect changes at the level of research staff.

• In 2008 the department demonstrates the classic "leaky pipeline" (a drop of 10-15% at each transition point). Our SWAN initiated activities over the last 5 years mean that a more complex structure now exists. The percentage of women in UG≈RPG and Post-Doc≈Lecturer, and all senior grades are roughly equivalent.

• In the recent past we have focused on making the academic career more attractive to women and embedding support and mentoring strategies. The "pipeline" of staff coming through at the research to junior academic level is being maintained.

• Small numbers of female academic staff mean that promotion to higher grades, or the departure of a single female staff member results in sharp changes to the statistics. The effectiveness of our silver SWAN actions and targeted strategies has resulted in more women being supported toward and applying for promotion (2 women were promoted to Professor in 2012). Onward progression is being strengthened.

• It is also clear we now need to focus on the PhD to Researcher transition point, and on recruiting a larger proportion of women. We will address this locally through improving the PG experience, offering more careers advice, being proactive about female role models, surveying RPGs on this point and reviewing job descriptions, Actions 2E, 2G, 2H and 3C. We will also approach the problem at a national level, Actions 7A, 7B and 7C.

Percentage of female research and academic staff

All academic and Research Staff

Year F %F M %M Total 2008 27 24% 84 76% 111 2009 35 27% 93 73% 128 2010 33 22% 118 78% 151 2011 37 24% 116 76% 153 2012 40 23% 137 77% 177

Percentage female (%F) Academic and Research Staff Heidi, Edinburgh, York

year ending

Heidi Edin. York

2008 24% 26% 28% 2009 26% 29% 30% 2010 25% 27% 29% 2011 26% 26% 31% 2012 26% 19% 28%

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(ii) Turnover by Grade and Gender

Staff leaving the Department

2007-8 2008-9 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 1M-professor retired

1M-professor 1M-professor retired

1M-lecturer 1M-professor 1F-professor

1M-senior lecturer 1M-professor

1M-lecturer 1M-fellowship

• Turnover in academic staff is very low, the only woman to leave during this time is a female Professor who left to take up a prestigious post in a leading American institution.

2077 words

(a) Research Postgraduate Hanna Barriga, Institute of Chemical Biology (MRes Chemical Biology of Health &

Disease). She is examining a sample prepared for subsequent analysis on a small-angle X-ray scattering beamline. (b) Fleur Ferguson, a MSci 4th year undergraduate chemistry student is pipetting a solution into a

beaker, she works in the synthetic organic research lab of Professor Alan Spivey. Photographs by Dave Guttridge.

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4. Supporting and advancing women's careers 4.1 Key Career transition points (a-i) Job application and success rates by gender for Post-Docs

1. We appoint a greater percentage of women than apply for positions 2. Our next key area to work on is the PhD to Post-Doc Transition

• As part of our 2011 action plan we have strengthened data sharing and monitoring. This is now robust for applications and appointments, but not yet for short-listing which is addressed in Action 3D.

• We consistently appoint (29%) a greater percentage of women than apply (25%) and we aim to continue this trend. Increasing the number of women applicants is now a key goal. We will address this locally through improving the PG experience, offering more careers advice, being proactive about female role models, surveying RPGs on this point and reviewing job descriptions, Actions 2E, 2G, 2H and 3C.

• There is also room to improve at a national level, as only ≈30% of research staff are women (see 3.2(i)). Many post-docs come from out-side of the department. Thus as part of this action plan we aim to lead national networking and careers activities, Actions 7A, 7B and 7C.

• Once appointed we provide a comprehensive range of support. This starts immediately with a "joined-up" induction covering both administrative and post-doc support from the CPDT. All post-docs have PRDP meetings with their PI. We strongly promote take up of the allocated 10 days transferable skills training. A fellowship event occurs every year to support career development and the CPDT regularly sets up social and networking opportunities. Feedback from an annual post-doc survey monitors the effectiveness of these activities and has been very positive.

• The department has been successful in its aim of providing the right environment to ensure that these women make the transition from Post-Doc to fellowship or lectureship, wherever that job or fellowship may be. We aim to maintain and further develop this good practice, Action 3E.

Post-Doc Applications and Appointments

Post-Doc Apply

Year F M Total %F 2008 65 147 222 29% 2009 205 596 884 23% 2010 119 400 526 23% 2011 166 475 653 25% 2012 123 388 529 23%

Post-Doc Appoint

Year F M Total %F 2008 14 47 61 30% 2009 27 54 81 33% 2010 10 38 49 20% 2011 21 43 66 32% 2012 19 43 63 30%

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(a-ii) Job application and success rates by gender for Academic Staff

1. The number of academic positions that come available is very low 2. We must increase the proportion of good quality women applying

• 7 academic appointments have been made since 2008. Of these 1 has been female

(14%). 3 Academic administrative appointments have been made 2 of these have been female (66%)

• We particularly want to widen the application pool for future new appointments by both supporting local research staff and fellowship holders when applying for academic positions, Actions 3A and 3B, and encouraging incoming applicants at a national level, Actions 3E, 4C and 7B.

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions mean that once appointed, new staff have a range of induction and early career support. Feedback has been that these are highly successful and valued.

Post Year M

apply F

apply Shortlisted Appoint

Lecturer in Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry

2008 23 2 3M 1M

Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry 2009 25 4 4 M & 1F 1 M Senior Lecturer in Materials Chemistry

2009 25 4 4M & 1F 1M

Sir Edward Frankland BP Chair 2010 3 1 2 M 0 2 Internal Candidates (M) invited to apply for BP chair

2011 2 0 2 M 1 M

Chair/Reader in Catalysis: Solar Energy

2010 2 2 1 M 0

Teaching Fellows x 2 2010 29 6 6 M & 2 F 1F & 1 M Imperial College Lectureships 2011 60 12 6 M & 2 F 1 F Lecturer in Radiochemistry/PET Chemistry

2011 9 3 3 M & 1 F 1 M

Lecturer in Catalysis of Renewable Fuel Synthesis

2011 24 1 4 M 1 M*

Lecturer in Imaging Chemistry (MRI) 2011 1 1 0 0 Director of Undergraduate Studies I 2012 14 1 5 M 0 ** Director of Undergraduate Studies II 2012 14 3 2 F & 3 M 1 F Mass Spectrometry Service Manager 2012 2 2 1 F 1 F Technical Operations Manager 2013 6 2 1 F & 2 M 1 M

*1M permanent Lectureship, one applicant was invited to bring a RS URF to Imperial and 1M was hired on a fixed term 2 year contract on the basis of savings as the appointed Lecturer is already on a Fellowship ** 1 M offered post but subsequently withdrew his application so we decided to re-advertise post

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(a-ii) Applications for promotion and success rates by gender and grade

1. All of the women who have applied for promotion have been successful 2. Those who mentor junior staff are now actively rewarded in the promotions process

• The department has 6 academic women eligible for promotion, 2 are recently appointed

staff, 4 of these have been promoted in the last 5 years and 1 was professor already in 2008). All women who have applied for promotion in the last 5 years have been successful. Detailed statistics are compiled and monitored each year, Action 3G

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions mean that the promotions process has been made transparent and streamlined, facilitated by the consistent implementation of PRDPs for all academic staff and supported by the CAOC and HoD. Promotion is now discussed at the annual PRDP meeting. Performance guidelines are issued annually by the HoD allow staff to evaluate and benchmark their own performance. The HoD monitors all staff and those nearing promotion are reviewed annually at the departmental promotions panel.

• Feedback from the Athena SWAN workshop and the Imperial Staff Survey has substantiated the effectiveness of these and other actions relating to promotions. Research and early career staff have received significant support and good practice is flourishing. Feedback within the department has been very positive: "In general there was a sense that a lot has been done to create “smoke-free” way of operating." and "Line manager support was generally very good including PRDP, feedback and informal catch up meetings."

Male Female

Applied Promoted Not Promoted Applied Promoted Not

Promoted 2008 5 4 1 0 0 0 2009 5 4 1 2 2 0 2010 3 3 0 1 1 0 2011 5 5 0 0 0 0 2012 5 3 2 2 2 0

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(b-i) Recruitment of staff – comment on how the department’s recruitment processes ensure that female candidates are attracted to apply, and how the department ensures its short listing, selection processes and criteria comply with the university’s equal opportunities policies.

