Athena SWAN
The Athena SWAN Charter evolved from work between the Athena Project and the Scientific Women’s Academic Network (SWAN), to advance the representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM). Many women go into science at undergraduate level, but the proportion of women continuing to the highest levels of their chosen field does not reflect those undergraduate numbers. Athena SWAN encourages and recognises commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment. The initiatives launched under the Athena SWAN umbrella seek to redress that imbalance by creating the optimum conditions to enable the progression of women in science and to increase the representation of women in senior roles.
The University of Cambridge was a founder member of the Athena Swan Charter and holds a Silver Athena SWAN award since 2018 (read more about the University of Cambridge Athena Swan Action Plan Updates).A number of the University of Cambridge departments hold bronze or silver awards. The Department of Pharmacology was delighted to achieve an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in November 2013 and April 2017 which currently runs until September 2023
The application process involved providing an overview of the department and its female staff and student population, supported by data relating to the gender balance in the department, promotion, recruitment, family-friendly provision and other areas of particular relevance to women in their careers. We also provided an assessment of initiatives already underway in the department and the wider University to support women in Pharmacology and related fields of scientific research. The action plans submitted in conjunction with the applications can be found below:
View the department's 2013 application.
View the department's 2017 application.
Moving forward, our next Athena SWAN application will be submitted at a School-level and the Department of Pharmacology will play an active role in assisting the School of Biological Sciences to apply for an Athena SWAN Silver Award in September 2022