On Tuesday 19 November, the Athena SWAN team ran an event to mark International Men’s Day 2019. The event, open to all staff, comprised an informal networking reception with refreshments, followed by a discussion panel made up of four male University staff members:

-George Baker (Department Administration Supervisor, Estates Department)
-Jake Bicknell (Lecturer in Conservation Biology, School of Anthropology and Conservation)
-James Kloda (Technical Support Officer, School of Anthropology and Conservation)
-Martin Michaelis (Professor of Molecular Medicine, School of Biosciences)

The panel was chaired by Farzin Deravi, Head of the School of Engineering and Digital Arts, who led an insightful and thought-provoking discussion on three key themes arising from the results of the male staff survey hosted by the Athena SWAN team to mark International Men’s Day 2018:

-Does it feel that gender equality initiatives are targeted only at women?
-Is there a macho culture that prevents an inclusive one?
-What is it like being a Dad at the University?

Event attendees also contributed to the discussion and shared their personal experiences, highlighting challenges commonly faced by male staff at Kent and identifying opportunities for developing a more inclusive working environment.

Thank you to our panel members and chair, and to everyone who attended the event. Watch this space for how we plan to follow up on some of the ideas generated during the discussion.