Cardiff celebrates new Physics Inclusion Award with leading UK physicists

Award developed by Institute of Physics with diverse group of university physicists, including School of Physics and Astronomy's EDI team.

Members of the UK and Irish physics community gathered at Cardiff University to mark the launch of the new Physics Inclusion Award as the first phase of applications opens.

The Award supports university physics departments to be welcoming and inclusive to those from all backgrounds and is the successor to the Institute of Physics (IOP)’s respected gender inclusion award, Project Juno.

There are still severe shortages in physics of many parts of society – groups who just aren’t coming into, or staying in, or getting the support they need in physics. Only a quarter of physics academic staff are women and less than one per cent are black.

Developed by the physics community with the IOP, the Award offers guidance, tools and support to help departments attract, retain and support the diverse talent and ideas that make physics great – and power a better future for us all.

Cardiff University’s School of Physics and Astronomy was one of the 11 physics departments in the UK and Ireland selected to participate in the pilot scheme, working in partnership with the IOP to co-create the Award.

The event was the final stop on the IOP’s Physics Inclusion Award roadshow around the UK and Ireland and took place on Monday 11 November.

It was attended by the IOP President Sir Keith Burnett and CEO Tom Grinyer, the Physics Inclusion Award steering group with physicists from around the two nations, as well as representatives from universities who piloted the award.

University physics departments are invited to make Expressions of Interest in the Award to the IOP as the first step in applying for the Award.