Creating an inclusive physics curriculum
Thursday 6 July 2023, University of Nottingham
Chaired by Professor Sir William Wakeham Supported by the Institute of Physics
Who should attend
This event is for heads of physics departments, directors of teaching and learning and staff responsible or interested in diversity and inclusion. This includes project Juno and diversity champions, Athena SWAN representatives, academic staff, careers & employability-facing staff and industry representatives.
Synopsis
The Institute of Physics (IOP) 2020-2024 strategy has identified three key challenges that present the greatest barriers to unlocking the potential of physics and its impact in society. The first challenge is ‘diversity and skills’ and the need to build a diverse physics community to help address STEM skills shortages. This also makes sense from a business perspective; recruiting a diverse and inclusive workforce can lead to better decision-making and business success. This key challenge of ‘diversity and skills’ is emphasised more strongly in the IOP’s new degree accreditation framework. For example, universities must ensure the curriculum reflects the diversity of people who have contributed to physics and that the curriculum does not have compulsory or elective elements where students could be discriminated against (e.g. placements or field trips).
In this context SEPnet and WRIPA are hosting a one-day meeting to explore how university physics departments can embed EDI across the curriculum and departmental culture to support an inclusive student learning experience and equitable graduate outcomes.
Programme
- 09.15 – 10.00: Registration and coffee
- 10.00 – 10.20: Chair’s Introduction and Update from the 2022 event – Professor Sir William Wakeham
- 10.20 – 10.45: Encouraging diversity and facilitating inclusion in physics – a personal and professional perspective. Prof. Helen Gleeson OBE, Cavendish Professor of Physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leeds
- 10.45 – 11.15: Round table discussions
- 11.15 – 11.25: Feedback
- 11.25 – 11.40: Achieving IOP accreditation: a research-driven approach to embedding EDI and skills into the curriculum. Amy Smith, Physics Education Research Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London
- 11.40 – 12.20: Round table discussions
- 12.20 – 12.30: Feedback
- 12.30 – 12.40: Morning wrap-up – Professor Sir William Wakeham
- 12.40 – 13.40: Lunch
- 13:40 – 14.05: How to aim towards an inclusive curriculum. Piers Wilkinson, Policy and Campaigns Lead, Inclusive Education Team, Disability and Diversity
- 14.05 – 14.35: Round table discussions
- 14.35 – 14.45: Feedback
- 14.45 – 15:10: How scared should we be about ChatGPT. Prof. Philip Moriarty, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham
- 15.10 – 15.40: Round table discussions
- 15.40 – 15.50: Feedback
- 15:50 – 16:00: Afternoon Wrap-up – Professor Sir William Wakeham