The first IGNITE / EDI+ annual event took place on 20 March 2024, 12 until 6pm and was hosted by IGNITE partner, The University of the Manchester, and chaired by Dr Jessica Gagnon, IGNITE Co-Investigator based at The University of Manchester.
The afternoon opened with a welcome from Professor Rachel Cowan, The University of Manchester lead for EDI and was followed by IGNITE and EDI project updates from the Directors, an update from IGNITE prescribed activities (PA2 and PA5), and two of the current cohort of EDI+ fellows spoke about the fellowship scheme. We then heard from the four projects funded under the IGNITE Flexible Funding EDI Challenges (round 1). We were fortunate to have three guest speakers Dr Christina Guindy from the Royal Academy of Engineering who spoke about the Royal Academy of Engineering's successful intitiatives to diversify the engineering talent pool, this was followed by Lizzie Gibney from Nature who spoke about an article she published last year about How UK science is failing Black researchers and finally Prof Jonathan Saha from University of Durham spoke about The Broken Pipeline in UK University History Departments and lessons that can be learned. The was rounded off with a panel discussion Q&A chaired by Dr Iwi Uqiaqbe-Green, Manchester Metropolitan University.
You can watch the presentations and download the slides (where available) linked below (in order they were presented on the day). If you follow us on YouTube, you will reveive a notfication when the other recordings are made available:
Welcome and Introduction
Opening Welcome: Professor Rachel Cowan, (University of Manchester) - University Lead for Equality Diversity and Inclusion (Gender and Sexual Orientation)
[watch Rachel's presentation] [download Rachel's slides]
IGNITE Prescribed Activities
IGNITE Network+ update: Professor Becky Lunn, IGNITE Network+ Director (University of Strathclyde)
[watch Becky's presentation] [download Becky's slides]
PA3: Unveiling gender dynamics and linguistic biases in the energy sector: Azhar Nurgaliyeva Anandha Gopalan, Anna Korre (Imperial College)
[watch Azhar's presentation] [download Azhar's slides]
PA5: IGNITE Mentoring Circles Programme: Dr Neha Chandarana (University of Bristol)
[watch Neha's presentation] [download Neha's slides]
EDI+ Fellowships Scheme
EDI+ Network update: Prof Simone Abram, EDI+ Director (Durham University)
[watch Simone's presentation] [download Simone's slides]
EDI+ Fellows introduction: Dr Lennie Foster (ERA/C-DICE, University of Loughborough) and Dr Katy McKenzie (University of Nottingham)
[watch Lennie & Katy's presentation] [download Lennie & Katy's slides]
IGNITE Flexible Funded projects, EDI Challenges
PEERS - Pathways for Equal access to the Energy Research Sector: Dr Stewart Beattie (University of Strathclyde)
[watch Stewart's presentation] [download Stewart's slides]
Assessing the Use of Natural Language Processing NLP in Reviewing STEM Research Grant Applications: Challenges and Guidelines for Performing Research with Special Category Data: Dr Gloria Castro Quintero (University of Strathclyde)
[watch Gloria's presentation] [download Gloria's slides]
Energising Equity: Co-developing a Framework for the inclusion of neurodivergent energy researchers: Dr Vanda Papafilippou (University of the West of England)
[watch Vanda's presentation] [download Vanda's slides]
Introducing the Did This Really Happen?! project: Breaking the Bias with Comics (remote presentation): Dr Kirstie Wright (British Geological Survey) and Dr Lucía Pérez-Díaz (Neftex, Halliburton)
[download Kirsty & Lucia's slides]
Invited Guest Speakers
Unlocking Potential: Initiatives to Diversify the Engineering Talent Pool * (remote presentation): Christina Guindy (Royal Academy of Engineering)
[watch Christina's presentation] [download Christina's slides] * Please note that positive action is an evolving area, the numbers discussed are fairly small over 2 years, and this should be kept in mind. The numbers are early indicators only.
How UK science is failing Black researchers — in nine stark charts (remote presentation): Lizzie Gibney (Nature)
[watch Lizzie's presentation] [download Lizzie's slides]
The Broken Pipeline in UK University History Departments: Some General Lessons: Prof Jonathan Saha (EDI+, Durham University)
Guest Chair: Dr Iwi Uqiaqbe-Green, Manchester Metropolitan University
See the digital programme book for more information.