Post on 08-Feb-2017
UK Women in SET Policy and Progress 2014
Tides, storm surges and sea levels
Jan Peters PhD
www.Katalytik.co.uk
©2014 Katalytik Ltd
1993
• A small step for science policy but a giant step for women in science
“Women are the single most undervalued and underused resource”
(1993 Realising our potential)
The catalyst for The Rising Tide report
Driven by a small but powerful voice: Dr Nancy J Lane
©2014 Katalytik Ltd
UK Milestones
1993
Realising Our Potential
-White Paper
1994
Rising Tide
published
1994
Development Unit
for
Women in SET
1999
ATHENA launch
2000
Statistics
Website
2002
Max returns
launch
2003
SET Fair
report
2004
UK Resource Centre
for women in SET
2007
ATHENA legacy
2005
RETURN
Campaign
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
1998
UK Presidency
of EU
©2014 Katalytik Ltd
Belief
• Evidence to define the problem and specify action.
or
• Building the case to take it beyond being a “women’s problem”
The UKRC
• To increase the participation and position of women in
science, engineering and technology employment across
industry, academia and public services in the UK
Other initiatives
• Linking research funding to SWAN Silver
• Gender in research: FP6, FP7 and Horizons 2020
©2014 Katalytik Ltd
Action
Driven by volunteers, delivered by volunteers, supported by policy makers
Driven by policy makers, delivered by educators and employers, supported by volunteers
©2011 Katalytik Ltd
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS EXISTS IN BOTH SEXES, ABOUT THE INFERIORITY OF THE (INTELLECTUAL) ABILITIES OF FEMALES
Virginia Valian, author, “Why so slow ?” 1998
©2011 Katalytik Ltd
COGNITIVE BIAS: UNCONSCIOUS ERRORS OF REASONING THAT DISTORT OUR JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD
Daniel Kahneman, New York Times
2011
©2014 Katalytik Ltd
The immediate challenges
• Beyond equality and diversity – Building an inclusive workforce - starting with
apprenticeship courses and undergraduates
• Making strong, heart felt connections between girls, science and its impact for society
• Cracking 15% professors in the life sciences