Department of Mathematics & Statistics - Equality & Diversity

We are committed to achieving and promoting equality of opportunity in learning, teaching, research and working environments, and to ensuring these environments support positive relations between people, and a culture of respect. We value the diversity of our staff and students and are committed to encouraging everyone to realise their full potential.

We encourage all staff to participate in a range of equality and diversity courses.

Equality & diversity courses for staff

Mathematics & Statistics Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

We are committed to the Athena SWAN Charter, a framework used worldwide to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. This Charter was initially established in 2005 to encourage and recognise a commitment to advancing the careers of women in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine). It now addresses gender equality more broadly, not just barriers to progression that affect women. We have been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of our efforts.

We have a departmental EDI Committee who meet regularly. We work with the Head of Department to ensure equality of opportunity, fair policies and working practices that comply with the University's equal opportunities policy, and to increase gender equality among the demographic of the Department at all levels.

In particular, in recent years we have:-

facilitated the establishment of a Promotions Group in the Department
supported the workload model and staff consultation on workload models
raised awareness of ADR processes and supported workshops on promotion processes in the University
advocated a strong sense of community and belonging in the Department, for e.g., by supporting bi-semester staff meetings and conducting staff surveys
promoted diverse representation at key Departmental and University EDI committees
promoted EDI events
inclusive and welcoming recruitment practices

A Journey Through Academia: Some Personal Reflections as a Member of an Under-Represented Group(s)

29^th Oct 2025 (3-4pm, LT908)
Ruth King FLSW FRSE (University of Edinburgh)

Talk title: A journey through academia: Some personal reflections as a member of an under-represented group(s)

Talk Abstract: In this talk I will present a brief overview of my career, discussing why I became interested in Statistics and how this led to my academic journey to date, including several critical turning points. I will present personal reflections in the context of being an individual from an under-represented group through different career stages and in particular how this has subsequently informed how I now approach situations and in particular decision-making. I will also aim to discuss some aspects of leadership (at least as I see it) including some challenges this brings, as well as opportunities to support diversity.

Short bio: Professor Ruth King FLSW FRSE is the Thomas Bayes’ Chair of Statistics at the University of Edinburgh, where she joined the School of Mathematics in 2015. Since August 2023, she has also served as Director of the Bayes Centre, the university’s innovation hub for Data Science and AI.

She is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (2017), the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2018), and the Institute for Mathematical Statistics (2022). In the same year, she received the Royal Statistical Society’s Barnett Award.

Ruth has held several prominent roles within the statistical community, including President of the International Biometrics Society British and Irish Region (2019–20), Council Member of the Royal Statistical Society (2018–21), and Deputy Director of the National Centre for Statistical Ecology (2019–23). She co-founded the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Statistics in 2017 and was part of the founding team behind the popular MOOC Statistics: Unlocking the World of Data.

London Mathematical Society Good Practice Scheme

The London Mathematical Society Good Practice Scheme aims to advance women's careers in university mathematics departments. We are lucky to have an honorary member in our department, Senior Lecturer, Dr Penny Davies. As a supporter, the Mathematics & Statistics department is committed to:

a robust organisational framework to deliver equality of opportunity and reward;
appointment, promotion and selection processes and procedures that encourage men and women to apply for academic posts at all levels;
structures and systems that enable men and women to progress and continue in their careers;
organisation, structure, management arrangements and culture that are open, inclusive and transparent and encourage the participation of all staff;
flexible approaches and provisions that encompass the working day, the working year and a working life and enable individuals at all career and life stages, to maximise their contribution to mathematics, their department and institution.

The Early Career Network

The Early Career Network gives an informal space for staff, on the last Thursday of the month, to share experiences and discuss anything they feel important. Meetings will occasionally be attended by the Head or Deputy Head of Department so the network can feedback if needed. Please contact Dr Jack Laverick at jack.laverick@strath.ac.uk for more information.

Piscopia Initiative

The Piscopia Initiative is a UK-wide society run by students that aims to encourage women and non-binary students to pursue a PhD in mathematics or related STEM subject.

The society offers events to:

raise awareness for the PhD option and increase attendees’ knowledge about doing a PhD and the application process
showcase the work of female and non-binary mathematics researchers
build a UK-wide community of female and non-binary researchers and mathematics students

To find out more, you can contact the Piscopia representative for Strathclyde: Ann Paterson, ann.paterson.2017@uni.strath.ac.uk.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee members

Professor Ke Chen (HoD)	Dr Elizabeth Dombi	Dr Lindsey Corson
Dr Debasish Das	Dr Penny Davies	Dr Jack Laverick
Ann Lynch	Katie MacKenzie	Professor Apala Majumdar (Convenor/Chair)
Ann Paterson	Dr David Pritchard	Kathleen Simmonds
Dr Elliot Sivel	Dr Yue Wu