Why I'm an Athena SWAN panelist and you should be too.

Why I'm an Athena SWAN panelist and you should be too.

Today I completed my third tour of duty as an Athena SWAN panelist. I left my wife and children early in the morning, missed the school run and headed off to London. The colours of the sunrise over Bristol were amazing to notice as I did my final review of the applications.

During the previous week, I had spent some time each day reading one of the six applications I had to review. I had completed all the forms but one last check was worthwhile.

Reading other Athena SWAN applications is a very informative process. It's interesting to find out how other institutions are run, to look at the variation in practice and culture and to compare these to my own institution. Typically I feel inspired by applications. It seems to me that most applicants are trying to change the culture.

The panels themselves are inspiring too. The include representatives from diverse geographical and practical backgrounds. They include both academics and HR staff with commitment to Athena SWAN representing the common theme. Different people, with their varied experience, offer different views. These have biases of course but I find the variation in opinions very interesting and worthwhile.

Some of the things I liked:

Transparency in management and promotion procedures.

Not dependent on a single person even if it is the Director but rather procedure driven allowing opportunity for all.

Linking narrative to action plan based on observations.

Ask mentees about their experience.

Gender breakdown as much as possible:

Flexible working is an interesting discussion point. Most academics work flexibly. This includes regular working from home, being away at meetings without telling anybody and leaving early at a moments notice. This flexibility is one of the key attractions in the job. The arrangements are usually informal and often not recorded. The reason for this is that we are judged on our results - student numbers, grant income and papers.

Another positive feature of this is that these flexible working patterns are usually obvious to co-workers and so there is a 'culture of flexible working'.

There are many challenges with this too. Firstly, informal flexible working arrangements can be very dependent on line managers. With no formality to the process, flexible working can also be discouraged and sometimes informally denied. Without some records it's difficult to monitor this.

Laboratory based staff can find it difficult to work flexibly because of a lone working policy or access to laboratories at alternative hours.

Staff can feel they should be on their computer or available at all times.

Bridging funding should be an "open competition".

Patronage vs talent spotting. Patronage is one of the ways staff can be developed both men and women. Having a powerful patron usually helps push ones career forward. However, it doesn't translate to equality of opportunity.

Ideally promotions or talent recognition schemes should be open and transparent. Objective criteria should be produced before competitions are launched. All staff should be eligible. Gender breakdown of applications and awards should be analysed.

The policy should contribute to success.

Workload models - should include everything - teaching, research, citizenship.

Recognition for diverse rolls.


I'm an Athena SWAN panellist because I believe in equality of opportunity and this seems like a good way to contribute to the process.

I'm an Athena SWAN panellist because it helps me learn more about the kind of change that is being implemented across the UK.

I've stayed an Athena SWAN panellist because I meet interesting and inspiring people.

Medical students make up their minds early...

Talk about careers early. Have a presentation every year.


As well as the panellists, we have a moderator and a note taker, both representatives of the ECU. There can be observers - people learning about the Athena SWAN process. The proceedings are confidential.

As a minimum, six people read the application. If each spends an hour reading and then the we discuss the application for another 45 minutes. That corresponds to about ten and a half hours of analysis of your application.




Nice Athena SWAN figures....

Not so nice Athena SWAN figures...



Paul Brennan