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CIT Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team (SAT)

To apply for an institutional award, a higher education institution must establish a self-assessment team to drive the process of self-reflection and identification of actions. Support and commitment at the most senior level in the organisation is essential. Consultation with the wider body of staff is also important.

The Athena SWAN process commenced in CIT in January 2017 following the publication of the HEA Report on Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions (2016)[1]. CIT adopted the Athena SWAN expanded principles in 2017 and became an Athena SWAN member organisation, eligible to apply for an Athena SWAN bronze institutional award. At institutional level, a bronze award means that the Institute has identified gender-related issues and barriers to women’s progress, has put in place an action plan to address the issues, and is basing the plan on a solid foundation. The development of an inclusive culture is an essential part of the process. Once an institution achieves a bronze award, individual departments can then apply for departmental awards.

The CIT Athena SWAN Self-Assessment Team (SAT) was then established by the President in August 2017, and the following factors contributed to initial membership of the SAT:

The first meeting took place in September 2017, followed by the formation of four Work Groups:

Data group
Organisational Culture Group
Career Development, Leave & Flexible Working Group
Transitions from Recruitment to Promotion

A full log of all meetings and events has been made available to all staff in CIT throughout the process through the CIT Staff Gateway document repository[1]. This log records the type of meeting/event, the main attendees, the purpose of the meeting/event, and the agreed actions.

Steering Group Members (September 2017 to date)

	Dr Orla Flynn (Chair) - F VP External Affairs Member: AC, IEB Aurora role model, mentor Member Network Cork (female business network)

	Ms Deirdre Casey - F HR Manager Chair, Career Development, Leave & Flexible Working Group

	Mr Donogh Coleman - M LCG, Department Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering Involved in iWish initiative

	Ms Maria Cullinane - F LCG, Department Process, Energy & Transport Engineering Former Chair, TUI Cork Colleges Branch Involved in iWish initiative

	Dr Joe Harrington - M SL3 Head of School Building & Civil Engineering Member: AC

	Ms Katherine Keane - F SL2 Head of Department Architecture Member: AC

	Mr Michael Loftus - M SL3 Head of Faculty Engineering & Science Member: AC, IEB Faculty sponsor – female leadership training initiatives & female CIT STEM Community Leadership Team

	Dr Annemarie McCarthy - F Researcher Department Physical Sciences


	Dr Áine Ní Shé - F Acting Registrar & Vice President Academic Affairs SL2 Head of Department of Mathematics Member: National Athena SWAN Committee Member: AC, IEB

	Dr Eileen M. O’Leary - F AL, Department Physical Sciences

	Ms. Jennifer O’Leary - F PhD Student, Department Biological Sciences

	Dr Donagh O’Mahony - M SL2, Acting Head Department Physical Sciences Member: AC


	Ms Chris O’Sullivan - F Senior Technical Officer, IT Services

	Prof. Dirk Pesch - M SL2 Head Nimbus Research Centre Member: AC

	Dr Susan Rea - F Senior Fellow Researcher, Group Lead Nimbus “Train the Trainer” Unconscious Bias training May 2018. Athena SWAN Panel Training, July 2018

	Prof. Roy Sleator - M SL1 Department Biological Sciences Senior Scientist, BioExplore Research Centre

	Dr Niall Smith - M SL2 Head of Research at CIT, Director of Blackrock Castle Observatory Member of AC

	Dr Ramona Marfievici - F Researcher Nimbus, maternity leave cover for Dr Annmarie McCarthy Active member of N2Women and GradCohort

	Ms Norma Welsh Senior Administrator, Faculty Engineering & Science Aurora graduate Future Leaders participant Co-founder, CIT IWISH campus week

	Mr Aaron Buckley (June to November 2018) - M[] Students' Union President Member: AC, GB Previously Mr Sam Dawson (September 2017 to June 2018)

	Additional Supports for the CIT SAT

	Ms Nicola Griffin – F Administrator, External Affairs Support for data (gathering, analysis, formatting) and documentation

	Mr Niall Cremin - M Finance Support for costing Action Plan