Silver Success: Award recognises our commitment to gender equality

Since 2008 the number of female academics at UCL Eastman has doubled to well over the national average and 50% have been promoted to the post of senior lecturer or above.

We have dedicated considerable resources to improving the opportunities, work-life balance and careers of women.

Researcher Anne Young, Professor of Biomaterials and Chair of our Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Committee, said:  “This award represents a tremendous amount of work on the part of the Institute to remove any impediment to women working or studying with us.

“In the first instance we have improved flexibility in our postgraduate courses to enable students to balance study, work and home commitments. As a result, our percentage of women on these courses exceeds that of postgraduate dental courses elsewhere.

“We have additionally supported staff undertaking PhD studies whilst working as clinical academics. This and other measures has increased the numbers of female clinicians with training suitable for academic and teaching posts.

“We now also have the first female professors of Biomaterials and Orthodontics at UCL.  

“I’m so pleased to be a part of an organisation which wants to actively identify and remove any inequality in our workforce and maximise their ability to excel.”

UCL Eastman Director, Stephen Porter, said: “The success of any academic institute rests upon a workforce that works well together and acknowledges that each staff member has both strengths and needs that reflect their gender, experience, expertise and caring responsibilities. 

“Over half of our taught and research postgraduates are women and the creation this year of a Centre for Postgraduate Research is designed to ensure that we gain similar improvements in PhD female percentages. 

“We are committed to achieving an environment that maximises the opportunities for all staff.”

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