1. Dedicated recruitment panels will be formed with instructions to target current fellowship

holders nationally, candidates must be approached on a 50:50 M:F basis

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions mean that the entire processes of

recruitment and appointment of academic staff has been scrutinised and new guidelines drawn up for a coordinated approach, including a dedicated recruitment panel to find and approach suitable female candidates. A new requirement is that candidates must be approached in a ratio of 50:50 M:F. Action 3A

• The CAOC sees widening the recruitment pool for women as essential. National lists of fellowship holders will be collected and fellows in the appropriate research areas approached when positions become available. This has the benefit of a preselected pool of excellent candidates, and adds to the confidence and reputation of the women approached. Action 3A

• The procedures for short-listing and interview are open and participative, senior women are always included on the selection panel. HR ensures all processes comply with University policies. For each academic position filled a report must be submitted to the COAC who actively monitor the process. Action 3A

• Additional efforts to widen the selection pool have been tried, a request that staff suggest potentially excellent women candidates after attendance at conferences was not taken up. Job descriptions for adverts will be re-assessed for phrases that may be putting women off. Emphasis will be on excellent candidates and not on specific research areas (where funding allows). One of our approaches has been to increase careers support for women at the Post-Doc and Fellowship level. Actions 3B and 3E

(b-ii) Support for staff at key career transition points – having identified key areas of

attrition of female staff in the department, comment on any interventions, programmes and activities that support women at the crucial stages, such as personal development training, opportunities for networking, mentoring programmes and leadership training. Identify which have been found to work best at the different career stages.

1. A raft of actions aimed at the Researcher to Lecturer transition have been praised 2. The current plan targets the PhD to Post-Doc transition

• The Department is aware of the leaky pipeline of ≈12% women at each academic grade,

we have been trying to address this since 2008. Very positive feedback has been received from multiple sources suggesting that our female students, researchers and staff are able to achieve their best and are successful because they work in a supportive environment, specific examples follow below.

• The most recent action plan looks to support Senior Lecturers and Readers towards promotion, Action 3F. The effectiveness of these strategies has resulted in two women (both with young families) successfully applying for promotion to Professor in 2012, (please see the case studies).

• Dr Marina Kuimova came to Imperial in 2005 as a post-doctoral researcher. She has been supported by the department through a number of fellowships to such an extent that she has recently been appointed to a permanent position (2012) whereby:

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‘Outstanding candidates are presented to the Faculty to have a position created’ (please see the case studies)

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions were focused on careers support at the Post-Doc to Fellowship and Lecturer transition points. This has included a raft of actions such as; a web-page dedicated to all fellowships available, e-mails regularly to PIs notifying of opportunities and deadlines, support with applications, requirement that fellowship opportunities are discussed at the PRDP meetings, self-empowerment and training events such as "applying for fellowships", a fellowship briefing, Q&A events and very realistic practice interviews that include senior staff.

• The Early Career Development Committee (ECDC) was formed as part of our first action plan. The ECDC supports all early career researchers from the final stages of PhD study through to early career Lecturers and particularly supports those researchers who are making key transitions between stages of their careers.

• The Chemistry Post Doc Team (CPDT) consists of Post-Doc staff who deal with events and direct interaction with post-docs and is highly regarded. The CPDT is the first team of its kind within the College and its initiatives are now being widely disseminated as best-practice inspiration for other Departments, both within Imperial and external organisations. The CPDT has achieved substantial externally recognised success and was nominated by the College for the Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers.

• Dr Will Heal – Post-doc, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London “I have found the early-career researcher support to be simply invaluable. From specific personalised assistance such as CV advice, through post-doc symposia to promote networking, provide careers/publishing/funding information and showcase research, to working with senior management to raise the profile of post-docs as valued staff throughout the College. I was awarded the Departmental Early Career Researcher Award, a new initiative, which recognised my contributions to Chemistry outside of my research. This included generous prize money to fund a small piece of completely independent research.”

• We found that senior staff were not always taking active mentoring roles. Line managers are tasked to identify what support their staff need to ensure progress toward promotion. Performance guidelines now explicitly state that leadership, mentoring and coaching of junior staff are key parts of promotion criteria. Mentoring is actively rewarded in the promotions process.

• The current action plan calls for targeting, supporting and encouraging women at all grades. This includes supporting post-doctoral staff to fellowship positions via more "tapping on the shoulder" and working closely with the Post-Doc Development Centre to support our post-docs and fellows to Academic positions. Actions 3E Line managers are asked to evaluate staff at the PRDP stage and the annual Promotions panel identifies those close to promotion for further consideration, Actions 3F.

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4.2 Career Development (a-i) Promotion and career development – comment on the appraisal and career development process, and promotion criteria and whether these take into consideration responsibilities for teaching, research, administration, pastoral work and outreach work; is quality of work emphasised over quantity of work?

1. Our activities to support Research staff have been praised and are being taken up Nationally and at Internationally.

2. A highlight activity includes nationalisation of the women's Irene Joliot-Curie careers conference which is to be taken over by the RSC

• A successfully completed Silver SWAN action includes ensuring staff have an annual

Personal Review and Development Plan (PRDP). These are embedded for all academic and research staff, staff and line managers are fully engaged. Promotions and career advancement are mandatory discussion items in the PRDP. Mentors are also an alternative route for advice and information.

• Mentoring has been emphasised particularly for Post-Docs and early career academics. Encouraging senior staff to mentor more junior staff has been patchy. So, a greater emphasis has been placed on mentoring in the promotions process and this is changing perceptions. Mentoring is discussed in the Athena SWAN focus groups. To encourage networking and mutual critical evaluation grant applications must be seen by a second member of the Academic staff, and large grants must include mentoring arrangements. Actions 4B

• The Chemistry Department is committed to the career development of research fellows. Research fellows are fully integrated into the Department and have access to the College’s personal development and training programs. All fellows have a mentor, and fellows are supported materially by the provision of suitable laboratory facilities and in the allocation of a departmentally funded PhD studentship.

• We only support fellowship applicants who would make a strong candidate for suitable established positions within the department, they are actively encouraged to apply for positions if they become available. At the mid-point of the fellowship fellows are formally reviewed, all candidates are offered further mentoring. Outstanding candidates are presented to the Faculty to have a position created.

• The academic promotions procedure has been clarified and a single point of contact established. Clear promotion guidelines are available to all. Documents and reminders are sent out every year from a single contact point in Chemistry. Promotions documentation explicitly take into account administration, pastoral, outreach, mentoring and diversity activities, as well as caring responsibilities or maternity leave. Quality of research is emphasised over quantity. Good teaching is emphasised at lower grades while research, mentoring and international reputation are emphasised at higher grades.

• Every year benchmark information is circulated which allow staff to evaluate their own performance against the Departmental median (not average) and top quartile by grade. A detailed work-load spread-sheet is completed annually and the final document circulated. The Management committee will be assessing these annually to identify those who need additional support, and to maintain equitable work-loads, Actions 5B.

• Feedback from the 2011 Imperial Staff Survey and SWAN workshops has validated these successes. Feedback also means we have very specific knowledge of areas of current concern, which are addressed in the current action plan e.g. demystifying what "Departmental support" means, clarifying who sits on promotions panels, how post promotion feedback is delivered and our probation guidelines. Actions 4A

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• Of particular success has been the creation and development of a Chemistry Post-Doc centred conference. This has run twice at Imperial, and has been taken up within the college and at a national and international level. CAOC members have been asked to advise other chemistry departments and organize /present at (international) workshops on career development.

• Last year we teamed up with Warwick University and created an annual National conference devoted to promoting women's careers; the Irene Joliot-Curie conference. Speakers at the conference are all women. This year the conference will be hosted at Imperial and focused on "Role Models" with support from the RSC, Esther McVey MP the creator of "Chloe Can" careers book for young girls will be speaking. From next year the RSC will take over organisation and the conference will move around the United Kingdom. Actions 4C and 7B

• A strong and mutually positive relationship has been developed with the College Post-Doc development centre (the head of which sits on the CAOC). Targeted and specific support and courses have been grown and implemented rapidly. Feedback has been that "The students were overwhelmingly positive; the skills-training has generally exceeded their expectations and several commented that it made them feel that Imperial had invested in them and that this training was as important as the research element." Action 4D

(a-ii) Induction and training – describe the support provided to new staff at all levels, as well as details of any gender equality training. To what extent are good employment practices in the institution, such as opportunities for networking, the flexible working policy, and professional and personal development opportunities promoted to staff from the outset?

