Projects will investigate learners with disabilities and representation of women The School of Chemistry has had two applications to the RSC Inclusion and Diversity Fund approved. The first project aims to investigate factors that promote active inclusion in undergraduate chemistry among people with disabilities. The aim of this project is to conduct preliminary research on approaches that work in supporting learners with disabilities in pursuing chemistry education. The project will produce guidelines to assist academic staff and chemistry departments in supporting students with disabilities. This aim is in response to a point made in the RSC Landscape Report: “More work is needed to understand the specific barriers to access for students with disabilities in STEM subjects.” The co-applicants were from the School Equality and Diversity Committee; Dr Fernanda Duarte, and post-graduate students Ahmad Alsaleh, Sally Vanden-Hehir. The second aims to explore the representation of women in chemistry curricula, and is in collaboration with Dr Claire Murray, Diamond, who is leading the project. It will survey some chemistry textbooks at secondary school level in UK and Ireland to explore gender representation of chemists, with the intention of identifying where there are opportunities to highlight women’s contribution to chemistry at appropriate points. The project is in response to preliminary findings that school children surveyed in UK & Ireland were often not able to name a female chemist. Publication date 16 Aug, 2018
