Inclusion and Diversity Forum 2025

Vicky is an education and science communication consultant, with over 10 years experience as a Senior Lecturer in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kent. She has vast experience of developing and delivering science outreach and engagement activities as well as public   engagement training for post-graduate students. Vicky undertakes STEM workshop development and delivery for Discovery Planet; provides training for others; and co-creates activities with researchers, industry collaborators and community groups

Kelly leads a group dedicated to advancing materials for sustainability, with a particular focus on nanoengineering materials for greenhouse gas conversion and clean energy production. She is also deeply committed to enhancing the teaching experience, with an emphasis on inclusivity in her methods.
In addition to her academic work, Kelly has a strong passion for science communication and has been recognized for her contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). She has collaborated with the Museums of Northumberland on the 'Our Past, Your Future' campaign, which aims to inspire young students to pursue careers in STEM. Kelly has also been honored in the WE50 Awards for her efforts in promoting inclusion and equity within engineering, and she has received a Horizons Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for her innovative teaching practices.

Dr Michelle Sahai is a Lecturer at Brunel University London, where she delves into membrane proteins and their role in biological processes. Her work primarily investigates the interaction of new psychoactive substances with the dopamine transporter, aiming to shed light on mechanisms of addiction and potential treatments.
 
Dr Sahai is also deeply involved in community and mentorship initiatives within the field of computational chemistry. She is a co-organiser of the annual CompChemURG Symposium and the associated mentorship programme with bindingsites.co.uk. These two initiatives are in collaboration with the Molecular Graphics and Modelling Society (MGMS) and funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry Inclusion and Diversity Fund. The CompChemURG symposium champions inclusivity and the development of a diverse computational chemistry community, while emphasising the importance of mentorship. This commitment to diversity and mentorship not only enriches the community but also drives innovation, as it brings a wide range of perspectives and ideas to the forefront of scientific inquiry and problem-solving.

Dr Marco Reggiani is a research associate at the University of Strathclyde. His research focuses on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM and higher education, as well as on planning and urban development. This has included exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ people and women in STEM and designing initiatives to remove barriers to inclusion for marginalised and excluded individuals in STEM. He is the co-founder of StrathPride, the LGBTQI+ Staff & PGR Network at the University of Strathclyde.

Ioana is a Professor in experimental social psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, UK. She obtained her PhD in social psychology at Georgia State University, US in 2010. Before joining Queen’s in 2016, she was an assistant professor of psychology at Rutgers University, US and a fellow of the Swiss National Science Foundation at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Ioana’s research focuses on understanding and reducing intergroup biases, with a specific focus on gender biases in organisational and academic contexts. Her current research seeks to understand and improve attitudes towards equality initiatives, including gender and LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives in the academic STEM field.

Prof. Timothy Atherton is a theoretical physicist and physics education researcher, who has been advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Physics since 2009 through organising events at APS meetings, colloquia, talks etc. He was a member of the APS ad hoc committee on LGBTQ+ issues that convened in 2016 to produce a report—the first of its kind—on the status of LGBTQ+ people in Physics. Together with Ramón Barthelemy, and other co-authors, he published the first study of LGBTQ+ climate in Physics. He continues to research these issues, particularly how classroom practices facilitate the participation of marginalised people.

Bryce is an associate professor in education at Montana State University, US. He earned his PhD in education from UCLA, his MA in student development administration from Seattle University, and his BS in general engineering from Gonzaga University, US. His work highlights the disproportionate rates at which LGBTQ+ students leave Stem fields. His recent NSF CAREER award focuses on understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in Stem majors, investigating students’ social networks, degree completion rates, and science and engineering identity. His research has garnered recognition from the American Society for Engineering Education and the American Society for Engineering Management.

Robert Bolton is a Research Associate at the Eleanor Glanville Institute, the University of Lincoln. In this role he works on a range of academic and consultancy projects exploring lived experiences related to equality, diversity and inclusion. Most recently, Robert has been part of the research team working on the project exploring LGBTQ+ Inclusion in STEM across the UK and USA. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in 2014 and a PhD in Applied Social Studies in 2018 from University College Cork, Ireland. In 2022 he completed a Certificate in Counselling Skills from Munster Technological University, Ireland.

From 2019 to 2023 Robert worked on the multicountry PositivMasc project which explored how violence against women can be addressed in the context of men and masculinities. He is a qualitative sociologist with an interest in gender and gender-based violence using symbolic interactionist theory. Robert’s sociological approach lies within the C. Wright Mills tradition, aiming to understand the subjective experiences of those effected by the topic at hand, honouring an individual’s unique biography in the context of a larger sociological framework.

 I am the Chief Executive of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) which is a professional body for doctors who develop, regulate and monitor medicines globally.  I started my career in the Ministry of Defence where I worked in various areas including energetic materials, systems and forensics. It was during that time I became a STEMNET ambassador as I wanted to encourage children to realise that they could be scientists too. 

I gained my degree and PhD in chemistry, from the Aston University in Birmingham.  I am active in the RSC as I Chair the Management Interest Group plus I serve on the Nomination Committee. I am a Fellow of the RSC, a Fellow of the Association of Project Management and in 2023, I was humbled to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Science from Aston University.  In 2024, I was included in the Management Today’s Women Powerlist.