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Physics recognised for reducing gender inequality

Posted on 21 April 2010

The Department of Physics at the University of York is
one of three across the UK that have been recognised by the Institute of Physics
(IOP) for efforts made to reduce gender inequality among academic staff.

The IOP’s Juno Code of Practice seeks to redress under-representation of
women at the highest level of physics academia in the UK and Ireland.

York, along with the University of Glasgow and Royal Holloway, University of
London, has now been awarded the status of Juno Practitioner, a significant step
towards becoming fully-fledged Juno Champions.

We are delighted to see the good practice in our own Department recognised

Dr Irene D'Amico

While approximately 20 per cent of England’s physics undergraduates and
lecturers are female, just five per cent of professors are. The Juno
Practitioner level was designed to reward progress made by departments towards
ensuring equal opportunity to all – to be seen as a staging post towards
becoming a Juno Champion.

Jennifer Dyer, Diversity Programme Leader at IOP, said: “We are delighted to
recognise and reward physics departments on their journeys towards becoming
Champions. Embedding the Juno principles across the department will have a
positive impact on the working lives of all staff.

“Examples of change in working practice that have been proven to reduce
gender inequality, like increasing the transparency of procedures involved in
promotion, are the sort of things that departments must do to gain recognition.
All the departments involved have found that frank and open discussions about
gender issues in the workplace have led to a happier workforce.”

Dr Irene D’Amico, the Juno lead for the Department of Physics at York, said:
“I think that the process leading to the Juno Practitioner Award has
substantially deepened our understanding of the complex issues behind the
under-representation of women in physics. We are delighted to see the good
practice in our own Department recognised and we look forward to improving on it
further following the critical analysis we made while working toward the
award.”

Notes to editors:

The Institute of Physics (IOP)’s Juno Code of Practice was developed in
response to a recommendation of the International Perceptions of UK Research
in Physics and Astronomy report that a special focus to attract and retain
women in physics is needed. The Code is based on best practice identified from
IOP’s “Women in University Physics Departments: a Site Visit Scheme”, which
ran from 2003 to 2005. It sets out practical ideas for actions that
departments can take to address the under-representation of women in
university physics and emphasises the need for dialogue, transparency and
openness. There are three levels of engagement with the Code. As a Supporter,
physics departments endorse the five principles set out in the Code of
Practice. Practitioner status requires the department to demonstrate that its
Juno journey is well underway and an initial evidence-based action plan
demonstrating how the department aims to achieve Champion status is
created.  As a Champion, physics departments are confirmed to have met
the five principles set out. There are now two Champion departments – at
Imperial College and University of Warwick -- three Practitioners and 24
Supporters. For further information, go to http://www.iop.org/activity/diversity/initiatives/juno/page_38467.html.

The Institute of Physics is a scientific
charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of
physics. It has a worldwide membership of more than 36 000 and is a leading
communicator of physics-related science to all audiences, from specialists
through to government and the general public. Its publishing company, IOP
Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic
dissemination of physics.

Further information about the Department of Physics at the University of
York is available at http://www.york.ac.uk/physics.

Contact details

David Garner

Senior Press Officer

UK

Tel: work +44 (0)1904 322153

[email-masked]

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York, Heslington,
York, YO10 5DD, UK
Tel: work 01904 322622 |
Fax: fax 01904 324685 | [email-masked]

Last updated on
19 November 2010
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