1. To promote equality and diversity within the Department of Earth Sciences on grounds of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion and age.
2. To promote and support work/life balance for all students, members of staff and their families within the department, including mental wellbeing.
3. To improve the makeup of our community, especially in ethnic diversity, and in inclusivity amongst all members of the department.
4. To promote respect towards all members at all times, and an environment free of all kinds of bullying and harassment.
5. Lead on the Athena SWAN application, and coordinate the implementation of the action plan on promoting gender equality
6. Consider workplace changes as they relate to and possible impact on equality, diversity and inclusion.
7. To monitor and report on: 1. Flexible working arrangements 2. Ratios of applicants and successes, where appropriate, under equality criteria for undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral and staff opportunities 3. To monitor career support and mentoring for staff in the department.
8. To inform the department and its committees generally of the work of the committee and any initiatives within this area.
Learn more about our committee members and EEDI champions here:
Emma Smith: EEDI department lead
Emma is EEDI lead in the department, the HR Manager and Athena SWAN coordinator. The department allow her to work flexibly to accommodate caring responsibilities. This gives her a better work/life balance.
Tarje Nissen- Meyer: EEDI Chair
Tarje has been EEDI/SATT chair since 2018, a member of the student-led URGE/RieS initiatives, on the MPLS EEDI steering committee, and coordinates FG-meetings. He leads a geophysics research group which has maintained gender parity since 2015, respectively for UG, PG, ECR. He works flexible times and partially from home to accommodate his caring responsibilities for his two children.
Mike Kendall FRS: Head of Department and Chair of Geophysics
Mike is our new Head of Department and he is looking forward to thinking more about how we can improve the department for all.
Laura Stevens: Faculty lead for the LGBTQ+ affinity group
Laura is an Associate Professor, member of the EEDI Committee, and mental-health first aider. They are the faculty lead for the LGBTQ+ affinity group, which, through initiatives majorly led by postgraduates and post docs, works to build community among LGBTQ+ members of the department. This gives them a sense of belonging in the department via mentorship of other LGBTQ+ scientists, which they find to be a highly rewarding part of their job.
Sarah Hilton: Outreach and Communications
Sarah is new to the department and has a background in science engagement and increasing the science capital of children in the NE of England. She works full time within outreach, communications and alumni relations. She works flexibly to help support her work/life balance with two young children at home.
Emma Brown: Academic Administrator
Emma is the Academic Administrator responsible for all aspects of student provision. Prior to the pandemic she worked from home one day a week to lessen the burden of travel as she lives some distance from the department, but also to help manage her workload as she is able to spend this time uninterrupted. Without the Department’s commitment to flexibility, it may not have been practical for Emma to continue in this role for as long as she has.
Louisa Bailey: Head of Administration and Finance
Louisa is the Head of Administration and Finance in the Department, with responsibility for the running and delivery of operations and business support to academic staff, researchers and students. The Department supports flexible working which has assisted Louisa in achieving a better work/ life balance.
