Athena Swan Scheme set up to advance women in STEM.

[Litterpicking]

Report on 20 years of higher education scheme set up to support women academics in STEM (obviously now open to men, trans people, support staff)..no evidence of effectiveness as no evaluations or monitoring undertaken!

murrayblackburnmackenzie.org/2024/08/28/report-taking-stock-of-athena-swan-what-value-does-it-add-and-who-decides/

Until the childcare burden on women is tackled you will still see highly competent women scientists and engineers taking on child minding and school centred roles to fit in with family life. Or taking massive career breaks while science moves on exponentially without them.

Of course, men in dresses don't have that challenge.

You also see women in academia assumed to want to take on the extra work of implementing the SWAN schemes on top of trying to get on with the job.

Oh, sorry -- the article actually makes that point! Shouldn't skim-read.

This scheme has resulted in a lot more female academics being promoted in my university, meaning that the balance of senior academics is less male dominated. Progress has been slow but steady.