Athena Swan
Athena Swan
The Equality Challenge Unit's (ECU) Athena Swan (Scientific Women's Academic Network) Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research. Queen's University Belfast, was a founder member of the Athena Swan Charter.
In May 2015 the Charter was expanded to recognise work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), and in professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. The Charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.
The School of Biological Sciences is fully committed to the aims of this Charter.
The School of Biological Sciences is a recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Gold Award in recognition of our sustained commitment to gender equality.
The School was first awarded Gold in 2012 and became the first School of Biological Sciences in the UK to achieve this national recognition. The School renewed its Athena Swan Gold Award in 2025, making it a fourth, consecutive Gold for the School.
Commenting on the latest round of Athena Swan awards:
We are absolutely delighted to have achieved a remarkable fourth consecutive Athena SWAN Gold Award. The School was first awarded Gold in 2012 and became the first School of Biological Sciences in the UK to achieve this national recognition. Colleagues, both past and present, have worked to create an environment that is committed to equality and one in which all staff can thrive and encourages excellence, whether that be in teaching, research or technical and professional support. Professor Nigel Scollan
Head of School
This continued repeat of Athena Swan gold renewal success is a great achievement for the School of Biological Sciences, demonstrating our innovative commitment to and engagement with Swan through continued progress and development of new actions. Professor Lisa Connolly
Swan Co-Champion
View our Gold Award application form and submission feedback:
Dedicated to advancing gender equality, our Self-Assessment Team works tirelessly alongside various working groups to implement and refine our Athena Swan action plans. Our team structure facilitates focus in critical areas such as Career Progression, Education, Flexible Working, and Work Culture and Campus Life, ensuring a comprehensive approach to enhancing our workplace environment.
The School Athena Swan Co-Champions work with the local Self-Assessment Team (SAT) to develop applications and create action plans. Delivery of Athena Swan programmes and progress against actions is monitored regularly by SAT members.
The School SATs are supported by a data analyst within Faculty office.
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Swan Co Champions
Professor Lisa Connolly
Professor Connolly was appointed to SWAN Co-Champion in 2023. Lisa initially took up a postdoctoral research position at the Veterinary Sciences Department of QUB where she worked on several projects concerned with developing and applying new technologies for the detection of harmful contaminants in food and was later appointed in 2006 as Lecturer of Food Toxin Safety within The Institute of Global Food Security.
Dr Susan Doherty
Dr Doherty joined QUB in 2019 as Senior Lecturer in Education and was appointed to SWAN Champion in 2026. She has worked in both UG and PGT Food Science/Technology and Business education for over 28 years, holding former roles in CAFRE (Lecturer/MSc Coordinator/Senior Lecturer) and prior to that the food industry with Dromona Quality Foods (Product Development and Marketing) and Sainsbury’s Head Office in London (Food Technologist).
The key objectives of this role are:
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- To chair the School’s Self-Assessment Team (SAT).
- Ensure fair allocation of responsibilities and tasks.
- To take a leading role in working with the Head of School and School SAT in the production of the School’s SWAN submissions. This includes the collation, evaluation and presentation of data.
- To track and monitor the delivery of the School SWAN Action Plan, and report on progress to the SEB.
- To implement ongoing reviews of practices and culture in the School in relation to key events and activities such as Open Days, committee composition, invited speakers, named lectures and seminar series.
- To sit on the School Executive Board, providing guidance and leadership on Gender Equality/Swan issues and bring forward challenges if required.
- To attend and report to meetings of the Swan Champions Network (outcomes of which are reported to the QGI Executive Committee and the Institutional SAT).
- To actively promote the Swan ethos, information, updates and activities throughout the School.
- To share gender equality best practice internally and externally.
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- Swan Self-Assessment Team
Dr. Susan Doherty | Chair, Reader (Education)
Prof. Lisa Connolly | Chair, Professor
Prof. Nigel Scollan | Head of School, Professor Ms. Siobhan Fitzsimons | School Manager Dr. Lorraine Scott | UG Director of Education, Senior Lecturer (Education) Prof. Ciaren Graham | Dean of Education, Professor Prof. Geoff McMullan | Professor Dr. Katerina Theodoridou | Reader Dr. Alison Calvert | Senior Lecturer (Education) Dr. Edel Hyland | Senior Lecturer Dr. Linda Oyama | Senior Lecturer Dr. Paul McVeigh | Senior Lecturer Dr. Sarah Heylar | Senior Lecturer Dr. Rachel Wheatley | Vice-Chancellor Illuminate Fellow Dr. Omololu Fagunwa | Research Fellow Dr. Chege Wangui | Research Fellow Dr. Maeve Palmer | Research Fellow Ms. Claire Henry | Research & PGR Clerical Officer Ms. Andrea Smyth | Personal Assistant Ms. Emma Healey | Technician Mr. Mark Corken | Stores Manager Ms. Jacinta Guirguis | PGR Student Representative - Working Groups
The SAT team has been restructured into smaller working groups responsible for individual areas of the action plan. There are four active SAT Working Groups as follows:
Career Progression
Education
Flexible Working
Work Culture and Campus Life
Chair: Dr Paul McVeigh
Dr Katerina Theodoridou
Dr Alison Calvert
Dr Edel Hyland
Dr Chege Wangui
Chair: Dr Lorraine Scott
Dr Paul McVeigh
Dr Alison Calvert
Dr Rachel Wheatley
Chair: Dr Katerina Theodoridou
Dr Maeve Palmer
Dr Lorraine Scott
Ms Emma Healey
Chair: Dr Maeve Palmer
Dr Sarah Helyar
Mrs Claire Henry
Dr Omololu Fagunwa
- Useful Websites, Policies and Procedures
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- School of Biological Sciences - Athena Swan - Work-Life Document
- QUB Work Life Balance/Family Friendly Policies
- QUB Family Leave, Annual Leave and Other Leave
- QUB Bullying and Harassment Policies and Procedures
- Childcare at Queen's
- QUB Gender Initiative Website
- QUB Diversity and Inclusion Website
- Women at QUB
- Wellbeing at Queen's
- Learning and Development
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