This year’s Sphere Conference: EDI Change in Action covered a broad range of EDI topics with staff, students, and alumni, being invited to ‘Learn, connect and be inspired’.

Professor Raheela Khan kicked off the conference with an overview of the Sphere Programme and paid tribute to Amal Treacher Kabesh.

This was followed by presentations on a range of Sphere funded projects and local Sphere Challenges, covering topics such as engaging with hard-to-reach students in physics, inclusive recruitment of staff, understanding neurodiversity, decolonising the curriculum and supporting women through Covid and its aftermath.

These were followed by an enlightening talk by Professor Louise Mullany on the Diversity and Inclusion Research Hub: ‘STEMM Change: Addressing Exclusion, Bias and Discrimination in STEMM and Beyond’.

Professor Mullany provided an overview of STEMM Change research on: delivering greater diversity in recruitment and retention, including projects such as the ‘Changemaker’ programme; reverse mentoring; the EDI resource bank and the language of exclusion in the recruitment process.

The Sphere Conference was closed by the keynote speaker, Dr Emma Chapman, who delivered a powerful talk entitled ‘Make Change, Eat Cake’- harassment, bullying, discrimination and sexual misconduct in Academia’. Dr Chapman shared the insights she’d gained through her own personal journey and her lessons learnt from campaigning in the area of sexual misconduct.

Watch the full recording below:

You can skip to a specific presentation using the time stamps below:

0:00 – Welcome, introduction and overview of the Sphere Programme from Professor Raheela Khan

10:57 – A tribute to Dr Amal Treacher Kabesh.

Spotlight on Sphere funded projects:

15:45 – Sixty (more) symbols by Clare Burrage.

31:20 – ‘Why work with us? Promotional material to support Registry and Academic Affairs recruitment initiatives by Mary Graham.

47:14 – What does Neurodiversity look like in person? By Dr Pat Brundell.

Spotlight on Sphere Challenges:

58:59 – Decolonising the Curriculum in the Faculty of Social Sciences by Gemma Bancroft.
– Supporting women during Covid and its aftermath by Dr Isobel O’Neil.

1:10:39 – Supporting women during Covid.

1:26:04 – Diversity and Inclusion Research Hub: ‘STEMM Change: Addressing Exclusion, Bias and Discrimination in STEMM and Beyond’ by Prof Louise Mullany.

1:54:44 – Keynote: ‘Make Change, Eat Cake’ – harassment, bullying, discrimination and sexual misconduct in Academia by Dr Emma Chapman.

2:40:42 – Sphere Conference closure by Professor Raheela Khan.