The LMS, Royal Statistical Society, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and Edinburgh Mathematical Society have written to the chief executive of UKRI to urge that the organisation does more to meet its equality, diversity and inclusion objectives.
In the letter to Dame Ottoline Leyser, Committee for Women in Diversity Chair Professor Sara Lombardo, along with her co-signatories, point out that the draft UKRI EDI strategy is currently lacking in detail on how it will reach its EDI objectives. It gives ten recommended actions.
The letter notes that grant submissions are often assessed by focusing on the status of the principal investigator (PI) rather than the quality of the research itself. This has been found to put women and minorities at a disadvantage. The letter recommends that UKRI place greater emphasis in its instructions to reviewers on assessing the quality of the research itself. UKRI should also ensure that it does not use gendered language in its instructions to reviewers. As a further step, PI-blind initial screening should also be considered.
Last updated 28/04/2022