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An Athena SWAN Bronze award was presented to Heriot-Watt's School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences (MACS) at a ceremony in Oxford.
MACS staff are to be congratulated on their active efforts.
Dr Catherine Donnelly, representing MACS, received the award from renowned scientist and patron of Athena SWAN, Professor Dame Julia Higgins. The award represents the school's commitment to gender equality for its student body and academic staff members.
At the ceremony, a special mention was given to Dr Fiona McNeill's lecture on gender equality, given to first year computer science undergraduates. This initiative generated much interest from other universities who would like to do something similar.
Professor Gill Hogg, Heriot-Watt's Athena SWAN Champion, said, “MACS staff are to be congratulated on their active efforts to promote their discipline to school pupils. Successful outreach activities include a summer school on robotics and computers, workshops on the actuarial profession, maths masterclasses and iPhone design workshops. Other initiatives have focussed on transitioning undergraduate students to a research career, such as the annual summer research placement programme. We wish MACS well in delivering their action plan which will further help create an environment which invites all people to excel, regardless of their gender.”