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University of York trail blazes for women in Physics

Posted on 7 October 2011

The University of York has received a top national award
from the Institute of Physics (IOP) for its work to reduce gender inequality
among staff and students in university physics.

The University’s Department of Physics has met the five principles set out in
the Juno Code of Practice, a set of actions recommended by the IOP to address
the under-representation of women in physics higher education, and is now a Juno
Champion.

The Juno Code of Practice seeks to redress the issue of under-representation
of women at the very highest level of physics academia in the UK and Ireland.
While approximately 20 per cent of physics undergraduates and lecturers are
female, the same can only be said of five per cent of professors.

James McNish, Diversity Programme Leader at IOP, said: “To effectively tackle
the barriers to the progression of female physicists in academia, a department
must undergo fundamental cultural changes. For this, a department needs to
examine all aspects of how it operates to identify how to make changes in
policies and practices for the benefit of all staff and students.

“This is a challenging process, but our new Juno Champion has shown how much
can be achieved – York’s approach to tackling the issues will act as a beacon of
good practice for others in the physics community.”

Women make up 20 per cent of academic staff at York, well above the national
average of 12 per cent. This includes two Professors, one senior lecturer, three
lecturers and a reader.

The award is the result of the hard work of the departmental Gender Equality
Committee formed in July 2008, which evolved into the Departmental Equality
Committee. The committee helps the Department provide a working environment
where all staff are encouraged to work to their full potential and are rewarded
without regard to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, disability or
belief.

The Juno Champion award comes just over a year after York gained Juno
Practitioner status, which involved devising an action plan to demonstrate how
the Department aimed to achieve Champion status.

It’s about creating a better, more efficient, productive environment for
everyone, not just women

Dr Irene D’Amico

Dr Irene D’Amico, Chair of the Department of Physics’ Departmental Equality
Committee, said: “The various stages of the award process are based on
awareness, analysis and action. It’s important first of all to recognise that
the under-representation of women in physics is a problem, then to look
critically at the current culture and practices, and to put into place an action
plan to address gender imbalances.

“The Juno Champion award is recognition that we are improving the practices
within the Department and ensuring that these are fair, friendly and inclusive.
It’s about creating a better, more efficient, productive environment for
everyone, not just women.”

The Juno Champion award will be in place for three years. The University of
York is also actively involved in the Athena SWAN awards scheme, which provides
recognition of a university’s success in providing positive support for women
scientists during their career. The University’s Department of Chemistry holds a
gold award, the Departments of Biology and Psychology hold silver, while the
University as a whole holds a bronze award.

Much of the Department of Physics’ success stems from leadership and a strong
commitment from the senior management team to ensure consistency of experience
for staff at all levels within the Department, particularly in induction,
appraisal and support for professional development.

Flexible and part-time working are accommodated at the University when
possible. In recent years, the Department has had academic and research staff on
part-time contracts, job-share arrangements and on career breaks, all arranged
to meet the personal circumstances or career development of individuals.

The Department has also looked critically at all its literature and website
to ensure this promotes gender equality to current and prospective students.

Former Head of Physics, Professor Brian Fulton, who became the University’s
Academic Co-ordinator for Sciences this month, said: “This is a great
achievement for the Department as the standards are set very high and only a
handful of universities have so far achieved the top Juno Champion status.”

Dr D’Amico was presented with the Juno Champion certificate at the IOP Awards
Ceremony on Thursday 6 October. She was accompanied at the awards ceremony by
Professor Sarah Thompson, who recently became Head of Physics at York.

Professor Thompson said: “We are very proud of what the Department has
achieved but see this as an ongoing project. While achievement of Juno Champion
status is an important stepping stone, we will continue to work towards an
improved gender balance in the future.”

York’s accreditation takes the total number of UK physics departments
accredited with Juno Champion status up to six.  The Department joins the
Universities of Cambridge, Glasgow, Imperial, Royal Holloway and Warwick.

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 six Champion
departments, five Practitioners and 21 Supporters. For further information
visit www.iop.org/juno

The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society promoting physics
and bringing physicists together for the benefit of all. It has a worldwide
membership of around 40,000 comprising physicists from all sectors, as well as
those with an interest in physics. It works to advance physics research,
application and education; and engages with policymakers and the public to
develop awareness and understanding of physics. Its publishing company, IOP
Publishing, is a world leader in professional scientific publishing and the
electronic dissemination of physics. For further information visit http://www.iop.org/.

For more information on the Department of Physics at the University of
York visit www.york.ac.uk/physics.

Contact details

Caron Lett

Press Officer

UK

Tel: work +44 (0)1904 322029

[email-masked]

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Fax: fax 01904 324685 | [email-masked]

Last updated on 7
October 2011
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