STEMM CHANGE - Uncovering Barriers to Inclusivity and Transforming Institutional Culture
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Faculty of Engineering
Abstract
Through our research and innovation this project will deliver a toolkit of embedded interventions and methodologies which will deliver a significant measurable difference to equality, diversity and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM). Our vision is to:- Contribute to achieving the combinations of talent that Engineering & Physical Sciences need to meet the sector and subject challenges of the 21st century and then using ourselves and our partners and collaborators as a test bed, develop (i) changed processes (ii) changes in culture and (iii) a significant change in behaviours to achieve a strategic diversity in STEMM. Ultimately we will widen the opportunities for entry and career development for groups typically under-represented in STEMM both in academia and industry. We will deliver 6 specific and measurable interventions which are described in detail within the proposal.
Planned Impact
Our goal is to ensure that EDI becomes "business as usual" and that we don't consider it as separate to our usual day to day work. That of course will take longer than the life of this project. Within 2 years however, we would expect to see significant change at Nottingham and in our partner organisations with our tools and methodologies embedded, over 50 senior managers trained and supported directly, over 250 colleagues trained directly in our methodologies through our networks and our dissemination events and with over 10,000 page views on our website. We will have established new, strong collaborations across the sector which will provide a springboard for future innovation. Of course the challenges for each partner are different so we will need to refine metrics as we go through the programme, however, we expect in 2 years to have delivered a widely available software tool for reducing bias in recruitment and for setting the R3fD criteria along with the training that accredits others to use it on their own. We expect this tool to have been used in the recruitment of over 50 roles.
We will create long-term, sustainable impact by directly informing change processes designed to transform the infrastructure of institutions through our team links. Key to this will be the new permanent role of the Transitional Project Manger who following the project will become a full time member of University of Nottingham staff financially supported across the 3 STEMM faculties at Nottingham.
Through innovative data transparency, data discovery, action-learning and software design, we will enable long-term sustainable impact by placing new tools directly in the hands of individual researchers and the senior leaders responsible for equality and diversity. Rather than merely call for increasing diversity, Work package 2 produces datasets, processes of change and mechanisms that will allow institutions to work through, monitor and hold themselves publically accountable to the diverse communities that they aim to reflect. Through workshops, training, networking events within the team, publications, public-facing short summaries of themes and yearly symposia, we will provide knowledge, findings and material that will improve policy-making around inclusion by ensuring that it is evidenced based. The recruitment software and training will help transform the pipeline into HEIs of diverse staff. Our Active Checklist will support and advance sustainable change by encouraging the embedding of research and more critical reflection into strategies of inclusion.
We will create long-term, sustainable impact by directly informing change processes designed to transform the infrastructure of institutions through our team links. Key to this will be the new permanent role of the Transitional Project Manger who following the project will become a full time member of University of Nottingham staff financially supported across the 3 STEMM faculties at Nottingham.
Through innovative data transparency, data discovery, action-learning and software design, we will enable long-term sustainable impact by placing new tools directly in the hands of individual researchers and the senior leaders responsible for equality and diversity. Rather than merely call for increasing diversity, Work package 2 produces datasets, processes of change and mechanisms that will allow institutions to work through, monitor and hold themselves publically accountable to the diverse communities that they aim to reflect. Through workshops, training, networking events within the team, publications, public-facing short summaries of themes and yearly symposia, we will provide knowledge, findings and material that will improve policy-making around inclusion by ensuring that it is evidenced based. The recruitment software and training will help transform the pipeline into HEIs of diverse staff. Our Active Checklist will support and advance sustainable change by encouraging the embedding of research and more critical reflection into strategies of inclusion.
