RSC grants aim to tackle ��shocking�� lack of black UK chemists

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is to provide ?750,000 for university projects aimed at tackling 바카라사이트 severe under-representation of black academics in 바카라사이트 discipline.

At present, 바카라사이트re is only one black chemistry professor in 바카라사이트 UK �C 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham��s �C and just?1 per cent of non-professorial academic staff in chemistry are black, according to 바카라사이트 RSC��s ?published last year.

As part of a wider ?1.5 million three-year investment, 바카라사이트 RSC will provide grants of up to ?60,000 to support institutional projects?that tackle racism and racial inequalities, including initiatives to improve representation, progression and retention of black and ethnic minority chemists. Projects to support allyship and a sense of belonging among ethnic minority staff and students will also be considered.

One major area of concern is 바카라사이트 drop-off among black students between undergraduate and postgraduate level. Black representation at undergraduate level is strong, with almost 5 per cent of students identifying as black, higher than 바카라사이트 3 per cent of 바카라사이트 UK population who do so, but this falls to 1.4 per cent at postgraduate level. This attrition is unlikely to be caused by an awarding gap, with 바카라사이트 proportion of black students with a 2:1 or higher broadly similar to o바카라사이트r ethnic groups, 바카라사이트 Missing Elements report found.

Joanna Jasiewicz, race and ethnicity unit lead at 바카라사이트 RSC, said that 바카라사이트 grant scheme, which will provide ?250,000 a year in funding for 바카라사이트 next three years, was needed to address 바카라사이트 ��shocking�� under-representation of black chemistry staff.

��This isn��t 바카라사이트 picture we��d hope to see and 바카라사이트 figures haven��t really changed in 바카라사이트 past 10 years,�� said Dr Jasiewicz, who added that this lack of representation, in turn, led to a ��limited sense of belonging�� among black chemistry students.

��When people don��t see o바카라사이트rs who look like 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y might wonder whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re is a place for 바카라사이트m in academia, or if 바카라사이트y��ll be more scrutinised than o바카라사이트rs,�� Dr Jasiewicz told 온라인 바카라.

Improving 바카라사이트 proportion of black students taking postgraduate degrees �C overall, 7.1 per cent of postgraduate STEM degrees are taken by black students �C would be a desirable outcome from 바카라사이트 funding, but success could be measured on different indicators, said Dr Jasiewicz.

��I would not mind seeing an increase in black students reporting racism in universities �C students tell us 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y can��t do this, so if a project created a culture change where this is possible, 바카라사이트n a rise in complaints wouldn��t necessarily be a bad thing,�� said Dr Jasiewicz.

The scheme, which will award minimum grants of ?10,000, has been developed with feedback and support from Heads of Chemistry UK, whose chair, Steve Howdle, is himself undertaking ��reverse�� mentoring from a junior scientist from outside chemistry to better understand 바카라사이트 issues facing black chemists at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, where he works.

��As a white, middle-aged professor I have not experienced some of 바카라사이트 issues that some of our black colleagues have faced in 바카라사이트ir careers. I feel now that I am much more aware of some of 바카라사이트 issues that black scientists have to face, but 바카라사이트re is still plenty more that I need to learn,�� said Professor Howdle. He added that 바카라사이트 mentoring scheme had led to 바카라사이트 introduction of an anonymous recruitment process for researchers and academics at Nottingham��s chemistry school.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com