Research Culture Award Winners 2021 by Res Dev

Prof. Chris Halsey and the Athena Swan V.O.I.C.E Committee

researcherdevelopment — 2024-03-27 12:38:46 UTC

Chris and her team have launched a number of initiatives which have successfully promoted a positive research culture in the ICS. The initiatives include, but are not limited to, promoting the success and support of early career researchers by bringing ICS into the Network for Early Career Development (NERD) consortium, highlighting the benefits of team science, successfully gaining Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support (ISSF) in collaboration with the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Education for “Supporting Neurodiversity in the Workplace”, ensuring gender balance at invited seminars, promoting mental health awareness and wellbeing through events such as Mental Health Week and creating and sustaining channels of communication about EDI. Importantly, equality initiatives have now begun to occur as grassroots events within ICS, rather than only being organised by the AS team. Chris has made an enormous contribution to research culture in the ICS through her work as the chair of the Athena SWAN (AS) team, resulting in an AS Silver Award in 2020. Chris and her AS team, including Prof. Joanne Edwards (led Student initiatives), Prof. Mhairi Copland (led AS Bronze initiative) and deputy Dr. David Bryant (now chair of AS committee), led ICS not only to the AS Silver Award, but more importantly, they transformed the research culture at the ICS.

Chris has worked to narrow the gender gap within the ICS and has successfully contributed to the enhancement of inclusivity, and a positive research culture at the University of Glasgow.

About Chris: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cancersciences/staff/chrishalsey/

Dr Mia Perry

researcherdevelopment — 2024-03-27 12:42:52 UTC

Mia is the co-founder and director of the Sustainable Futures Network along with Dr Deepa Pullanikkatil, an interdisciplinary collective that brings together researchers, practitioners and communities across very diverse contexts. The collective aims to understand, research and develop practice in socio-ecological sustainability in Africa, Europe, South America, and South East Asia. Under Mia’s leadership, the SF Network has grown to over 100 active members and supported a wide range of research, community development, knowledge exchange activities, and influenced the direction of policy in many arenas.

Mia has worked with and nurtured both local and international partnerships within and beyond academia, and in doing so has accelerated her colleagues’ grant-writing and impact work. Her work is founded on ethical partnerships and collaborative, interdisciplinary research which has forged new pathways to support university culture and practices in sustainability, education, and international development. Mia established the Centre for Sustainable Solutions alongside Professor Jaime Toney, highlighting her commitment to research culture at the University. Mia has been praised as having created a positive, inclusive research culture for PhDs and early career researchers. Mia’s collegiality, support and mentorship has transformed her colleagues’ research and has been instrumental in making the university pre-eminent in the field of sustainable development.

About Mia: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/education/staff/miaperry/

Susie Smillie

researcherdevelopment — 2024-03-27 12:54:41 UTC

Susie Smillie has significantly enhanced the research culture at UofG by providing support, guidance and training for researchers undertaking emotionally demanding research. Susie has made a significant contribution to research training, peer support and policy, both locally within the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPSHU) and at a wider institutional level. Susie has voluntarily driven efforts to improve research integrity in a way which seeks to limit the impact of emotionally demanding research on the mental health and wellbeing of the researchers involved. Examples of Susie’s work include but are not limited to, leading focus groups within SPSHU to develop guidance, contributing to and providing feedback on new online training for PGRs and ECRs across all Colleges, supporting the introduction of University wide peer-support webinars for fieldworkers as well sharing strategies for resilience with researchers struggling while working from home, and establishing a formal peer support and mentorship scheme. Susie has contributed a remarkable amount of dedication to providing actionable feedback on policies and training. Susie facilitated the PGR Integrity Training and has contributed critical feedback to improve the sessions. A colleague of Susie’s has noted that the training wouldn’t be anywhere near as comprehensive without her input and expertise. Susie’s contribution to the integrity training has helped to collectively enhance and change the culture of how UofG conducts research.

About the Network: https://emotionalresearch.wordpress.com/resources/

Dr Lorraine Work

researcherdevelopment — 2024-03-27 12:56:37 UTC

Lorraine Work was nominated by numerous colleagues for her incredible support for early career researchers and women in science. Lorraine has been instrumental in supporting students throughout the COVID-19 period by producing a nurturing environment where her students have felt part of a wider research community. Lorraine’s inclusive and diverse scientific community has solidified her students’ ambitions to pursue careers in research. Lorraine has been described by her colleagues as a clear example of an inspirational researcher that creates the most positive environment for research and early investigators to thrive. Lorraine has supported her team by encouraging them to apply (and be successful!) for several small funding applications to consolidate their CVs and is always trying to identify and provide opportunities to them through her roles on national committees, such as organising the BRAIN & BRAIN PET 2022 meeting.

Lorraine has been a champion of equality, diversity and inclusion by promoting women in science during the International Day of Women in Science. Lorraine coordinated the collation of 73 profiles of inspiring women within the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Science (past and present) and these were displayed around ICAMS highlighting the important role women play in science. She has also attended a variety of public engagement activities including bringing science to schools. All who nominated Lorraine provided personal testaments highlighting her supporting and inspiring nature, proving her to be an incredible ambassador for science, equality, diversity, inclusion and a positive research culture.

About Lorraine: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cardiovascularmetabolic/staff/lorrainework/