1. Our induction processes and training opportunities are fully embedded and have been

highly praised by staff and students

• A successfully completed Silver SWAN action includes a comprehensive induction

package for staff and post-docs, this includes ensuring newcomers are personally introduced to all key staff. In particular the feedback mechanism of the induction process itself and the 3 month checks (to ensure that everything is fine) have been highly praised, we will be extending the induction package to UGs, Actions 1D. The post-doc package also includes a meeting with one of the CPDT team, a timeline for first 6 months, a one page check-list of key points/people to meet, post-doc buddies, and HoD welcoming letter. We will ensure the effectiveness of these activities is maintained, Actions 4D

• As part of the support for post-docs, the Department strongly (and often) encourages all post-docs to take the full complement of 10 days transferable skills development, take-up has been evaluated in a Post-Doc survey, which will be run annually. Actions 4D

• Very high levels of satisfaction with respect to job training opportunities have been reported by Chemistry staff in the 2011 Imperial Staff Survey. Staff are encouraged to take courses and training through the College Staff Development unit, to develop their careers through bespoke courses such as The Academic Development Centre and to secure 1:1 mentoring and coaching.

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(a-iii) Support for female students – describe the support (formal and informal) provided for female students to enable them to make the transition to a sustainable academic career, particularly from postgraduate to researcher, such as mentoring, seminars and pastoral support and the right to request a female personal tutor. Comment on whether these activities are run by female staff and how this work is formally recognised by the department.

1. We are targeting support for female PhD students presenting the academic career as an

obtainable and desirable goal. Actions include; improving communication, more social activities, providing role models, more careers advice and greater conference attendance.

• A successfully completed Silver SWAN action includes the creation of UG and PG

champions who now sit on the CAOC and their initial feedback has led to new actions; research based community building for PhDs, improving induction for mid-year starters, investigating more support for conference attendance, improving communication with supervisors and filling a "gap" in career's advice provision. Actions 2C, 2D, 2E and 2F

• Information on female representation and issues is being disseminated, and open lines of communication are developing. Actions 1C, 2A, 2F and 2I. Female role models are being emphasised, and we are presenting an academic career as an obtainable and desirable goal for women. Actions 1A, 1B, 2G and 4B.

• The mentoring of PGs has been revised to enhance interactions between PGs and their mentor (the PG Tutor). The external PG Research Provision Review particularly highlighted our PG handbook, clear presentation and the monitoring of timelines and the post-doc mentoring buddies scheme as good practice. The PG Tutor is female.

• TW and TH are particularly active in speaking directly to female students and research staff at careers seminars, workshops, courses, discussion forums and indirectly through advice to other similar committees, individuals and informally with other universities about supporting their female research staff and students. (Cardiff, Hull, Bath, Nottingham, UCL, Warwick, Bristol, ETH Zurich)

• Actions are now to address the low number of women PGs and PG support at a national level, through forming a national network of Chemistry departments, Action 7A, to promote the Irene Joliot-Curie conference nationally, Action 7B, and to create National lists of role models and potential mentors, Action 7C

Undergraduate student Laura Nicola Elliott, Chemistry MChem with a year in Industry. Laura is a Student

Opportunities Fund Scholarship recipient. Photograph by Dave Guttridge.

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4.3 Organisation and Culture

(a-i) Male and Female Representation on Committees – provide a breakdown by committee and explain any differences between male and female representation. Explain how potential members are identified.

1. The department has a high level of female representation in decision making (40-50%)

Chemistry department committee structure

• Staff belong to Teaching and Research Sections, their line manager is their Head of Research Section, teaching roles are allocated by the Head of Teaching Sections.

• The Department's management structure has recently been clarified, and the makeup of all committees and associated minutes are open and available on the staff web-pages. The primary decision-making committees are shown in purple on the diagram the Chair of each of these committees sits on the Management Committee.

• The male-female balance is 52% female for the committees identified above, for the senior management committees this is 41% female, both statistics show a larger female representation than proportionally present in the department. The role of women in management roles is monitored so as not to overburden female members of staff. Actions 5A and 5B.

• Student representatives on the PG and UG teaching and ChemSoc committees are elected by the student body, from among this group self-selected representatives then sit on the CAOC.

• The HoD is appointed by the President and Rector on advice from the out-going HoD, the Departmental Professoriate, and a separate meeting of the non-professorial academic staff. There are currently 5 Research Section Heads (all male). Those of long-standing (3) were appointed by seniority and their posts are held until retirement or their resignation from the post. The two most recent appointments are fixed-term (5 years) and have been made by the HoD, in consultation with the members of the section.

• The promotions panel is set by the College; it includes all professors, the Director of UG studies and the Heads of Teaching.

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• A new Director of UG Studies (female) has recently been appointed in open competition. There are three Heads of Teaching (2M, 1F), who are selected by the HoD and Director of UG Studies in consultation with the section members. Individuals are chosen for committee roles with respect to their suitability and an eye to career progression. All members of staff are invited to staff meetings and contribute to agenda items.

(a-ii) Female: male ratio of academic and research staff on fixed-term contracts and

open-ended (permanent) contracts – comment on any differences between male and female staff representation on fixed-term contracts and say what is being done to address them.

• Most academic staff are on permanent contracts with only 2 male academic staff on fixed

term contracts). All Research staff are on fixed term contracts.

(b-i) Representation on decision-making committees – comment on evidence of gender balance in the mechanism for selecting representatives. What evidence is there that women are encouraged to sit on a range of influential committees inside and outside the department? How is the issue of ‘committee overload’ addressed where there are small numbers of female staff?

1. Our female staff have extensive profiles for representation on decision making committees

and in positions of influence

• The senior administrative post in the department is held by a woman. Women are well

represented on departmental decision-making committees (41%). • All of our female staff have intensive internal, faculty, college and external roles

commensurate with their grade. Positions range from departmental external examiners, and panel membership on awards bodies, to steering groups, editorial boards and company board members. Committee membership both internal and external is recorded annually and monitored by the HoD and CAOC. Actions 5A

(b-ii) Workload model – describe the systems in place to ensure that workload allocations,

including pastoral and administrative responsibilities (including the responsibility for work on women and science) are taken into account at appraisal and in promotion criteria. Comment on the rotation of responsibilities e.g. responsibilities with a heavy workload and those that are seen as good for an individual’s career

1. Robust and well established models for reporting work load are embedded 2. New actions include monitoring female and any staff in the upper quartile for work-load

balance.

• The Department has a robust and very detailed mechanism for collecting and circulating

data on workload. It covers all aspects of teaching and administration and includes activities outside of those itemized. Line managers monitor total workload of individuals.

• New lecturers and fellows have a minimal teaching and administration workload, which increases first in teaching and then in administration as they progress. The Department norm is that staff returning from maternity leave have a substantially reduced and individually tailored administrative and teaching workload.

• In the 2011 Imperial Staff Survey only 56% of Chemistry staff indicated that they had time to complete work. The Chemistry Department performed the worst in the FoNS. To

33

address this are actions limiting administrative and teaching hours and annual monitoring mechanisms Actions 5B

• In promotions documentation applicants provide an extensive description of activities including teaching, management, administration, professional activities, student welfare, development opportunities, outreach, mentoring and championing diversity. "Departmental SWAN Coordinator" and "Diversity Champion" are specifically itemised.

• In the recent SWAN workshops issues were raised around administrative support, as this can have a significant impact on workload. In response, a comprehensive review of administrative support was undertaken in early 2011 followed by significant reorganisation of the administrative support. The effectiveness of the new arrangements will be evaluated after they have had time to settle in. Actions 5C

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions include an entirely new "For Staff" section on the Department intranet which has been populated with short and "to the point" documents on Departmental processes. In addition the HoD Office and the Department Operations Manager have undertaken to ensure regular informative e-mails. We will ensure that momentum is maintained and that web-pages are updated, Actions 5C

• To help staff prepare for the next level, and to gain an understanding of the many activities staff undertake for their careers, for the Department and College and externally as part of their profession, a number of short summary documents outlining the extra activities that staff undertake will be generated and circulated. Actions 5E

(b-iii) Timing of departmental meetings and social gatherings – provide evidence of

consideration for those with family responsibilities, for example what the department considers to be core hours and whether there is a more flexible system in place.

1. Meetings are arranged flexibly and at family friendly times 2. The action plan includes more social and networking activities in response to feedback

from students and staff at all levels

• Flexible working arrangements are the norm and core hours for support staff are

generally 9am-5pm. Departmental level meetings are held within family friendly hours (between 10am-4pm), sections are responsible for organising their own meetings. Seminars are often held at lunchtimes and no administration meetings are held on Mondays. Staff are flexible and considerate, and the use of modern on-line tools (i e organising meetings, sharing documents and Skype) are well established. The flexibility of the working environment has been praised in feedback.

• One young early career lecturer, who has not taken up paternity leave writes "A few months after arriving in the Department in July 2009, our son was born and required treatment in hospital for a month. In this difficult period, I was very grateful for the flexible working environment fostered by the Department of Chemistry. Although I did not take paternity leave officially, I felt under no pressure to be on site and would often do half days, maintaining contact with my (small) research group, at other times using e-mail and text messaging. I am convinced that this relaxed and understanding approach contributes to the smooth functioning of the Department and helps create a positive atmosphere in which to work."

