Dr Jen Leigh is part of the International Women in Supramolecular Chemistry Network. Here she talks about how using creative and embodied methods are shining a light on the lived experiences of women and other marginalised groups in the lab.<\/p>\n
Women in academia are disproportionately affected by funding structures, academic culture,\u00a0and caring responsibilities whatever their discipline. It is common knowledge that there is a gender disparity in Science, Technology,\u00a0Engineering, and Maths disciplines. Within the chemical sciences the lack of retention and progression for women and all those with protected Equality and Diversity characteristics is pronounced<\/p>\n
I experienced this first-hand as a chemistry student \u2013 eventually leaving a PhD after 2 \u00bd years whilst pregnant with my second child. I moved on as a yoga teacher and somatic movement therapist, before completing a different PhD in education and beginning a career in Higher Education.<\/p>\n
The International Women in Supramolecular Chemistry Network was started to address the issue of retention and progression for women in the field.\u00a0The chair and founder Dr Jennifer Hiscock brought me in as a\u00a0former chemist and\u00a0social scientist with\u00a0Equality, Diversity and Inclusion\u00a0expertise to collaborate on a survey of the community\u00a0which was published in a leading chemistry journal. Together the network has used an area-specific ethos of \u2018calling in\u2019 the community to support its own along with embodied, reflective, and creative methods including fiction and video\u00a0to shine light on the lived experiences of women and other marginalised groups in the lab.\u00a0We\u00a0also\u00a0share much of this in a book that will be released from\u00a0Policy Press<\/i>\u00a0in 2022.<\/p>\n
Intersectional feminist and creative research practices\u00a0have\u00a0allowed\u00a0us to make sure\u00a0that different\u00a0voices are heard, and we can\u00a0engage\u00a0creatively\u00a0with the scientific community and a public audience\u00a0to share the reality of working in a lab. In this way we\u00a0move beyond the numbers that tell us there is a\u00a0problem, and\u00a0help understand the human impact of marginalisation and capture the stories of those who succeed.<\/p>\n
It feels like I have come full\u00a0circle, using creative ways to show people that women can work in and run research labs and helping to change the culture to make it more inclusive.\u00a0We are already making a difference. With the support of the Royal Society of Chemistry and\u00a0the University of\u00a0Kent we are expanding our work to collaborate with organisations like Empowering Female Minds in STEM and the National Association for Disabled Staff Networks to support the visibility of Black women in chemistry\u00a0and to imagine the future accessible lab.<\/p>\n
1 R.S.C.,\u00a0Diversity landscape of the chemical sciences<\/i>, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, 2018.<\/p>\n
2 R.S.C.,\u00a0Breaking the barriers: Women\u2019s retention and progression in the chemical sciences<\/i>, Royal Society of Chemistry, London, 2019.<\/p>\n
3 WISC, WISC: Women in Suprachem, https:\/\/www.womeninsuprachem.com\/, (accessed 13 October 2020).<\/p>\n
4 C. Caltagirone, E. Draper, C. Haynes, M. Hardie, J. Hiscock, K. Jolliffe, M. Kieffer, A. McConnell and J. Leigh,\u00a0Angew. Chemie Int. Ed.<\/i>, 2021,\u00a060<\/b>, 11572\u201311579.<\/p>\n
5 J. Leigh and N. Brown,\u00a0Embodied Inquiry: Research methods<\/i>, Bloomsbury, London, 2021.<\/p>\n
6 J. S. Leigh, J. R. Hiscock, C. Haynes, A. McConnell, M. Kieffer, E. Draper, K. Hutchins, D. Watkins, A. Slater, L. von Krbrek and N. Busschaert,\u00a0Women In Supramolecular Chemistry: Collectively crafting the rhythms of our work and lives in STEM<\/i>, Policy Press, Bristol, 2022.<\/p>\n
7 EFeMS, Empowering Female Minds in STEM: Showing African Women that their possibilities are endless, https:\/\/www.empoweringfems.com, (accessed 16 July 2021).<\/p>\n
8 NADSN, NADSN, https:\/\/www.nadsn-uk.org, (accessed 7 June 2021).<\/p>\n
Further information:<\/p>\n