In 2024, the School of Chemistry was awarded its first Athena Swan Silver award in recognition of its significant achievements to transform gender equality and enhance the working lives of female staff and students. 

As an Athena Swan Silver award holder, the School is dedicated to the continual improvement of our working practices to enhance the positive working environment for all staff and students. 

Our latest application can be downloaded here: chemistry-athena-swan-2024 (PDF, 9,082kB).

Achievements Leading to this Award

Our commitment to improving equality within the School of Chemistry has resulted in the following achievements:

• 66% of permanent academic appointments made since 2018 have been women, increasing the percentage of female academic staff in the school by 200%.
• The number of female undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students within the School of Chemistry now stands at 47.3% and 46.5%, in line with and exceeding the HESA benchmarks, respectively.
• The proportions of both female and male students who are from the global ethnic majority has substantially increased between 2019/20 and 2022/23 from 16% to 22% at the UG level and from 23% to 35% for PGs.
• Established the Inspirational Bristol Scientist’s Board to celebrate the achievements of under-represented groups in the faculties of Science and Engineering. This beacon activity has inspired other schools to adopt similar schemes.
• We have fully embedded EDI within all the school’s activities.
• Implement a code of conduct for School of Chemistry events, and core hours for events and meetings.
• Enhanced the University’s returning academic carers scheme.
• Installed the University’s first flagpole to display LGBTQIA+ flags outside a prominent undergraduate space in the University. This has inspired other Schools within the University to follow our leading work to support and raise the profile of LGBTQIA+ staff and students. 

Future Aims, 2024-2029

The aims of our ambitious Athena Swan Action plan include:

• To further increase the proportion of female academic staff to 40% by 2028. 
• 50% of UG and PG students will be women by 2026.
• Diversify and decolonise our undergraduate curriculum by 2027.
• Address the factors limiting career progression and diversity within PDRA community.
• Highlight and celebrate the numerous achievements of our technical and administrative staff.
• Increase support and signposting for staff mental health and wellbeing issues within the School.
• Roll out active Bystander Training for all staff within the School to address unacceptable behaviours and microaggressions.