ECR Net and EDC promote career development for female academics

On Friday 6 February the Faculty’s Early Career Researchers Network (ECR Net) and Equity and Diversity Committee (EDC) co-hosted a half-day event focusing on career development and strategies for advancement for female academics.

Forty female academics at Levels A, B and C attended the event, which was opened by Monash’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Edwina Cornish. Participants attended from each of the Faculty’s six Departments and represented all five on-shore Monash campuses.

Professor Kim Langfield-Smith, Deputy Dean (Research) for the faculty led one of the discussion groups at the event. “It was a very positive way to begin the year and a great example of two faculty groups coming together to address a mutual concern”, she said.

Associate Professor Maryanne Dever, Director of Monash’s Centre for Women’s Studies and Ms Barbara Dalton, coordinator of Women’s Leadership and Advancement at the Equity and Diversity Centre began the event with a presentation of the results and strategies that emerged from Monash’s "What Works for Women in Research" project.

This presentation focussed on the identification of factors that have been demonstrated to be critical to women’s research performance, as well as on advice and strategies to improve research productivity and enhance work/life balance.

Ms Dalton applauded the faculty for facilitating this event through ECR Net and EDC. “Initiatives such as these have the potential to not only increase women's research productivity but to also increase the representation of women at senior levels. It was fabulous to see the room full of women eager to hear about strategies for research and broader career success", she said.

As Dr Ingrid Nielsen, coordinator of ECR Net, explained, this event was the first step in an ongoing ECR Net / EDC initiative targeting female career development in the Faculty.

The next step, she explained, will be a Forum on 24th March bringing together the Dean, Deputy Dean (Research), Associate Dean (Undergraduate) and the six Heads of Department to further discuss ideas canvassed at the workshop. “Our ultimate aim is to use this feedback as a platform to inform Faculty and Department strategy with respect to the advancement of female academics”, she said.

“With the involvement of the Faculty Leadership team and each of the departmental heads, ECR Net and EDC have a marvellous opportunity to work together to achieve some positive outcomes for the faculty’s female academics”.