Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Welcome to the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion website for staff and students at the Centre. Here you can find links to our EDI Committee, College networks and EDI related initiatives, as well as further information and support for students and staff.
Athena Swan, Bullying and Harassment, Disability and Mental Health
Faith, LGBTQ+, Race Equality
mental wellbeing, parenting, committee
Training, Resources, Join us
Highlighting some initiatives, activities and resources...
UK Disability History Month
This Autumn 2023, UK Disability History Month 2023 focusses on the Experience of Disablement amongst children and young people in the past, now and what is needed for the future. UKDHM comes from a Social Model/Human Rights approach, so that all children and young people with long term impairment will not experience the social exclusion of stigma, stereotypes, negative attitudes and socially created barriers in the environment and the way things are organised.
Black History Month
Every October, Black History Month (BHM) in the UK celebrates black history, arts and culture. At Imperial and within the Department of Brain Sciences this month is an opportunity for the community to listen, reflect and celebrate the invaluable contributions of Black people. We hope you will consider the events and training outlined here all year round and not just for October. Our work in our EDI group aims to tackle racial inequality and we take active steps to foster an anti racist culture in our community. All instances of racism in the Department therefore will be investigated and these instances will not be tolerated. If you witness any inappropriate behaviour, please report this to the Report and Support tool. This helps our EDI group and Department keep a track of incidents over time. We also ask that every member of staff goes on Active Bystander training to learn how to challenge inappropriate behaviours in the workplace. This is mandatory training in the Department so if you haven't completed it yet, we encourage you to book on the next available course on the website.
Work is underway to identify and improve representation, progression and success of our staff and students. We are a proud supporter of the British Neuroscience Scholars programme which aims to improve diversity in neuroscience and support students from under-represented ethnic groups in neuroscience. We also mentor students in schools with a large proportion of ethnic diversity and support In2Science students which promotes social mobility and diversity in STEM.
We are constantly looking for ways to improve and if you have a suggestion on what we can do, please reach out to brainsci.comms@imperial.ac.uk.
Neurodiversity from the lens of neurodiverse university students
“Neurodiversity from the lens of neurodiverse university students” is a project led by Dr. Vijesh Bhute from the Department of Chemical Engineering to learn about the journey of neurodiverse individuals through their lens, to understand how they experience day-to-day life as a university student.
Learn more about the project in this article, or head to the Department of Chemical Engineering site to check your eligibility and participate in their research!
Black in Neuro week 2022
Our annual Black In Neuro Week is a free, virtual conference occurring at the end of July each year. This year's events include an Australian-based keynote speaker, a #Neuroracism journal club, one-on-one chats with graduates from historically Black universities, and panels on neuroscience careers beyond academia!
It's a great way to support research being conducted by Black scientists, learn about issues faced by Black and other marginalized communities, and grow your own network.
The link for free registration and more details can be found on the Black in Neuro website.
Black In Neuro is an international non-profit organization that aims to diversify the neurosciences by building a community that celebrates and empowers Black scholars and professionals in neuroscience-related fields.
Disability History Month 2022
The Theme for 2022 is “Disability, Health and Well Being"
Disability History Month (DHM) runs from 16 November to 16 December this year. Disability History Month is supported by a wide range of disability groups, unions and voluntary organisations, and aims to promote disabled people's rights and their struggle for equality now and in the past.
Read more about the events taking place across the College and find links to useful resources on disability, health and wellbeing on the Disability History Month webpage.
Department of Brain Sciences LGBTQ+ Allies Network
Our LGBTQ+ champion, Alexi Nott, has launched an Allies Network to promote LGBTQ+ visibility in the Department and provide a bridge with the wider LGBTQ+ STEM community.
If you are interested in joining the network or contributing to its initiatives, please get in touch with Alexi (a.nott@imperial.ac.uk)
Mental health explainer videos
The Department of Mechanical Engineering was recently awarded EDI seed funding to produce explainer videos about mental health. The project, led by Dr Antonis Sergis, Lecturer, and Sophia Quazi, EDI Coordinator, aims to break down the stigma of the common mental health issues faced by students and ensure awareness of the ways they can receive support.
Shifting the Lens returns for its third year!
A celebration of cultural diversity at Imperial
Shifting the Lens is a series celebrating staff and students from ethnic minority backgrounds at Imperial.
Staff and students from across the College have opened up about their culture and heritage, giving an insight into their lives outside of the College and sharing their views on the different ways Imperial can create a more inclusive environment.
Imperial Zero Pollution Vision
At Imperial, our vision is to realise a sustainable, zero pollution future. As one of the world’s top universities, Imperial College London has the power to help make that vision a reality.
Safeguarding our planet and the health of future generations requires us to look not just at a single problem, but at the big picture. That’s why we go beyond carbon to consider human-made pollution in all its forms – from oil spills and ocean plastic to toxic air and heavy metals accumulating in our environment.
Ending human-made pollution cannot be achieved in siloes. We advocate for a holistic, joined-up, collaborative approach to the problem globally, and embody this in our own operations too.
Women at Imperial Week 2023
Women at Imperial is an annual event that takes place around International Women’s Day (8 March). Over the course of a week we celebrate female staff and students at Imperial, past and present, and raise awareness of the support available in College for women.
The College hosted a range of events throughout the week. Check the EDI page to watch back recorded talks.