1. Londons Global University UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

2. THE ATHENA ASSET SURVEY, SWAN CHARTER AND GENDER EQUALITY SCHEME WHERE NEXT FOR WOMEN IN SET AT UCL ? Professor Jan Atkinson F. Med. Sci. UCL Athena SWAN Coordinator Pro-Provost (North America) Visual Development Unit: UCL and OXFORD j.atkinson@ucl.ac.uk www.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/vdu www.ucl.ac.uk/global/n-america j.atkinson@ucl.ac.uk www.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/vdu www.ucl.ac.uk/global/n-america

3. Prof Janette Atkinson - Director VDU Visual Development Unit UCL & Oxford adult vision behaviour & EEG/ VEP (electrophysiology) - normal development paediatric developmental disorders adult brain imaging (fMRI) Translational research taking new methods and tests from lab to clinic visual brain development

4. High density steady-state VERP recording-brain waves EGI Geodesic sensor net 128 channels phase & amplitude of frequency components at F1 (2 Hz) and F2 (4 Hz) extracted from averaged signal in each channel

5. Williams Syndrome 1 in 20,000 to 50,000 births abnormal morphology- elfin like faces deletion on chromosome 7 (20 genes approximately including elastin – cardiovascular defects) cognitive deficits, most marked for visuo-spatial tasks with relatively fluent use of language (although initially delays across all domains) happy friendly disposition 200 WS children assessed in VDU model of WS different brain development new user-friendly tests (computer games)

6. DEVELOPMENT in PREMATURE INFANTS <32 weeks gestation Followed up to 7 years- VISUAL, VISUOMOTOR, VISUO- COGNITIVE, ATTENTION, SPATIAL, LANGUAGE Classification on term MRI (N=43) MRI normal/mild N=17 mild DEHSI MRI moderate N=12 moderate DEHSI, mild VD, small infarct MRI severe N=12 severe DEHSI, cystic lesions, significant VD (including after IVH) includes cystic PVL Diffuse Excessive High Signal Intensity (DEHSI) present in white matter Transverse T2-weighted fast-spin echo images Collaboration with Imperial College (Hammersmith Hospital) David Edwards, Mary Rutherford, Frances Cowan, Leigh Dyet

7. The human visual brain is very adaptable and very interested in whether we look like a male or female How does the brains perceptual systems recognize gender ? (Dr Chris Benton, University of Bristol)

8. Adapt

9. Test

11. Adapt

12. Test

13. TEST FACE FEMALE ADAPT MALE ADAPT

14. Times Higher Education (THE) 13-19 March 2008 At the top, women still cant get a break from stereotypes and …. Press still puts their looks before achievements Compare Female : the 55 –year old academics mane of blonde hair, her short, navy voluminous shirt..teamed with a Vivienne Westwood jacket and knee-length boots, sets a high benchmark Female: She is impressive, an immaculately groomed woman of 70 who could easily pass for 15 years younger with Male: His full white beard is worn more in homage to Charles Darwin than the Almighty

15. UCL neuroscientist named as Woman of Outstanding Achievement, March 2008 (UKRC photographic portrait) PROFESSOR UTA FRITH UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience

16. Londons Global University Participant in ATHENA ASSET survey (2004,2006) A Founder Signatory of the SWAN Charter awarded Bronze SWAN Charter (2005)

17. Brief History of Athena SWAN in UCL: 2003-4 JA suggests to Provost that Gender Equality Issues are incorporated into White Paper 2004 JA sets up AAG (Athena Advisory Group) and joins UCL into ASSET survey 2005-6 Provost Champion- SWAN Charter as Founder Signatory. JA leads AAG/ SWAN SAT (Self Assessment Team) for SWAN Charter submission Charter (Bronze) Award in 2006

18. The Athena Advisory group : group of UCL academics in SET, combined with UCL HR Equality team to discuss gender equality in SET and act as champions for disseminating equality initiatives within UCL devise ways to put into practice evidence-based initiatives arising from ASSET survey Work with SWAN SAT (self assessment team) to prepare for SWAN charter recognition liaise with colleagues in national and international HEIs e.g Cambridge day, Athena lectures

19. ASSET survey 2004 – career development of women and men in SET disciplines ~ 2500 in UCL UCL with ~500 responses - highest number in UK F>M, good responses across levels

