Athena SWAN Silver Award

The School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences is committed to addressing gender inequalities in science and to improving career progression for female academics.

Our commitment was recognised in 2012 by an Athena SWAN Silver Award. This award was renewed in both 2016 and most recently, in 2020.

What is Athena SWAN?

Athena SWAN is a project for the advancement and promotion of the careers of women in science, engineering and technology in higher education and research, and to achieve a significant increase in the number of women recruited to top posts. Athena SWAN is run by the Equality Challenge Unit and funded by the Equality Challenge Unit, the Royal Society, Biochemical Society and the Department of Health.

As part of its commitment, the School is working on its Athena SWAN Silver action plan, which includes:

  • Celebrating work undertaken by female researchers
  • Hosting PhD student conferences
  • Organising promotions workshops
  • Developing our sponsorship-mentoring scheme for all academic staff to support their development
  • Organising Aurora Leadership programmes
  • Ensuring consistency of experience for staff at all levels particularly in appraisal and support for professional development
  • Recognising and celebrating the achievements of staff through the annual Extra Mile Awards.

Our commitment

Professor Mark Lewis, Dean of the School, said: “We have many excellent female staff in the School, and I am delighted that our efforts to support them, and to encourage others into the discipline, is recognized by the Athena SWAN Silver award. In recent years, we have had academic and research staff on part-time contracts and on career breaks, all arranged to meet the personal circumstances or career development of individuals.

“We offer flexible working arrangements, which are of benefit to all staff, and seek to help research staff in career development. We are also pleased that we support female undergraduates with good academic female role models, to encourage and inspire them to pursue the professions taught within the School. We hope that our success will both encourage staff in Loughborough, and in the wider academic community.”

The School Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Group

The self-assessment process is run by the Self-Assessment Team, in conjunction with the School’s Human Resources Advisory group and the School’s Equality and Diversity Advisory group.

Please contact Dr Daniel Rhind, School Athena SWAN champion, or any other member of the Self-Assessment Group if you would like information or to be more involved.

Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Group team members:

Dr Daniel Rhind School Athena SWAN Champion and Reader in Organisational Psychology

Dr Fehmidah Munir Sponsorship-mentor programme lead

Ruth Casey Operations Manager

Tom Orrill Support Services Manager

Natalie Matthewman Operations Officer (Admin Representative)

Hannah White Lecturer in Psychology (RTE Representative)

Harry Mistry University Teacher in Quantitative Research Methods (SSA Representative)