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)
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Dr Orla Flynn (Chair) - FVP External AffairsMember: AC, IEB Aurora role model, mentor Member Network Cork (female business network) |
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Ms Deirdre Casey - FHR ManagerChair, Career Development, Leave & Flexible Working Group |
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Mr Donogh Coleman - MLCG, Department Civil, Structural & Environmental EngineeringInvolved in iWish initiative |
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Ms Maria Cullinane - FLCG, Department Process, Energy & Transport EngineeringFormer Chair, TUI Cork Colleges Branch Involved in iWish initiative |
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Dr Joe Harrington - MSL3 Head of School Building & Civil EngineeringMember: AC |
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Ms Katherine Keane - FSL2 Head of Department ArchitectureMember: AC |
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Mr Michael Loftus - MSL3 Head of Faculty Engineering & ScienceMember: AC, IEB Faculty sponsor – female leadership training initiatives & female CIT STEM Community Leadership Team |
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Dr Annemarie McCarthy - FResearcher Department Physical Sciences
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Dr Áine Ní Shé - FActing Registrar & Vice President Academic AffairsSL2 Head of Department of Mathematics Member: National Athena SWAN Committee Member: AC, IEB |
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Dr Eileen M. O’Leary - FAL, Department Physical Sciences
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Ms. Jennifer O’Leary - FPhD Student, Department Biological Sciences
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Dr Donagh O’Mahony - MSL2, Acting Head Department Physical SciencesMember: AC |
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Ms Chris O’Sullivan - FSenior Technical Officer, IT Services
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Prof. Dirk Pesch - MSL2 Head Nimbus Research CentreMember: AC |
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Dr Susan Rea - FSenior Fellow Researcher, Group Lead Nimbus“Train the Trainer” Unconscious Bias training May 2018. Athena SWAN Panel Training, July 2018 |
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Prof. Roy Sleator - MSL1 Department Biological SciencesSenior Scientist, BioExplore Research Centre |
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Dr Niall Smith - MSL2 Head of Research at CIT, Director of Blackrock Castle ObservatoryMember of AC |
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Dr Ramona Marfievici - FResearcher Nimbus, maternity leave cover for Dr Annmarie McCarthyActive member of N2Women and GradCohort |
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Ms Norma WelshSenior Administrator, Faculty Engineering & ScienceAurora graduate Future Leaders participant Co-founder, CIT IWISH campus week |
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Mr Aaron Buckley (June to November 2018) - M[*]Students' Union PresidentMember: AC, GB * Previously Mr Sam Dawson (September 2017 to June 2018)
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Additional Supports for the CIT SAT |
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Ms Nicola Griffin – FAdministrator, External AffairsSupport for data (gathering, analysis, formatting) and documentation |
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Mr Niall Cremin - MFinanceSupport for costing Action Plan |
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