20. ASSET survey 2004 (also UCL Staff Survey) 1. GETTING IN Transition from short term contract research to lecturer is a critical hurdle for both men and women- MORE GUIDANCE/ MENTORING REQUIRED 2. GETTING BACK women more likely than men to have taken career break- Maternity /carers NEED IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WHILE AWAY, INCREASED FLEXIBILITY- RETURNERS 3. GETTING ON –many women perceive less encouragement to apply for promotions and less good prospects, they are not put forward for executive senior committees BREAKING THE GLASS/CONCRETE/ CEILING -CULTURE CHANGE NEEDED

21. Example. from ASSET (2004) survey responses: Professors are 4:1 men: women but Heads of Departments are 7:1 33% of male professors serve on high level executive committees –<1% of female professors

22. SWAN SUBMISSION : UCL INITIATIVES related to SWAN Charter principles Use of data from UCL ASSET and UCL Staff Survey (UCL HR Equality Team) to consider new initiatives Plan and expand : senior committees gender- balance improvements mentoring/management schemes new Departmental Equality Action Plans related to gender (EO –HR) detailed annual workforce monitoring Celebration of Champions in SET events in UCL

23. women appointed older than men – and average is after age that families are completed Using stats from workforce monitoring

24. increase in % female students (F>M) and now steady

25. Rise in female students in SET faculties 1995 2007 % female 36 44 16 60 33 RISING TO 47 56 25 66 39 BuEn BioMed Eng LS MAPS BuEn BioMed Eng LS MAPS

26. % women in academic grades 2005 - 2007 15 17 19 % female % female profs increasing ?

27. % women in research grades 2005 - 2007 32 38 34 % female No change

28. number of maternity leaves *pro rata from 1 st 4 months rise in maternity leave – more taking it or more pregnancies ?

29. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES Culture and tradition in labs for males/females School – only in school half the day and half the year – need better holiday/after school schemes and/or more flexible working hours for parents Career breaks: Loss to research groups of highly specialized team members for maternity leave or carers responsibility Specialized SET cannot easily be substituted for periods under 1 year and grants cannot necessarily be extended

30. Government Gender Equality Scheme 2007 Two senior academics (Prof Jan Atkinson – UCL Athena Coordinator / Pro- Provost for North America and Prof Christine Hawley – Dean, Built Environment) appointed by Provost to take strategic responsibility for Gender Equality Scheme, working with : Fiona McLean (Coordinator for Equal Opportunities) and HR team and UCL GES Working Group on: submission of UCLs Gender Equality Scheme (2007) mainstreaming its initiatives overseeing Impact Assessment.

31. PRESENT AND FUTURE Life: work balance schemes including male:female work balance (Norway example of paternity: maternity leave) Further mainstreaming and impact assessment of new schemes Training scheme in equality issues for managers / research advisors /supervisors Widening participation schemes in Primary as well as Secondary Schools to encourage girls in SET Celebration of Champions Events Submission of UCL and individual departments for Silver SWAN AWARDS in 2009

32. But things have improved a little : Just over 30 years ago I was pregnant with my first child in Cambridge. I was a postdoc working in a small group with a very traditional older male supervisor I asked about maternity leave from the Old Schools (HR- Cambridge University) I was told that academic ladies arrange their births to fall in the Long Vacation ( Summer- out of Term time) My 4 children were born in the Long Vacation, but it was not planned !

33. End Thank you! Visual Development Unit logo

34. Speakers in 1 st Session: Professor Peter Main, Director of Education and Science, Institute of Physics Dr Caroline Fox, Programme Manager of former Athena Project at The Royal Society and.. Sarah Dickinson, Science Policy and Diversity Specialist, Royal Society of Chemistry Professor Debbie Sharp, Professor of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol Chair of Women in Clinical Academia

35. further analysis from ASSET e.g. age/seniority profile for men & women (UCL annual workforce monitorin for SET disciplines) career development of those who have children (scrutinize current policy documents/ advice given /mentoring/peer assistance) relation of perceived promotion opportunities to reality (compare years to promotion in different grades by sex/children) gender composition of appointments panels/ senior committees ( UCL CEO study 2003- top 16 UCL committees- e.g. ethnicity and gender balance on Academic Board- senior committee)

36. POSSIBLE NAMES FOR ATHENA ADVISORY GROUP- AAG CAWSET (said 'corset) Committee for Academic Women in Science, Engineering and Technology WETS- Women in Engineering, Technology and Science TWINSET- Team Working IN Science, Engineering and Technology STEW- Science, Technology and Engineering Women WISTERIA- Women In Science, Technology and Engineering Review in Academia WASTED - Women Academics - Science, Technology and Engineering Debates FAIRER SET- Female Academics' Internal Review of Equality Recommendations in Science Engineering and Technology SETTEE- Science, Engineering and Technology- Thinking about Engaging in Equality