All-Ireland Network for Gender Equality in Chemical Sciences

The All-Ireland Network for Gender Equality in the Chemical Sciences was established in May 2023 following a workshop we organised to bring together chemistry and chemical engineering schools from across the island of Ireland. The initiative drew on our experience working on gender equality initiatives in the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at QUB, where Dr. Amber Glanfield and I serve as co-champions for the Athena Swan Charter - a framework that recognises commitment to advancing gender equality in higher education. At the time, our School held the distinction of being the only school of chemistry on the island of Ireland to have achieved and retained an Athena Swan Silver award.

Having recently undergone the rigorous renewal process, we recognised that the insights and strategies we developed could support other departments at earlier stages of their equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) journeys. With support from the Royal Society of Chemistry's Inclusion & Diversity Fund, we hosted the inaugural workshop, which laid the foundation for what has since become a growing and active network.

Network Activities and Impact

Our activities focus on sharing best practices, supporting Athena Swan applications, collaborating on joint funding proposals, and developing Ireland-specific data resources to enable benchmarking across institutions. By building on individual departmental efforts and identifying synergies across institutions, the network aims to amplify our collective voice and drive meaningful, long-term change in the chemical sciences across the island of Ireland.

The network meets twice annually—once online and once in person. Following our inaugural meeting in May 2023, subsequent in-person gatherings have been hosted by Trinity College Dublin (May 2024) and University College Dublin (June 2025).

Map showing participating institutions and group photo from our inaugural workshop held at QUB in May 2023

Recognition and Outreach

The network has gained recognition beyond Ireland, being featured in the RSC's Chemistry World magazine in May 2025, which has helped raise awareness of our collaborative approach in the global chemistry community.

Featured article in Chemistry World magazine - click to read

Sharing Our Experience

We have presented our network model at various forums, hoping to inspire similar collaborative initiatives in other disciplines.

Speaking at QUB's Institutional Athena Swan Gold Award celebration

Presenting at the RSC IUPAC Global Women's Breakfast 2024 - click for event details

Our network model continues to be shared at conferences including the Equitas EDI in Practice in Higher Education Conference 2025 at Maynooth University, Ireland, and other relevant forums where we can contribute to broader discussions on collaborative approaches to equality and inclusion.

Institutional Service and Leadership

Additional Service Contributions

I have contributed to various School activities and initiatives that support our academic mission:

• School Executive Board: Contributing to high-level decision making and strategic planning
• Industrial Advisory Board: Helping maintain connections between academic programmes and industry needs
• Student support activities: Participating in academic and pastoral support initiatives

Community Building and Events

In 2022, I organised the RSC/ISE Early Career Researcher Symposium on Electrochemistry in our School, bringing together over 50 early career electrochemists from across Ireland for presentations and networking opportunities.

Group photo from the RSC/ISE Early Career Researcher Symposium on Electrochemistry, QUB 2022