• More Departmental social events have been organised; staff meetings with lunch; staff research seminars followed by wine and food; symposium days; a summer BBQ; PG party; donut Fridays. The current SWAN workshops highlighted a desire at all levels (staff, post-docs and UG) for more networking and social activities, indicating that these activities have been successful and people want more, Actions 5D

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(b-iv) Culture –demonstrate how the department is female-friendly and inclusive. ‘Culture’ refers to the language, behaviours and other informal interactions that characterise the atmosphere of the department, and includes all staff and students.

1. Feedback is that SWAN actions are changing the departments culture for the better

• The department is seen as an open, flexible and inclusive department. The CAOC is

committed to providing a fulfilling, productive and happy place in which to learn, teach and carry out research.

• Post-docs are aware of positive improvements following the implementation of Athena initiatives. The Early Career Researcher Awards (awarded annually) recognises outstanding contributions to the Department, beyond research. The Faculty has followed our lead with research staff awards.

• Departmental meetings are open and collaborative, with working groups composed of academic staff addressing themed issues. The Department Operations Manager gives regular operational updates and a once yearly financial review. In the recent SWAN review it was "discussed how the Department has slowly transitioned away from an empire building personalities and towards a more collaborative, open environment which was most welcomed".

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions include the HoD now e-mailing the department regularly congratulating people on successes such as obtaining a PhD, being awarded a Fellowship, grant or making a prestigious publication. There is a new area on the front page of the Chemistry website devoted to promoting staff and students. This includes, for example, advertising the silver SWAN award and the Chemistry Post-doc Symposium, of these articles many relate to the activities undertaken by women.

• The 2011 Imperial Staff Survey reported a score of 81% "I know who I can talk to about anything that concerns me about my work" and 85% or respondents in Chemistry felt that they were “kept well informed of news and events at the Departmental level”. This is well above the College and Faculty average. No gender bias has been reported in response to confidential surveys.

• New initiatives include sharing "extra" activities that staff undertake as part of their professional progression, Actions 5E and a web-site to enable staff to make contact with others sharing outside interests and hobbies, Actions 2C

• It is a delight to report significant changes in areas where some concerns had been raised; a lack of consultation, of Departmental recognition for successes, and senior staff feeling that early career staff did not need support. "On the whole the Department was seen as a place of high energy where people get things done and there was a clear sentiment that a lot of good development has happened."

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(b-v) Outreach activities – comment on the level of participation by female and male staff in outreach activities with schools and colleges and other centres. Describe who the programmes are aimed at, and how this activity is formally recognised as part of the workload model and in appraisal and promotion processes.

1. More female students and staff are getting involved in Outreach, and the percentage of

female UG is steadily rising. Actions are to maintain momentum.

• The Department funds a female member of staff in the College outreach office for one

day a week. Staff and UGs perform outreach at local schools and activities include lectures on modern techniques, lecture demonstrations, judging science competitions and sending UGs to work in local schools supporting SET.

• We find it very effective for school children to come into the Department for practical workshops. All types of schools participate. Chemistry days are large scale activities that the Department sees as benefiting chemistry as a whole rather than the Department/College specifically.

• A survey of the events and staff involved over the last 3 years showed that the proportion of women staff participating is increasing, rising from 26% to 38% to 45%. A recent push to increase involvement in outreach has had a much larger response from male staff (resulting in only 24% female involvement in outreach for 2012). We have successfully encouraged more female UGs to participate. We will encourage more early career women to become involved, Action 1A

• Outreach activities are included under additional activities in the workload spread sheet and is a specific item in the promotions documentation.

4.4 Flexibility and managing career breaks

1. Our maternity leave provision is a source of envy most recently support has been enhanced for research staff.

2. Flexible working is embeded in the department's culture and sustained by an ethos of mutual support particularly in times of strain or difficulty.

(a-i) Maternity return rate – comment on whether maternity return rate has improved or

deteriorated and any plans for further improvement. If the department is unable to provide a maternity return rate, please explain why.

Maternity leave uptake and return

Year M F Return Status

2008 0 1 1 technical member of staff returned full time 2009 0 2 2 academic members of staff returned full time 2010 0 0 no member of staff took maternity leave

2011 0 2 1 member of administrative staff and 1 post-doc both have returned full time

2012 0 3 3 post-docs two have returned full time and one is due to return in Dec 2013

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• Since 2008 6 members of staff have taken maternity leave, all of them have returned to work. In the last nine years we have a 100% return rate for staff who take maternity leave.

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions ensure we our maternity leave provisions support all women within the Department. Our flexible working arrangements are highly valued and a source of envy in other departments and universities. The COAC monitors the process actively, Actions 6B

• For Ruth Martinez-Casado a Post-Doc taking maternity leave has experienced a transparent process within a supportive environment. “Since my arrival in March 2009 I have received extraordinary support from my group and my supervisor Prof. Nicholas Harrison. It is impossible to work in a better environment. I went on maternity leave in July and the department made the whole process very easy for me. The maternity leave scheme at Imperial college is really good and generous. I returned to work in November and I have received a lot of support from my group. My supervisor is giving me a lot of flexibility enabling me to combine my work and the care of my daughter. I would very much like to secure a fellowship and remain in the department”.

(a-ii) Paternity, adoption and parental leave uptake – comment on the uptake of paternity

leave by grade and parental and adoption leave by gender and grade. Has this improved or deteriorated and what plans are there to improve further.

Paternity, adoption and parental leave uptake

Year Number Level 2008 1 Reader 2009 0 - 2010 1 Professor

2011 4 1 Post-Doc, 1 Lecturer 2 Senior Lecturer

2012 6 4 Post-Doc,1 Lecturer 1 Senior Lecturer

• No issues have been raised in relation to Paternity leave.

(a-iii) Numbers of applications and success rates for flexible working by gender and grade – comment on any disparities. Where the number of women in the department is small applicants may wish to comment on specific examples.

Applications and success rates for flexible working

Year Number Level 2008 1 M Professor 2009 0 F Post-Doc 2010 2 1 F Professor

1 M Technical 2011 1 F Post-Doc 2012 1 F Post-Doc

• No requests have been received to job share. All requests to go part-time have been

implemented. The HoD treats each request on its own merits with the starting premise being that part-time or flexible working will be offered unless there is a very good reason not to, and in all cases every effort would be made to adapt the situation to the staff's

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benefit. The recent Athena SWAN focus groups suggested that not all are aware that part-time working can be easily arranged and this is addressed in the action plan. Actions 6A

(b-i) Flexible working – comment on the numbers of staff working flexibly and their grades

and gender, whether there is a formal or informal system, the support and training provided for managers in promoting and managing flexible working arrangements, and how the department raises awareness of the options available.

• All academics work flexibly and self manage their time. The department runs on a culture

of mutual adaption between staff. This includes starting later in the day to allow parents to drop children into care or school, and scheduling meetings to the early afternoon so staff can leave early to pick up children. For staff whose job allows them to work from home, no barriers are put in place. In the 2011 Imperial College Staff Survey 92% of staff were satisfied with their "flexible working hours". Most PIs encourage regular hours for Post-Docs and PGs but flexibility is not seen as an issue and working from home is not uncommon (when health and safety requirements allow).

(b-ii) Cover for maternity and adoption leave and support on return – explain what the department does, beyond the university maternity policy package, to support female staff before they go on maternity leave, arrangements for covering work during absence, and to help them achieve a suitable work-life balance on their return.

• Successfully completed Silver SWAN actions involved an overhaul of the department’s

role in managing maternity leave provision. The responsibility for organising cover no longer lies with the staff member but Head of Teaching, Research Section Head and the Department Operations Manager. These three individuals are responsible for meeting the academic prior to her maternity leave and organising appropriate cover where required. Feedback from those who have been on Maternity leave highly praise the now embedded provision mechanisms. Current actions include monitoring this process, and collecting feedback to ensure these gains are maintained, Actions 6B

• The Chemistry Department automatically applies to the Elsie Widdowson Fellowship

Award for all academics taking maternity leave. The fellowship provides 50% funding from College to relieve the academic of any teaching or administration duties for 12 months after their return, allowing them to focus solely on their research. How the money is used is discussed and agreed with the member of staff. Usually, it is used to employ or pay current staff to take on teaching or administrative duties. The paperwork is coordinated by the Department Operations Manager who is the owner of the process (not the academic). This means that staff have support packages tailored to their specific requirements. Both women will be making full submissions to the upcoming REF, and both have recently been promoted to professor, indicating that the research and career progression of these women has not been adversely affected. Comprehensive support for women before, during and after maternity leave is now the norm in the Department.