Organisations
- University of Nottingham (Lead Research Organisation)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- British Geological Survey (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON (Collaboration)
- Science Council (Project Partner)
- Virginia Tech (Project Partner)
- University of Liverpool (Project Partner)
- Institute of Physics (Project Partner)
- Newcastle University (Project Partner)
- University of Kent (Project Partner)
- Kohler (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of Bradford (Project Partner)
- Diversity by Design (Project Partner)
- Royal Academy of Engineering (Project Partner)
- Nottingham Trent University (Project Partner)
- University of Warwick (Project Partner)
- Royal Society of Chemistry (Project Partner)
Description | STEMM-CHANGE research outputs have provided an evidence-base for EDI interventions to be implemented across the sector through publications such as: • Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: A Technician Lens https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Equality-Diversity-Inclusion-A-Technician-Lens-Web.pdf • UK Technicians' Experiences During the Covid-19 Pandemic https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/EDI-UK-Technicians-Experiences-during-Covid-19-Pandemic.pdf • Towards Diverse Workforces: Transforming the Language of Recruitment https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Transforming-the-Language-of-Exclusion-and-Bias-in-Recruitment-June-2021x.pdf Alongside research, the new tools developed have practically supported the implementation of EDI improvements in partner organisations including the EDI Resource Bank (https://www.edi-resourcebank.co.uk/) and the Checklist for Recruiting a Diverse Technical Workforce (https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Recruiting-a-diverse-technical-workforce-smaller.pdf.) Our culture change programmes have also been highly engaged with, supported by senior sponsorship as a key element to creating impact (reverse mentoring programme and a technical Changemaker placement scheme.) An inter-disciplinary approach to the project has been of great value, with diversity of thought and approach across research projects and interventions resulting in well thought through and impactful outcomes. Our work also encompassed all staff roles within higher education, including academic, professional services and technical staff which was of value to the organisation and also national-level EDI agenda. Engagement with existing EDI structures in the university was also an important finding, as support from central EDI teams, staff groups and faculty/school EDI staff provided an excellent opportunity to maximise impact and awareness of STEMM-CHANGE outputs. STEMM-CHANGE has undertaken new research into EDI challenges at higher education and research institutions, which has provided an evidence-base to trial and implement EDI interventions. These interventions have included a reverse mentoring programme, technical placement scheme, toolkits for improving language use in recruitment and an EDI resource bank to practically support organisations to address EDI challenges and make improvements. In our reverse mentoring scheme for example, we have had powerful examples of behavioural change as a result of the relationships between mentors and mentees. Further information can be heard directly from participants in our reverse mentoring film. https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/home/reverse-mentoring/reverse-mentoring-resources/ The project has received excellent support from across the sector, from project partners and also through new partnerships created as a result of the research and interventions created. The project has been able to reach both internal and external audiences through a number of awareness-raising and dissemination events. |
Exploitation Route | Our research has created the evidence-base for organisations to build on and test their own interventions to address EDI challenges, in addition to the open access resources and publications made available by STEMM-CHANGE. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Agriculture Food and Drink Chemicals Construction Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Electronics Energy Environment Financial Services and Management Consultancy Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology Transport |
URL | https://www.stemm-change.co.uk/ |
Description | provided to inform the design and delivery of the National Herschel training programme for women technicians |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Other |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Herschel Programme for Technical Leadership |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | This dedicated career development opportunity aims to address the lack of women in technical leadership positions across the sector. It provides a space for colleagues to learn new skills to develop themselves in a current technical leadership role or equip them if they aspire to be in the future. The programme is named after Caroline Herschel, a pioneer in the discovery of comets and other astronomy work, assisting her brother William. Caroline was an early 'technician' at the turn of the 19th century and paved the way for the women of the future to contribute to and play key roles in scientific endeavours. The structured six-month programme includes modules on: You as a leader Context and culture Influencing and negotiating Confidence and empowerment |
URL | https://www.mitalent.ac.uk/The-Herschel-Programme |
Description | EPSRC IAA |
Amount | £7,800 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2020 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | ESRC IAA |
Amount | £20,430 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2021 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | TALENT: Advancing Status and Opportunity for Technical Skills, Roles & Careers in Higher Education and Research |
Amount | £4,999,694 (GBP) |
Organisation | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | BGS |
Organisation | British Geological Survey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | testing methodology developed |
Collaborator Contribution | supplied data |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Imperial College |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Working together on language of recruitment |
Collaborator Contribution | Supplied data |
Impact | Development on recruitment language research |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Southampton |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Supporting placements for the Changemaker TS part of our project |
Collaborator Contribution | Supporting placements for the Changemaker TS part of our project |
Impact | No outputs so far, work in progress |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Annual conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | annual STEMM-CHANGE conference to report updates on the programme and also updates from other Inclusion Matters projects |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Redefining Success: Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity forum |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Presentation to CIPD Derbyshire & Nottingham branch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | To disseminate this year's publication Towards Diverse Workforces: Transforming the Language of Exclusion and Bias in Recruitment, Professor Louise Mullany presented findings and the practical communications toolkit to regional CIPD members. The talk attracted a number of follow-up conversations about organisational involvement in the ongoing language of recruitment work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presentations |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | presentation at Vitae Researcher Development conference |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Reverse mentoring programme for UKRI |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Reverse mentoring training delivered by The Reverse Mentoring Practice Ltd to STFC, cohort 1 completed 22/2/23. Reverse mentoring materials developed during STEMM change were used to support training delivered |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Reverse mentoring training provided for the Welcome Sanger Institute. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Reverse mentoring training provided to the Welcome Sanger Institute based on materials and research delivered as part of the STEMM Change project |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Technician Lens : THE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article about our report in the THE |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Technicians Working in Partnership, Newcastle University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |