LDC FUNDING FOR RESEARCH ACTIVE STAFF (RAS) NETWORKS
APPLICATION FORM 2015-2016
PART A
Name: Dr Carolyn Dawson
Job Title: Research Fellow
Staff No: u1470503
Department/Centre/Unit/Faculty: Experiential Engineering (WMG)
Departmental Administrator (name): Mrs Glenda Kershaw (Finance)
Purpose / Objective of the Research Staff Network:
Warwick WIS – a growing network
Warwick Women In Science (WIS) was established in its current form in 2013. The network aims to
overcome recognised barriers to gender equality in academia, expanding from the original focus of
the Science domain.
In our first year we identified three areas to focus our network activities on, designed to overcome
specific barriers (see Table 1 for example applications):
1. INSPIRE
2. LEAD
3. COLLABORATE
Table 1: The 3 WIS Themes as applied to example barriers known to affect Women In Science (WIS)
WIS Theme
INSPIRE
LEAD
COLLABORATE
Example barriers this can target
Feeling that “science” is not a viable career option – from early in life
(school age), to long-term decisions (post-graduate, post-doc).
Lack of Women being PIs, heading research groups/teams, submitting
funding applications, leading departments/institutions
Isolation, perceived lack of ability to self-promote (imposter syndrome),
inhibited networking skills, perceived tokenism leading to diluted effect
of equality/diversity policies
We have successfully held an annual event, WIS A Day With… for the past three years (2013-2015),
funded by both Student Careers and Skills, and the LDC. This event showcases successful Women in
Science at Warwick, and helps equip network members with skills, ideas and tools for overcoming
barriers which may occur in their career paths. These events have also proved a popular networking
opportunity, leading to collaborations and job opportunities.
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
October 2015
In 2014, supported by LDC network funding, we expanded our activities by developing the Seasonal
WIS series, holding three further WIS events throughout the year. These focused on events raised at
our 2014 WIS A Day With… event, namely Imposter Syndrome, Gender and (In) Equality, and
Unconscious Bias.
All WIS activities are open to the whole Warwick community, and our event attendance records
demonstrate wide participation, including both genders and individuals from the Arts, Sciences, and
Engineering, as well as non-academic University staff.
Details of the Skills/ Development Activity(ies) (Max 500 words):
We have spent 2014/2015 consolidating our network, following the success of our activities in
2013/2014. We set two targets in 2013: (i) network growth (ii) the need for future events.
The first target was achieved in 2013/2014, and the past year has seen us work on the second,
through the launch of Seasonal WIS. These events have proven very popular, with two events
becoming fully booked within 48 hours of being advertised. We now wish to continue this series for
another academic year, covering further topics highlighted as important by our network. Support
for these events will be sought from internal experts (LDC, Student Careers and Skills, Departmental
experts) and external/industry experts where applicable.
A new target for 2015/2016 is the expansion of the WIS Committee to ensure longevity of the
network, as current members reach the end of their time within the Warwick community. As such, a
call for Expressions of Interest to sit on the Committee was launched at the 2015 WIS A Day event,
and a meeting is being arranged for the final week of October.
Date of your activity/event(s), if known:
Seasonal WIS: Three events to take place in December, April, July.
Open Meetings to allow network involvement in Event planning: Four meetings throughout the year.
If you have a website, please give the URL: www.warwick.ac.uk/WomenInScience
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
October 2015
Please state which events will be open to other University of Warwick Research Active staff or if
relevant to a specific facility or department.
All events will be open to members of the Warwick Community.
Is this a new network or existing network?
New / Existing
Scope/ Evaluation / Impact of activity(ies) proposed
(Please give us an estimate of the numbers of staff who will be involved and an indication of how you will measure the impact of the
activity/activities. If you intend to follow up the activity by disseminating information, or using the outcomes to support other staff
development activities, please also let us know this)
We intend to limit Seasonal WIS events to between 10-20 network members. Our 2014-2015
experience found this was the most effective way of ensuring discussion, and avoiding a “lecture”
style environment. This allowed individual network members to highlight key examples from their
own workplace/environment, enabling discussions and potential solutions to be highly relevant.
Where external/internal experts are to facilitate sessions, numbers will again be determined on a
case-by-case scenario
We will continue to provide feedback and outputs from events to our WIS mailing list (>170
members) and maintain our open access website (www.warwick.ac.uk/WomenInScience). Live
outputs (comments/photos) will be tweeted during each event via our Twitter account
(@WarwickWIS).
How do you plan to let Research Active Staff know about your events/meetings (LDC RAS website
or RAS e-newsletter can be used)?
Website
All sign-up for events will occur via our WIS website, which will carry a synopsis for each event as
they are released.
Email/Social Media
Priority notice for Seasonal WIS events will be given to those on our WIS mailing list and to our
Twitter followers. We have established email distribution contacts in the majority of academic
departments, and within administrative roles. We will also seek inclusion in the LDC e-newsletter.
Signage
For larger events, such as WIS A Day With… we will again look to use the University Digital Signage
facility. This will allow us access to screens both within the library, and at key external points across
campus.
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
October 2015
How do you plan to share the learning / best practice with other University of Warwick Research
Staff Networks?
We held a Branding Workshop as part of our 2015 WIS A Day With… event, to help us establish what
makes “WIS” a unique network. One of the first challenges for the new Committee in 2015/2016 is
to use this information to explore how best to collaborate with other existing networks. What do we
have in common? Where are our differences? What mutual learning could we achieve?
This will be the topic of the first Open Meeting to be held, and will help us build upon our existing
cross-over links with networks such as Working Parents.
What is the benefit of your activity/activities to:

The University

Your department/organisation

Research agenda
The University
Consolidating the WIS network provides individuals with the opportunity to tackle specific
challenges in a supportive, proactive environment, drawing on the skills, experiences and
knowledge of the wider Warwick Community. WIS members are encouraged to take ownership of
improving the Warwick community where they work. Our aims directly feed into the University
themes of Equality and Diversity, and its ambition to deliver on its Athena Swan Charter standing.
Your department/organisation
WMG has been a prominent supporter of WIS, culminating in hosting the WIS A Day With… 2015
event. Through showing commitment to the theme of Women In Science WMG receives the
opportunity to reiterate its stance on gender equality, in line with its continuous Athena Swann
ambitions. As a research department working with key industries where female representation is
acknowledged to be poor (Engineering and Manufacturing), highlighting positive activities to
address this imbalance is clearly beneficial to all.
Research agenda
Warwick University attracts some of the most talented female students and employees in the
world. Retention, like elsewhere in the world, is an issue. Therefore the University will benefit
from any light that WIS may shed through exploring why individuals within the Warwick
Community are less likely to stay within academia (or industry), be less likely to lead on research
applications, and be less likely to hold prominent, visible positions within academic (or industrial)
institutions.
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
October 2015
Total amount of funding requested:
£1150
Breakdown of funding requested (approximate):
£ 500 refreshments for three Seasonal WIS events (3 x £166)
£ 500 refreshments for four Open Meetings for approximately 15 people (4 x £125)
£ 150 to cover travel expenses/costs for 1 x external speaker/resource for spinout event
……………………………. Date: ……5th October
*Signature of Applicant: ……
2015……...
Head of Department’s signature:
Head of Department:
**Signed:
…………
…………………RICHARD DASHWOOD…………………………………
(please print)
……
Date: ………06/10/15……………………...
Please send your completed form either in hard copy or electronically to Sandy Sparks
(Sandy.Sparks@warwick.ac.uk) in the Learning and Development Centre, University House.
If you have any queries, please contact Sandy to discuss (either via email at the above address or on
extn 74121).
*You can either sign a hardcopy, scan in your signature or email the application which will be taken as your signature.
**Your HOD can either sign a hardcopy, scan in their signature or send an email to Sandy Sparks stating they support your
application.
For LDC use
Approved by: ……………………………………………………..……..….
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
Date: …………………………….
October 2015
Amount approved: £………………………………………….……………
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Research Active Staff Network Funding
Budget Code: ……………………..
October 2015
PART B (sent post event)
Report:
Funding awards are conditional upon a report being produced after the event or activity which
reflects on the value and impact of the activity in order to share best practice. We ask you to do this
by completing Part B of this form within 2 weeks of the event or by 31 July 2015 for a series of
events. (Please note that funding may be retracted where reports are not produced).
Please tell us:
How you felt the event/activity went:
How many research staff were involved in
a) the organisational process:
and
b) presenting at the event itself:
How it has contributed to the Department/ University/ Research Agenda:
What has been learnt:
What would be done differently next time:
Impact/results/benefits:
Budget (provide breakdown of amounts spent):
£
£
£
*Signature of Applicant: ………………………………………………………
Date: ……………………………………….
Please send your completed report either in hard copy or electronically to Sandy Sparks
(Sandy.Sparks@warwick.ac.uk) in the Learning and Development Centre, University House.
*You can either sign a hardcopy, scan in your signature or email the report which will be taken as your signature.
For LDC use
Report received (date): ………………………………..
Sandy Sparks, LDC
Amount spent: £ ……………………………………
Research Active Staff Network Funding
October 2015