4827 words

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5.0 Any other comments Please comment here on any other elements relevant to the application, e.g. other STEMM-specific initiatives of special interest that have not been covered in the previous sections. Include any other relevant data (e.g. results from staff surveys), provide a commentary on it and indicate how the department plans to address any gender disparities identified.

1. We have moved beyond an action plan to an active cycle of action and evaluation 2. We are a beacon within Imperial and beyond 3 Plans to develop a national chemistry network

Over the last four years we have made substantial and sustained changes to the way the Chemistry department at Imperial teaches, researches, studies and socialises. We have extended our remit, developing new actions and initiatives and exceeding our original Silver action plans. Our data collection is robust and embedded. Everyone has benefited from more visible and inclusive Departmental processes and there is now real ownership of key areas such as promotions and parental leave. The appraisal process has been embedded in the Department and there is now a strong emphasis on line managers and PIs to monitor and mentor staff, support for post-docs and early career fellows is flourishing. Two women (both with young families) have been promoted to Professor in the last year. Not every action has met success, and while there are still areas in which we struggle to gain engagement, we believe there is no bastion left in the department which has not heard the words "Athena SWAN initiative". We have evaluated and assessed these changes at all levels, we now have in place an established cycle of data collection, goal forming, action specification, activity implementation and evaluation. We have data and/or feedback from: Staff and researcher induction feedback, staff and student representatives, 1:1 interviews, a Departmental Administrative Support Review, the Post-doc Survey, Imperial College Survey, Athena SWAN focus group workshops, Student Barometer, PG Research Experience Survey, GSEPS Research Provision Reviews, the National Student Survey, HEIDI database, Recent publications from the RSC and other department's SWAN award applications and more. Thus, not only have actions been completed (box ticked) but we also have feedback on how effective they are; we have then been able to modify processes accordingly or instigate new actions from the experience obtained. We have been a beacon for focused action on women's issues at Imperial. Actions we created and piloted are now being used in other departments and faculties, and some have been taken up at college level. We have a national reputation for sharing our experiences (we leave it up to the listener to choose what to try and what to leave), and we have gained substantially from listening to others. Recently we have been approached by European universities for advice and input. A Gold award would support and promote this work, and provide an nationally recognised validation of our intentions, actions and outcomes. Changes in culture take time to come alive in the mind of the community, thus we have not yet seen sustained growth in the percentage of women other than at the UG level. We are conscious that we have focused on preparing and supporting post-docs and early career fellows, whose natural next step is to move away from Imperial. The current financial climate has meant there have been very few academic appointments, and none in 2012. It has become clear that there needs to be a more sustained national level approach, not only in sharing good practice but in bringing pressure to bear in a wider arena. Thus one of our most ambitious actions is to develop and coordinate a national network of Chemistry departments to address these issues. 512 words

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8. Action plan See attached document 10. Case Study: Impacting on Individuals

Describe how the department has changed and how its staff have benefited on the journey to applying for Gold. Provide a small number of case studies of individuals working in the department and show how the inclusive culture and working practices of the department have enabled them to pursue a career in STEMM. At least one of these case studies should be a member of the self assessment team, and at least one should be someone else in the department. There should also be at least one case study from a male member of staff. More information on case studies is available in the guidance.

Dr. Marina Kuimova (Early Career to Permanent Staff, ECDC member) Dr Kuimova came to Imperial in 2005 as a post-doctoral researcher. In 2007 she secured a 3 year EPSRC Life Sciences Interface Fellowship, which was followed in 2010 by an EPSRC Career Acceleration Fellowship. Marina’s EPSRC Fellowship ends in September 2015. In line with Departmental policy whereby outstanding candidates are presented to the Faculty to have a position created, Marina was nominated. This is a tough process requiring three internal reports (research, teaching and financial) and external references, followed by an interview (with a panel consisting of the HoD, DUGS, Faculty Dean, an internal subject expert and an external reviewer.) This process was successfully completed last July and she was offered a lectureship to start on completion of her Fellowship. The department is committed to having very high standards, but equally committed to helping women achieve these. "The research environment at Imperial is very vibrant and exciting and I really feel part of it. Even as an early career Fellow I was invited to attend key Departmental and Sectional Meetings and this was an excellent way to gather information and get to know other academics. Professionally, I feel I am treated exactly the same as my male colleagues. Importantly, help, mentoring and support are always available for me as an early career researcher, including from our HoD whose door is always open. So far I found this extremely helpful for my career." Dr. Silvia Díez-González (Early Career, CAOC member) Dr. Silvia Díez-González joined us in 2009 as part of the first cohort of Imperial College Junior Research Fellows and after 18 months successfully applied for a Lectureship in Catalysis “My arrival to the Department as a ICJRF has definitely set a landmark in my career. From the beginning I had the full support of my Department in order to establish myself as an independent researcher. Having total control on your scientific work and being able to count on the selfless advice of your HoD and colleagues is not a common situation in the early stages of our careers. I am ultimately responsible for my scientific success, but it is fantastic to work in a Department that sincerely cares for the development of its younger academics.”

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Professor Sophia Yaliraki (Supporting Senior Women) Prof. Sophia Yaliraki joined us in 2000 as a Lecturer and was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2004, Reader in 2007 and Professor in 2012. “The department under the direction of the HoD has been instrumental in my progression from Reader to Professor. Despite personal hardship during this time, I always felt that the department was behind me, and at critical times, the HoD was highly supportive. Importantly, this support was provided in a subtle and non patronising way. I was given opportunities for career advancement, as well as aid and help in refocusing and getting back on track. It is difficult to imagine a better working environment where one is supported by being reminded of what is good about her work but without being given favours or feeling patronised. I was always given sound advice so that I could make informed decisions.” Professor Charlotte Williams (Second Maternity Leave) Prof. Charlotte Williams has worked in the Department since 2003 and held an EPSRC ARF from 2005-2011. Charlotte was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2007, Reader in 2010 and Professor in 2012. She runs a large research team and has taken two periods of maternity leave. “The Department, and College, have been extremely supportive of my need to take maternity leave periods and my needs as a mother of a young family. In particular, the second maternity leave followed a complex and difficult pregnancy. The Department paid the salary of one of my most experienced post-doc researchers to co-supervise my group while I was on leave. I was also awarded an Elsie Widdowson Fellowship, a specific scheme to facilitate return from maternity leave. In addition, the HoD made contact with my group to ensure that if there were any concerns or worries they could contact him. This level of senior staff involvement is excellent as it ensures that students and staff know that they will be looked after if their supervisor is absent and it makes people feel valued and cared for. The college has particularly good ICT facilities and this meant that I could be in daily e-mail contact with my group during my leave period and so my research was able to flourish. Another excellent aspect of working at Imperial College is that the nursery provision is excellent (Ofsted rated Outstanding) and is subsidised by the College for staff. The on-site nursery provision greatly facilitated my return to work. The Department provides a highly supportive environment for those wishing to work flexibly and there is a culture of staff being valued for their outputs and results, rather than of staff needing to be in the College for excessive hours. In my case, this is particularly important as I often work from home in the evenings and weekends, thereby enabling me to meet family duties (e.g. picking my son up from school some days). This has been very important in enabling me to perform well in my job and also contributed to my happiness in my job.”

