Encouraging diversity in science
Lesley Yellowlees championed inclusion and diversity at two events
In the month following the first meeting of our new Inclusion and Diversity Committee, we organised two events aimed at building relationships with key policymakers and stakeholders and increasing awareness of the issues that affect our community as well as our work on inclusion and diversity.
Women in science roundtable
On 14 May our president Lesley Yellowlees hosted Dr Ellen Stofan, the first female NASA Chief Scientist, along with two UK Ministers and 12 leading women in science for a roundtable discussion at Burlington House that was jointly organised with the US Embassy in London. The guests discussed and debated solutions for promoting and encouraging women and girls in science, which ranged from career podcasts to transparent pay scales and flexible working arrangements.
Parliamentary discussions
In celebration of Lesley’s tenure as RSC president, Valerie Vaz MP hosted a lunch at the Houses of Parliament on 10 June to discuss key areas to inform our diversity work. We brought together MPs, experts from organisations specialising in diversity, and representatives from Council and the Inclusion and Diversity Committee. Lesley welcomed the work the science sector does, but explained that we cannot do this alone; she called for the government to take action, if substantial progress is to be made.
Professor Pratibha Gai FRSC, Co-Director of the York Nanocentre at the University of York, said it was an honour to be part of the celebrations: “It was an excellent event with very important discussions.” Tinu Cornish, consultant and Chartered and Registered Organisational Psychologist agreed, commenting that “it was great to meet such an interesting group of committed people”.
Both events have generated many ideas that will inform our future activities, and we hope that the links we have made have opened the doors for future collaborations.
