The Piscopia Initiative: inspiring inclusion in Maths

Ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March, Rosie Evans, a PGR in Maths shares the work that she does with The Piscopia Initiative.

Only 26% of doctorate mathematical sciences graduates are female, and this falls further to 11% of mathematical sciences professors. The Piscopia Initiative is an international network of women and underrepresented genders in mathematical research with two key aims:

• To support current women and underrepresented genders in PhD study in mathematics and create a community where they feel heard and understood.
• To encourage more undergraduates to consider further study in mathematics.

Three PhD students (Isabella, Tiffany, and Mary) at the University of Edinburgh started Piscopia in 2019 to tackle this gender gap that we see in mathematical research. I started up the Birmingham Piscopia node in 2021 in the first year of my PhD when Tiffany got in touch. At the end of 2022 I became a national co-lead and I am now responsible for coordinating some of our 19 committees across the UK and one in the US.

PiFORUM23 participants at the University of Birmingham in September 2023

Our local committees run events such as mentorship schemes, social sports, and application helpdesks for students to get advice on PhD applications. Nationally, we host a monthly, online seminar series called PiWORKS and run an annual in-person event called PiFORUM. We also have several online advice series on our social media pages including “Mathematician of the Month”, which celebrates the recent achievements of a nominated women or person from an underrepresented gender.

International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and underrepresented genders within our community. Piscopia are hosting ten events across the UK simultaneously on Friday 8^th March to celebrate International Women’s Day this year. Our Edinburgh committee are going to be making signs and going on the IWD march, in Newcastle there will be a bake sale in aid of a Kenyan outreach programme that encourages and supports Kenyan girls to pursue education in STEM, and lots of our other committees are hosting coffee & cake (York, St Andrews, Bath, Glasgow & Strathclyde, Leicester) with a poster carousel of work done by women and underrepresented genders in Maths. Here in Brum we are going to be hosting a PhD showcase on the Physics Bridge in Watson. After a successful showcase in 2023, we have decided to run the same event this year, hopefully even bigger! We’ve asked postgraduates in maths to make a poster that communicates their research in a way that is accessible for undergraduates. This includes talking about the best and worst parts of PhD study for them and the sorts of skills that they learnt when they were undergraduate that they are using now. This event is open to anyone but is particularly aimed at women and underrepresented genders. The goal is to break the barrier between postgraduates and undergraduates and initiate conversations that would otherwise not happen organically. We also want to inspire the students by showing them the huge variety of topics that we as postgraduates research – each PhD and therefore each PhD student is unique.

None of the events we run here in Birmingham would be possible without our committee members as well as the staff in Maths. Sara Jabbari and Olga Maleva have supported us at every stage, particularly with their advice from their experience supporting underrepresented groups in Mathematics. We’d love you to get in touch if you’d like to be involved.

Being a woman and a PGR at UoB

To celebrate International Women’s Day this year (Wednesday 8 March), we have invited PGRs at UoB who are women to contribute their experiences to this in depth blog post. All those included have received a hard copy of ResearcHER: the power and potential of research careers for women (ebook available via link). Their stories are presented in no particular order.

Amy Tansell, Mathematics

Being the only woman in my cohort on the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Topological Design, I was passionate about becoming a student equality, diversity, and inclusion rep, joining the Piscopia Initiative committee, and becoming a STEM Ambassador. Through these roles, I have planned and organised a number of events, from a ‘How to Be an Ally’ workshop to outreach with local schools. By encouraging more women and non-binary students to pursue a career in STEM, I am helping tackle the STEM gap, and knowing I can make small positive changes during my time as a postgraduate researcher is empowering!

Sharon Smith, Education

Juggling
Washing, cleaning, writing, caring, reading
                Alternative rhythms
                                The academic metronome goes on
Tick tick tick

                                Stopping for nobody. Always ticking, measuring progress
Tick tick tick

But life not so linear

A mother, a carer
                                goes…….
                                                                slower……………………

             never                                       in
                                     quite
                                                                             sync
Juggling.