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Professor Sue Gibson (Part-time Working, CAOC member) Professor Sue Gibson joined the Department in 1990, leaving in 1999 to become the Daniell Professor of Chemistry at KCL, before returning to the Department in 2003. “For twenty five years I ran a research group of eight-to-ten research students and post-doctoral colleagues devoted to the study of the use of organometallic chemistry in organic synthesis. I recently decided, however, that I wanted to spend a little more time with my rapidly-growing children before it was too late! And so I‘m currently one year into a four-year period of parental leave, during which time I’m working on a 60% contract. Negotiations to achieve this with the HoD, the Department’s Operations Manager and the Faculty Head were all conducted in an enlightened and positive atmosphere and it proved surprisingly straightforward to reach an agreement defined by a short document. This is in no small way due to the supportive atmosphere within the Department that emanates from the HoD and the work of the Academic Opportunities Committee. Whilst I’m thoroughly enjoying both my professional life and my expanded personal life at present, I anticipate that before long I will be looking forward to returning to the challenges and rewards that 100% commitment to academic life brings”. Professor Tom Welton (Medical Leave, Member of CAOC) Professor Tom Welton joined the Department as a Research Fellow in 1993 and following a series of promotions became a Professor of Sustainable Chemistry in 2005. He was appointed Head of the Chemistry Department on 2007. “A while back I was diagnosed with cancer. My treatment took place over six months and required periods of not being able to work, periods of working from home and finally a period of transition from part time to full time working during my recovery. The HoD was highly supportive of my choices regarding both my work patterns and what I worked upon. My treatment led to avascular necrosis of the femur and two subsequent total hip replacements. Again the Department was supportive of my working flexibly. At these times I was Head of Department and again my Departmental duties were fully covered by deputies. I worked on my research, first from home and then flexibly during my recovery. The College also arranged for the operations to take place in the hospital associated with its medical school to be timed to my and the Departments convenience. In fact, the team that performed the most first operation began their day an hour earlier than normal to ensure my surgery did not affect their patient lists. At no time during these heath problems have I ever felt regarded as a problem.” Professor Mike Robb (Part-Time Working) Professor Mike Robb joined the Department in 2004 after 34 years at King’s College London. Mike is a theoretical and computational chemist and leads the National Service for Computational Chemistry Software (NSCCS). In 2009 he passed the default retirement age, but has been retained by the Department at 40% FTE to continue his research efforts. “I am very fortunate to be able to continue my research career. In addition to maintaining developments with NSCCS and with Gaussian Inc. (software for quantum chemistry), I have had the time to develop new research efforts, both on my own and in collaboration with others. The most exciting of these is a new project in Attosecond spectroscopy (funded by an EPSRC program grant) with the quantum optics group in physics at Imperial”. 1456 words

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Gold SWAN Action Plan April 2013

Department of Chemistry Imperial College

Abbreviations CAOC Chemistry Academic Opportunities Committee ECDC Early Career Development Committee HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council for England HEIDI Higher Education Information Database for

Institutions HoD Head of Department HR Human Resources NSS National Student Survey PDDC Post Doctoral Development Center PG Post Graduate PGC Post Graduate Committee PGSS Post Graduate Staff Student Committee PI Primary Investigator PRDP Personal Review and Development Plan PRES Postgraduate Research Experience Survey SOLE Student On-Line Evaluation UG Under Graduate UROP Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Programme

Personnel AA Alan Armstrong (Prof, M) AS Azra Sabadosh (HR Administrator, F) CR Christopher Roberts (UG Champion, M) EB Eileen Boyce (Department Operations Manager, F) ED Ed Tate (Reader, M, Chair of the ECDC) LE Liz Elvidge (Head of the College Post Doctoral Development Center, F) MB Mike Bearpark (Reader, Disabilities Officer) MC Michelle Cheung (PhD Champion) MF Matt Fuchter (Senior Lecturer, M) MS Milo Shaffer (Prof, M) MT Maria Tortelli (HoD Personal Assistant, F) NB Nick Brooks (Early career Researcher, Member ECDC, M) RB Rachel Brooks (MRes Rep) SD Silvia Diez-Gonzalez (Early Career Lecturer, F) SG Sue Gibson (Prof, F) TH Tricia Hunt (Chair of CAOC, F) TW Tom Welton (HoD, M)

2011 Silver SWAN application and action plan are available on-line at

https://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/Public/files/chemistryApplication_final.pdf https://workspace.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/Public/files/chemistryAction_final.pdf

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

1

UG Students

1A

Enhance recruitment of UG women

Target women when recruiting, enhance existing work with the Outreach Office. Involve more young successful women in outreach activities as role models. Support events focused towards women.

3.2 (ii) & 4.3 (b-v)

Outreach officer HoD

2013 and on-going

Strive towards 50:50 ratio for UG intake as monitored by Admissions Tutor and in annual statistics, reported to CAOC.

1B

Emphasize female role models

New prizes named after women chemists for UGs and PGs Historical information on women chemists has been collected. Now use this to provide higher visibility of academic women role-models, poster outside the chemistry Café and items for the web-site.

3.2 (ii) & 4.2 (a-iii)

TH and HoD with support from MT

organised 2012, given out 2013 Posters 2013

Raised awareness of female role models as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups. Evaluated annually by CAOC.

1C

Address issues raised by female UGs

Actively solicit feedback and communication with female UGs and address their concerns

3.2 (iii), (iv) & (v) & 4.2 (a-iii)

TH and HoD with support from UG Champion and UG Tutor

2013 and on-going

Improved cultural environment for women as reported through Athena Swan focus groups and UG Champion. Improved NSS feedback reported by UG Tutor. Evaluated on an on-going basis by the CAOC.

3

Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 1D

Support new UGs

All new UGs have a 2nd or 3rd year "Parent" who helps them during their first year. Organise training for the UG "parents" in basic mentoring skills Transfer our successful staff induction document into an UG focused one. We have an UG event in the first week of term for the new intake of UGs. Now introduce a whole department event for the new UGs, such as a lunch-time BBQ

3.2 (v) 4.2 (a-ii)

organised by UG Champion with support from the UG Tutor organised by UG Champion with support HoD office

2014

Improved UG experience as reported through Athena Swan focus groups and UG Champion. Improved NSS feedback reported by UG Tutor. Evaluated on an on-going basis by the CAOC.

1E

Monitor UG data, provide information to UGs to facilitate discussion and UG feedback

Collection and monitoring of data, we benchmark internally using SOLE, and nationally using HEIDI NSS and the Student Barometer Disseminate information and obtain feedback on initiatives from UGs.

3.2 (ii)

Statistics TH with support from EB and MT. UG champion with support from CAOC

2009 and on- going 2013 and on- going

Knowledge and discussion of evolving trends as reported in departmental statistics document and evaluated annually by CAOC.

4

Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

2

PG Students

2A

Improve communication

PG Champions established: part of their role is to foster communication between PG committees the CAOC and PG student body. They will organise activities to facilitate feedback from and interaction with PGs

3.2 (iv) & 4.2 (a-iii)

PG Champions with support form the COAC

2013 and on- going

Improved PhD satisfaction as measured by PRES, and reported through Athena Swan focus groups and PG Champions. Evaluated on an on-going basis by CAOC.

2B

Recruit more UG women to be PGs Address declining %F PhD applications and acceptances

Increased emphasis on careers advice to UGs: a careers and professional development package for the UGs including 1:1 careers advice, seminars on different careers, producing a CV, transferable skills, communication skills. Questionnaire for those who decline PhD position, to understand why women turn down offers. See Action 7A and 7C for national actions on this point

3.2 (iii) & (iv) & (v) & 4.2 (a-iii)

UG Professional Skills Organiser and Careers Service PG Champion with support from PG administrator

2012 and on-going develop 2013 implement 2014

Increase the percentage of women PGs (applying & accepting) as monitored by Director of PG Studies and reported annually in department statistics document. Evaluated annually by CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 2C

More socialising opportunities

PGs have fed back that they would like more social interaction with staff, but also with other PhD students. Setup "I do this" connections web portal hosted on the department web-pages. UG, PG and Staff enter their interests/activities, aim is to link people with same interests together, for new people to know who to contact: for example badminton players, runners Have "pop-up events" organised by ChemSoc and PGs, for example a pop-up casino evening has been suggested, as well as a pub-quiz competition. Events will be open to all staff and students. Survey PGs for more ideas. Induction is good for PGs starting in October, but for those who start mid-year there is less support. Create mid-year induction package for PGs.

3.2 (iv) & 4.2 (a-iii)

PG Champions to coordinate with help to implement from: chemistry ICT PGSS ChemSoc

establish portal 2014 survey 2013 pop-up events 2014 and on-going induction package 2014 and on-going

PGs feel part of a community as reported through Athena Swan focus groups and PG Champions. Evaluated on an on-going basis by the CAOC. isolation can effect women more than men, increased opportunities for socialising should impact more on female PhDs

2D

A conference experience for all PGs

PGs have fed back that they would like more support for conferences. Investigate why PGs are not getting to conferences. Facilitate PIs to support students to attend conferences. For example Departmental support for PIs without enough funds. Departmental level push for PIs to send all PhDs to at least one conference.

3.2 (iv) & 4.2 (a-iii)

COAC organise a survey of PIs PG champion to survey PGs. EB to investigate a funding route

survey 2013 implement 2014

All PGs attend one conference during their PhD monitored by Director of PG Studies. Evaluated annually by CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 2E

Fill a careers advice "gap"

PGs have provided feedback that they would like more awareness of the wide range of career options for those with Chemistry PhDs. Extensive opportunities are already available (industrial sponsored courses, seminars, visiting industrial recruiters and careers symposia), so investigate and implement actions to fill the existing careers "gap" Explore our contacts in the Graduate School to supply PhDs with more information

3.2 (iv) & 3.3 (i) & 4.2 (a-iii)

PG Champions to investigate in more detail PGSS and Graduate School to aid in implementing actions

2014

PGs report a complete and rounded careers advice experience as measured by PRES, and reported through Athena Swan focus groups and PG Champions. Evaluated on an on-going basis by CAOC.

