A new network to support women and gender non-conforming researchers and staff in mid- and senior-level positions to develop as research leaders has been launched.
The network, ASCEND, aims to support women and gender non-conforming researchers across the University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) in furthering their careers.
The network was launched at The Road Less Travelled: women’s journeys into academic leadership, an event at the University of Oxford’s Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology on Tuesday 11 February.
Professors Kokila Lakhoo, Eva Morris and Laura Coates discussed their careers as women academics and answered questions from the more than 100 people in attendance.
Professor Coates said: “I think a network like ASCEND can really help women scientists across the University to connect and share their knowledge and advice. It provides a great focus for mentorship and support for mid-career scientists in particular who may be struggling with transitioning to senior leadership roles.”
The network was the brainchild of Emily Hotine, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager at the University’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, and Kea Hinsley, Senior Programmes Manager for Training, EDI and PPI at the University’s Oxford Cancer.
They said: “The leaky pipeline in academia is a well-known phenomenon which typically means that women advance into leadership positions at lower rates than men. There are many schemes which are focused on encouraging women into academic careers; however, there tends to be less support available for those within mid- and senior-level positions to enable them to continue on the pathway to reach academic leadership and professorship levels.
“This network was designed with these particular researchers in mind, to provide both the peer support and the knowledge required to plan for advancing their careers into academic leadership.”