The sense of always being behind
Behind what? Behind who? Always behind. Never in time. Always catching up

Guilt,
never good enough.

Juggling.
Struggling.

Tick tick tick
Tick tick tick

Ticking the box. Sufficient progress is being made.
                But mum… do you have to work this weekend?
                                Every weekend?

Tick tick tick
Tick tick tick
Tick tick tick

Amani Alzahrani, Immunology and Immunotherapy

I am happy to introduce this opportunity. I am lucky to be a woman and a researcher with the possibility. I am a daughter to indulgent parents, a mother to three diamonds, the elder sister to four brothers, and I am the heart of the chivalrous man. Life treats me well as I am in such balance of giving and gaining the strength, determination, and turnout for diligence and success. And, a woman who know when she is in her full femininity, and when to be self-sufficient and become tougher than men. I see myself in an outstanding position in the few coming years.

Alex Dickinson-Lomas, Metallurgy and Materials

I love the variety of work I am involved in as a PhD researcher, especially embarking on exciting experimental work and teaching. I have noticed a skew in the gender balance of teaching postgraduates and those involved in outreach; women and non-binary students seem more likely to engage in activities that don’t primarily benefit their own research and it can be frustrating that work outside of pure research activity is not always valued in the same way. I have developed strong friendships with female researchers in my department and most of my colleagues make me feel very welcome but being in such a male dominated environment affects my confidence. It is difficult to feel like you’re in the right place when there are few people you can relate to in senior positions.

Karma Tamang, Political Science

Being a woman and postgraduate researcher, I feel immensely grateful. I am from Nepal and until around 80 years ago, there was authoritarian Rana regime and people were prohibited from formal education. Later on, when the democracy came, people were allowed to go to school but in a patriarchal society, female were underprivileged. Sons had priority and most of the time, girls left school very early to help at home. So, on the International Women’s Day, I thank all those in the history who fought for equal rights. I thank everyone who helped me directly and indirectly to come so far.

Zakiyatul Mufidah, Theology and Religion

As a mother student, it is not only imposter syndrome that often gets me down but living thousands of miles away apart with my 3 kids seems an unbearable burden for me while struggling with the early year of my Ph.D. here. All the disadvantaged situations are real and valid. Women have always been in more vulnerable positions when engaging with the public domain including career and education. However, millions of reasons should be raised to keep going and stand still from pursuing a better life and equal opportunities. Women shouldn’t be afraid of hardship but of the absence of courageousness.

Katrina Waters, Social Policy

I’m Katrina Waters, and in the fourth year of a part-time PhD in the School of Social Policy, CoSS.  My research explores the factors that support women to challenge idealised norms of femininity.  As a woman doing this kind of research, it is ironic that I fail to challenge such stereotypes, especially in my (typically female?) reticence about publicly discussing my research!  However, I am becoming more comfortable with ‘putting myself out there’ in academic settings thanks to my supervisors’ encouragement and the PGR network meetings I attend. Hopefully, I can also encourage other female PGRs make their research, and voices, heard. 

Emma Reith Hall, Social Work and Social Care

You won’t find us on campus or see us in online events, instead we will be in our homes – trying to finish reading an article before the school pick up, or at work – hoping the steady stream of emails lets up, so we can focus on our research. First-world problems, I know, but if you are a PGR, juggling research, work and parenting, remember that everyone’s PhD journey is different. Your pace will probably be slower than others; that’s okay, this isn’t a race. Be kind to yourself and celebrate everything you have achieved and overcome to get this far. You’ll get your PhD done. And FYI, the laundry can wait!

Antonieta Fostier, Nursing

Being a woman, a mother, and having a professional life often takes us away from our dreams and goals. Nonetheless, there comes a time when pursuing these goals becomes essential for us to feel alive. Achieving my PhD at maturity is an unparalleled experience. It’s a mix of fears and insecurities but, above all, a lot of passion and commitment. Each of us has unique abilities. However, believing in our competencies, seeking improvement, and enjoying each achievement is essential. I am confident that we are capable of becoming what we believe in. Happy International Women’s Day to all of us!