2F

Improve supervisor-PG communication

PG feedback indicates that in a few cases there is a communication issue between some PhDs and supervisors. Some interfere to much others not enough, PhDs want more quality time. Set up a communicating with your supervisor course. Extend our success with the UG professional skills courses to PhDs

3.2 (iv) & 4.2 (a-iii)

PG Champions to set-up with the Graduate School

No feedback of low quality supervision by PGs as monitored through existing anonymized PG 6, 12, 18, 24 month reports, Athena Swan focus groups and PG Champions. Evaluated annually by CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 2G

Emphasise female role models and advertise a female supportive environment

Raise the profile of women with successful academic careers. New prizes named after women chemists for PGs. Collect and circulate a list (organised by sub discipline) of senior academic women in chemistry departments within the UK, make available on the web. See Action 7.C for a national action on this point Highlight to PGs that Imperial is committed to a supportive environment.

3.2 (iii), (iv), (v) & 3.3 (i) & 4.2 (a-iii)

TH with support from MT, HoD to fund. (hire a student over the summer to create the list with links to professional web-pages)

prizes organised in 2012 and given out 2013 list generated 2013

Raised awareness of female role models and increased aspirations as reported in feedback from focus groups in the biannual Athena Swan workshops. Monitor web-site for activity. Evaluated annually by CAOC.

2H

Understand why fewer female PhDs carry on to a Post-Doc

Gather information on why PhDs do not go on to take up Post-Docs by querying our PhD cohorts. Act on this information to increase the number of PG applications. Understand the "softer" reasons behind this hard data. See 7.A for national action on this point

3.2 (v) & 3.3 (i)

PG Champions to set up focus groups, and report to CAOC Actions by PG Champions with support from PGSS and CAOC.

focus groups 2013 actions in 2014

Understand more about the leaky pipe-line as reported in feedback from focus groups. Effectiveness of actions evaluated by the CAOC.

2I

Monitor Student PG data Monitor PG feedback

Collection and monitoring of data and benchmarking at a national level is well established including; direct PG feedback, PG Sole, PRES, RSC sources and the Student Barometer. Disseminate information and get feedback on initiatives from PGs Investigate statistics for PGs coming from internal vs external sources

3.2 (iii), (iv) & (v) & 4.2 (a-iii)

Statistics TH with support from EB and MT. PG Champions with support from CAOC TH with support from EB and MT.

2009 and on- going annually 2013 2014

Knowledge and discussion of evolving trends as reported in the department statistics document and evaluated annually by the CAOC.

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

3

Key Career Transition Points

3A

Ensure women are well represented at all new academic appointments

Search panel proactively target female early career fellowship holders nationally when academic positions become available Consider explicitly female fellows on publically available national lists (EPSRC, BBSRC, RS etc). Candidates approached for positions must be 50:50 women and men. At least one academic woman to be present on all appointment panels A report made to CAOC after each appointment, such that processes are scrutinised for female friendly practice.

4.1(a-ii), & (b-i)

Search Panel to ensure women are approached HR, Appointment & Search Panels provide a report to CAOC

2013

Improving numbers of women applicants as shown by a 50:50 split of M:F at the approach stage monitored by the search panel. A woman on all appointment panels as recorded by HR. Every academic appointment process to be evaluated by CAOC.

3B

Increase the number of women applying for positions.

Review job descriptions for words or phrases that may be putting women off. Place more emphasis on preferred rather than required skills in adverts Highlight the department as a female friendly working environment and Silver SWAN holder. Appointment committees to be less defined in the role description, the focus will be on search for excellent people.

3.2 (i) 4.1 (a-i), & (a-ii) & (b-i) & (b-ii)

suitable template provided by HR HR and HoD and Interview panel HoD to steer

2014 2009 and on-going 2013

Increasing numbers of women applying for positions as recorded by HR and effectiveness monitored by CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 3C

Investigate the trend of a decreasing percentage of female Post-Doc staff, and implement actions to reverse this

Collect additional information relevant to this statistic, such as, men arriving on Fellowships who are not appointed through the normal HR route, the impact from 2010 when an anomalously large proportion of men were appointed, and the impact of a larger number of women post-docs leaving. Given our strong investment in Research staff support, the low numbers of women applicants is not just a local issue and needs to be addressed at a national level. See Actions 7A, 7B and 7C for national actions on this point

3.3 (i) & 4.1 (a-i)

ECDC to investigate and report to COAC COAC to discuss and implement actions after further information and feedback has been obtained

investigate 2013 actions 2014

Increase the percentage of female Research staff as reported in the departmental statistics document. Effectiveness evaluated annually by CAOC.

3D

Extend the collection of data to include shortlist data for Post-Doc positions

This will involve exploring and implementing ways of streamlining reporting to encourage PI "buy-in". Explaining why this information is useful and important to PIs. This will also involve lobbying HR at the College Level.

4.1 (a-i)

HR to collect data CAOC to monitor and encourage PI compliance CAOC to lobby at College level

HR implement 2013 start 2013 and on-going

Data is made available as reported by HR, and presented annually in the departmental statistics document. Effectiveness evaluated by CAOC.

3E

Support at the Post-Doc to fellowship transition point.

Targeting, supporting and encouraging more women to go for fellowships. Encourage PIs to "tap on the shoulder" for fellowships. Added to the post-doc PRDP a section specifically asking PIs to discuss fellowship opportunities Continue to work closely with the Post-Doc Development Centre to create bespoke opportunities for our female Post-Docs.

4.1(a-i) & (a-ii),(b-i) & (b-ii)

HoD through Heads of Section EB ECDC

2013 2013 2009 and on-going

Increase the percentage of (junior) women fellowship holders in the Department. as reported in the departmental statistics document and evaluated annually by the CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 3F

Support of Senior Lectures and Readers to the next level

Survey Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Readers to ask what they think the Department could do to better support them. Results discussed in the COAC and actions taken forward. Performance metrics of Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Readers monitored annually for areas were active intervention through mentoring and support can enhance performance. Workload of staff monitored annually for unequal distribution of workload and action taken to redistribute teaching and administration as required.

4.1(a-ii) & (b-ii)

organised by EB annual performance assessment by Promotions Panel annual workload assessment by Management Committee actions taken by Line Managers and Mentors

survey in 2013, actions taken 2014 2013 2013 actions 2013 and on-going

Increased potential/performance of female Lecturers Senior Lecturers and Readers as monitored through the annual performance metrics documents and the department workload spread-sheet. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

3G

Monitor Staff data and feedback Widen awareness of gender issues

Collection and monitoring of data and benchmarking at a national level is well established including; HEIDI statistics, SWAN applications from other departments, feedback from focus groups, individual interviews, feedback at staff meetings, and individually to COAC members. Information from College and departmental staff surveys. More emphasis is needed on disseminating this information more widely, on "branding" changes as SWAN driven, on raising awareness of issues. Identify specifically when an item is CAOC driven. CAOC members can disseminate actions at their Section Meetings. Reports at Staff meetings.

3.3 (i) & 4.1 (a-ii)

Statistics collected (TH) with support from EB and MT. HoD and ECDC, and CAOC TH and HoD CAOC members

2009 and on- going annually 2014 2013

Data is available as reported in the departmental statistics document available on-line Department level discussion of evolving trends and issues as reported in meeting minutes, feedback from Athena Swan focus groups. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

4

Career Development

4A

Directly addressing areas raised by staff in our SWAN focus group workshops

demystifying what "Departmental support" means in promotions applications, clarifying who sits on promotions panels and how post promotion feedback is delivered. These will be addressed by providing short to the point documents on department web-pages, and advertising that they are available at a staff meeting.

4.2 (a-i)

EB

2014

Greater staff satisfaction as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups and the Imperial College Staff Survey. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

4B

Increased mentoring of early career staff by senior staff

Ask senior staff to think about their mentoring role, explain the the importance and benefits of supporting younger staff. Highlight to PIs that good mentoring is a point of consideration in determining promotion suitability Use the REF process, and promotions requirements to engage more senior staff in mentoring. The better the output of younger staff, the higher the department ranks in REF, the better it is for senior staff. Grant applications and proposals will not be signed off by the HoD until they have been seen by a second member of academic staff. A department requirement is that all large grant applications MUST include mentoring arrangements.

