The Australian research sector has today been challenged to trial a gender equity program to address female under-representation and retention in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Science in Gender Equity (SAGE) Forum, an initiative led by the Australian Academy of Science, has called for engagement from universities, medical research institutions and research agencies to ‘beta test’ a successful program that was originally developed in the UK.
The Athena SWAN Charter is an award system that rates research organisations based on their gender equity policies and requires them to develop and implement targeted action plans. Some UK research bodies now tie grant funding to participation in the program.
At a two-day workshop in Canberra, sponsored by the Office of the Chief Scientist, senior representatives of the research sector heard about the costs and benefits of implementing the Athena SWAN Charter from members of the UK Equality Challenge Unit
Co-chairs of the SAGE Forum Steering Committee and Academy Council members, Nobel Prize winner Brian Schmidt and Australian Laureate Fellow in mathematics Nalini Joshi said this was a game-changing moment for inequality in Australian science
“We have made appalling progress over the last two decades; each year we train and then lose huge numbers of women from Australian science,” said Professor Joshi.
“We are now ready to take the next big steps to bring about real change and that means asking the research sector to treat this issue as a priority,” she said.
“This will be resisted by some. But the need is so profound, that changes are coming. And organisations that fail to address gender equity will find it harder to attract the best and brightest,” Professor Schmidt said.
“Next year we want to start the ball rolling on a scheme that the research community owns. We want to start with a few institutions and build the take up of the program towards a nation-wide scheme,” he said.
“Making real progress will benefit both men and women, but leaving the status quo will first and foremost disadvantage women.”
© 2024 Australian Academy of Science
