Department of Mathematics & Statistics - Equality & Diversity

We are committed to achieving and promoting equality of opportunity in learning, teaching, research and working environments, and to ensuring these environments support positive relations between people, and a culture of respect. We value the diversity of our staff and students and are committed to encouraging everyone to realise their full potential.

We encourage all staff to participate in a range of equality and diversity courses.

Equality & diversity courses for staff

Mathematics & Statistics Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

We are committed to the Athena SWAN Charter, a framework used worldwide to support and transform gender equality within higher education and research. This Charter was initially established in 2005 to encourage and recognise a commitment to advancing the careers of women in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine). It now addresses gender equality more broadly, not just barriers to progression that affect women. We have been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of our efforts.

We have a departmental EDI Committee who meet regularly. We work with the Head of Department to ensure equality of opportunity, fair policies and working practices that comply with the University's equal opportunities policy, and to increase gender equality among the demographic of the Department at all levels.

In particular, in recent years we have:-

facilitated the establishment of a Promotions Group in the Department
supported the workload model and staff consultation on workload models
raised awareness of ADR processes and supported workshops on promotion processes in the University
advocated a strong sense of community and belonging in the Department, for e.g., by supporting bi-semester staff meetings and conducting staff surveys
promoted diverse representation at key Departmental and University EDI committees
promoted EDI events
inclusive and welcoming recruitment practices

From Pure Maths to AI via Computer Science 鈥� One Woman鈥檚 Journey

27th May 2026 (3-4pm, LT908)
Professor Jane Hillston FRS FRSE (University of Edinburgh)

Talk title: From Pure Maths to AI via Computer Science — One Woman’s Journey

Talk Abstract: In this talk I will offer some reflections on my personal journey from an undergraduate degree in pure mathematics, through to serving as the Head of School in the largest Computer Science/Artificial Intelligence department in the UK, the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh in the period 2018-2023. During the talk as well as giving a high-level description of my research and how it evolved, I will also talk about the changing EDI landscape, highlighting both challenges and opportunities.

Short bio: Jane Hillston is a leading British computer scientist and academic leader whose work has had a significant impact on advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion in science and engineering. At the University of Edinburgh, she led the School of Informatics in achieving an Athena SWAN Silver Award, recognising sustained efforts to create a supportive and inclusive environment for women in computing. In recognition of her contributions to both computer science and women in science, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE), reflecting her wider influence across the discipline.

Alongside this leadership, Hillston is internationally renowned for her research in performance modelling and formal methods. She is the creator of PEPA (Performance Evaluation Process Algebra), a foundational framework for analysing concurrent and distributed systems, and her work in stochastic modelling has advanced understanding of complex systems across computer science, systems biology, and cyber-physical systems.

London Mathematical Society Good Practice Scheme

aims to advance women's careers in university mathematics departments. We are lucky to have an honorary member in our department, Senior Lecturer, Dr Penny Davies. As a supporter, the Mathematics & Statistics department is committed to:

a robust organisational framework to deliver equality of opportunity and reward;
appointment, promotion and selection processes and procedures that encourage men and women to apply for academic posts at all levels;
structures and systems that enable men and women to progress and continue in their careers;
organisation, structure, management arrangements and culture that are open, inclusive and transparent and encourage the participation of all staff;
flexible approaches and provisions that encompass the working day, the working year and a working life and enable individuals at all career and life stages, to maximise their contribution to mathematics, their department and institution.

The Early Career Network

The Early Career Network gives an informal space for staff, on the last Thursday of the month, to share experiences and discuss anything they feel important. Meetings will occasionally be attended by the Head or Deputy Head of Department so the network can feedback if needed. Please contact Dr Jack Laverick at jack.laverick@strath.ac.uk for more information.

Piscopia Initiative

The is a UK-wide society run by students that aims to encourage women and non-binary students to pursue a PhD in mathematics or related STEM subject.

The society offers events to:

raise awareness for the PhD option and increase attendees鈥� knowledge about doing a PhD and the application process
showcase the work of female and non-binary mathematics researchers
build a UK-wide community of female and non-binary researchers and mathematics students

To find out more, you can contact the Piscopia representative for 吃瓜tv: Ann Paterson, ann.paterson.2017@uni.strath.ac.uk.