4.2 (a-i)

HoD actions

2011 and on-going

Good feedback from staff about mentoring and career support as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups,and CAOC members. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC. Improved REF and increased outputs as monitored through the annual performance metrics documents and REF outcomes

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 4C

Second Annual Irène Joliot-Curie Conference for women in science

This year the conference will focus around "role models". The conference will include careers advice, Q&A sessions and personal experiences, from women in a range of career stages. The speakers will all be women, covering both academic and industry roles. Dinner will be at the RSC with after dinner speaker Esther McVey MP. See Action 7A, 7B and 7C for national actions on this point

4.2(a-i), (a-ii) & (a-iii)

HoD and CAOC Run with support from ECDC and CPDT

2013.

Good feedback from attending Post-Docs and PhDs as reported in a survey carried out at the meeting.

4D

Support Post-Doc career development and training.

Monitor PIs to ensure Personal Review and Development Plan meetings are held with all Post-Docs, raise awareness of the importance of these meetings with both Post-Docs and PIs. Continue to work closely with the Post-Doc development centre to create bespoke opportunities for our female Post-Docs. Make the Post-Doc survey an annual feature, include a question on number of training days taken, take actions that arise from the feedback Continue to monitor the induction process to ensure actions maintain their effectiveness. Extend successful HoD welcome, meet and greet event to twice a year. Email alert to post-docs 6 months before their contract is due to expire to encourage them to talk with their PI’s re career options. Large joint research meeting is planned with UCL in summer 2014 use this to facilitate Post-Doc networking with other Chemistry departments.

4.2(a-i) & (a-ii)

MT to report to CAOC annually ECDC to organise EB Implement, data reported to CAOC and ECDC annually HoD office organise HR and EB to implement ECDC to organise

2013 and on-going 2013 and on-going 2013 and on-going

Post-dosc reporting an increased awareness of career options/decisions as reported in feedback to Athena Swan focus groups, ECDC members and in the annual departmental Post-Doc Survey. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC. All Post-docs receive an annual PRDP as reported by HoD office to the CAOC annually

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

5

Organisation and Culture

5A

Balanced and fair representation of women

Membership of women on key committees and panels is monitored to ensure fair representation and that women are not overburdened with committee membership Information is to be collected annually on all committees female staff sit on, this includes external boards such as company boards, national steering groups etc.

4.3 (a-i) & (b-i)

monitored for individuals by Line Managers collected by HoD Office

2013 and on-going

Ensure a fair representation of women on committees data is reported in the departmental statistics document and monitored annually by Management Committee and CAOC.

5B

Monitor the workload of women and any individuals with a high load.

Monitor the workloads for the women in the Department ensuring they are in line with their male colleagues. Examine the workloads of staff in the top quartile, ensuring that one or two staff do not consistently have unduly heavy workloads. a new requirement that no staff member will work more than 875hrs on administration and teaching (ie half the nominal 1750 hrs per year) Statistics to be presented for the "median" work load at each grade of staff and circulated annually in the promotions guidelines document. Introduce a mechanism to record research time as well as administration and teaching

4.3 (a-i) & (b-ii)

monitored for individuals by Line Managers, data collection overseen by Heads of Teaching Management Committee HoD Office to provide and circulate HoD

2013 2013 and on-going 2009 and on-going 2014

Ensure women are not over-burdened, and there is an equitable and fair work-load distribution as recorded in department work-load spread sheet and monitored annually by Management committee and COAC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 5C

Making life easier, helping new staff

Evaluate the outcome of the recent reorganisation of administrative roles and duties. Make any changes that are required on the basis of feedback. Maintain informative e-mails and staff web-site circulating up to date information.

4.3 (a-ii) & (b-ii)

EB to gather feedback EB and MT

2013 2011 and on-going

Staff report improvements in administrative support as reported from a targeted survey, and more generally in the Imperial College Staff Survey where we expect to see continued high scores for Chemistry.

5D

Increased social, networking and team building activities

"Floor lunches", HoD (drinks/food) funded floor events to get people socialising The "I do this" connections web portal in action 2C will be setup for the whole department. Encourage those with similar sporting interests to get together. Initial action has been to organise a "runners event" this will be extended to other sports, for example badminton. Canvas opinion for a "Family or Children's day", were members are encouraged to bring their children to work, will include a picnic lunch, possibly events at Science Museum. Have a departmental "Fun and Frolic afternoon" with a picnic lunch, "fun activities" like sack races. Departmental screening of big sports events, films or relevant TV documentaries such as Wimbledon in our common room, or in Dana Center.

4.3 (b-iii)

HoD office coordinate PG Champions coordinate NB is organising running event, COAC to coordinate others TH to canvas opinion, then HoD office to organise HoD office (Staff) to organise in association with ChemSoc (UGs) and PGSS (PGs)

2013 and on-going

Staff praise the number and quality of social and networking events as as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups and the Imperial College Staff Survey. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

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Objective Description and Implementation Ref Responsibility Timescale Success Measure 5E

Sharing and rewarding good practice at all levels.

Continue to support and reward practices that promote a collaborative and culture of working-together A forum to be set up across the professoriate to share what works and how good practice could be spread and made consistent. Sharing experiences; a summary document listing "extra" activities and the time investment that academics at different levels undertake, beyond standard research and teaching.

4.3 (b-ii) & (b-iv)

HoD and CAOC with support from MT Professorial staff on the CAOC to organise and implement COAC to coordinate with support from MT

2012 and on-going 2013 2014

Positive feedback from staff at all levels as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups, the Imperial College Staff Survey and CAOC members. A raised awareness of a "rounded" academic role as evidenced in an increased rate of promotions (time spent at each grade decreasing). Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

6

Career Breaks and Flexible working

6A

Information on taking flexible working is easily available.

Flexible working is already part of normal working practices (see case studies). Using more substantial flexible working hours or part-time working is thus less well known. Short to the point document on the staff website, be proactive in informing staff, communicating that the process is an "easy" one.

4.4 (a-iii)

EB

2013 and on- going.

Feedback that information related to flexible or part-time working is easily found as reported in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups and the Imperial College Staff Survey. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

6B

Obtain feedback from staff recently taking time away.

Extend the mechanism for feedback on return from maternity leave to cover flexible working, parental leave and sabbatical Continuously monitor maternity leave to ensure good practice is maintained and is not "patchy" ie PI dependent for Research staff or PhDs. Ensure Research staff and PhDs have a supportive "contact" point separate from their PI. As the number of individuals is very small, this can be organised as a bespoke welcome back process, for example department tea and cakes morning or after afternoon drinks.

4.4 (a-i) & (b-ii)

HR to collect information and provide an annual report to COAC EB prepare information, circulate to PIs, mentors, PG Tutor HR notify HoD office who coordinate

2013 and on- going.

Positive feedback on parental leave, flexible working and sabbatical as reported to HR and in feedback from Athena Swan focus groups, annual departmental Post-Doc Survey, and the Imperial College Staff Survey. Effectiveness evaluated by the CAOC.

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Objective

Description and Implementation

Ref

Responsibility

Timescale

Success Measure

7

Working at a National Level

7A

Address the low number of women taking PhDs at a National level

Set-up and lead a National network of Chemistry departments that are committed and active in Athena Swan activities (eg Silver and Gold award holders) to share good practice. Meet annually to share and set up actions.

3.2 (iv), 4.1 (a-i), 4.2 (a-ii)

TH and TW with support from CAOC

Set-up 2014 First meeting 2014

Increase the percentage of female PGs Nationally as monitored through National Statistics Evaluated annually by the National Network.

7B

National careers conference for women in science

We have had extremely positive feedback from the first Irène Joliot-Curie, and have repeated the format internationally with great success. The RSC will be taking over the running and organisation of this conference which will take place in a different university every year. Imperial will take an advisory role.

4.1 (a-i) 4.1 (a-ii) 4.2 (a-i) 4.3 (a-ii)

TW and TH coordinate with RSC

2015 and on going.

Increased numbers of female Post-Docs at a National level as monitored through National Statistics (HEIDI) and evaluated from a survey of attendants.

7C

Enhance opportunities for young chemistry UGs and PGs at a National level

Collect and circulate a list (organised by sub discipline) of senior academic women in chemistry departments the UK. Make available on the web, and advertise at the Irene Joliot-Curie conference. Contact these academics asking if they would be willing to share opportunities, such as UROPs or available positions, or to offer mentoring for women who have no mentors available locally.

3.2 (i) 3.2 (iv) 4.1 (a-i), 4.2 (a-ii)

CAOC organise with support from HoD office and with potential to ask RSC to take over if it works

A national network for careers support of UG and PGs as monitored by web-site hits, the numbers of positive responders, and from a survey carried out at the Irene Joliot-Curie conference.

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