11th May 2021: Advance HE - Gender Equality Colloquium: Advancing gender and sex equality through research design

Research design has a significant impact on our daily lives as well as our understanding of how things work, our universe and the world and societies we live in. Most research funders want to ensure that the research teams they are funding are reflective of our society but increasingly many now want to ensure that diversity, particularly, gender and sex diversity are considered in research design. Thanks to initiatives such as Gendered Innovations Links to an external site., we have a number of examples that highlight why sex and gender need to be considered at the outset of research design in STEM subject areas. For example, air bags started to be used in car design in the mid 1970s and for decades, pregnant women travelling in the front passenger seat of a car were advised to turn off front passenger airbags. It was not until 2002 that the first pregnant female crash test dummy was designed by Laura Thackery for Volvo. The latter specifically relates to sex but other studies have explored how both sex and gender interact. There have been a number of studies that have found passive smoking to have a more significant impact on the health of girls than the health of boys. Where the studies have explored cultural and environmental factors, they have found that the differential impact could be due to gendered differences in play as boys tended to play outdoors more than girls, thereby reducing their exposure to indoor passive smoking.

In the arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law, there is less information on how sex and gender are being considered in research design and the impact that this has had on the advancement of sex and gender equity in our society. In many fields, it is likely to be considered through the inclusion of women as research subjects or the selection of particular research methodologies Links to an external site., but how can we demonstrate the impact in relation to evolution of approaches and the impact of research outcomes for sex and gender equity in our society?

This colloquium invites participants to share how they, their department or their institution have sought to embed consideration of sex and gender in research design. By way of a keynote session, participant-led workshops and presentations, and a closing plenary, the event will offer insights about these issues as well as examples and ideas for evolving the consideration of diversity in research design. Drawing on practical examples of approaches to and impact of research, evidence and informed practice the event will appeal to academics and professional staff involved in the development of research strategy and research grant applications as well as those leading and implementing research projects.