Published in the Research School of Physics Event Horizon
Vol43 Issue65 16–20 April 2018

Gender Inequity and Limited Diversity

RSPE Equity and Access committee is working on the policy to address the gender inequity and limited diversity of invited speakers at conferences, seminars, and workshops supported and organised by RSPE. Why is this important? First, If we don’t address gender balance in speaker programs we will continue to normalise a gendered stereotype of scientific leadership. Second, by making more invitations to women, and other under-represented sections of the academic community, we provide a boost to their visibility and their track record. And third, if we keep inviting the same people, and the same types of people, over and over again, we limit the diversity of thought and potentially the opportunities for innovation. Prof. Jenny Martin, Director of the Institute for Drug Discovery at Griffith University, has provided many practical ideas on how to address this problem:

https://cubistcrystal.wordpress.com/2016/12/09/show-me-the-policy-part-2/