An Interview with Lorna Ireland

Could you describe your role in the School of Physics and Astronomy?  

I joined the School in January 2021 having previously worked in various roles across the University including Council Secretariat, the School of Business and Management, Blizard Institute and the Institute of Dentistry   
 
As School Manager, I have overall responsibility for managing the Professional and Technical Services teams within the School and associated administrative functions including Health and Safety, financial and Human Resource management, planning and development, research, student services and public engagement and external partnerships.  I work closely with the Head of School and as a member of the Senior Executive Team and have an operational role in the development and implementation of School strategy. I support the Head of School in fostering a positive work environment by ensuring a fair and consistent approach in decision making. 
 

What does International Women’s Day mean to you? 

For me it’s a day to stop and formally reflect and thank those women who have been inspirational in my personal and work life and have mentored me to where I am now. It’s a time to celebrate who we are in our entirety, a real celebration of being a woman. An opportunity for women to come together to support each other and to raise awareness that there are still many mountains to climb and barriers to remove  
 

How would you like to see the HE sector progress in relation to equality and diversity? 

There has definitely been a targeted approach in trying to change the culture within HE with the introduction of initiatives such as Athena Swan , Aurora, WISE, mentoring schemes etc. and greater support for women who choose to raise a family with the introduction in paternity leave. That being said there is still much more to be done to remove barriers to progression and greater flexibility at work to help support work life balance. Also, as a black woman I strongly feel that positive discrimination should be applied in some areas in the recruitment process to increase the number of black, Asian/ People of Colour in senior positions.  
 

Are there experiences or networks that have helped you progress in your career to date?  

I am proud to be an Aurora Alumni - this definitely has to be one of the most life changing programmes I have embarked on and is a continual learning experience.  It has increased opportunities for networking and has helped me to define my career pathway. I also have a coach and am a mentor. 
 

What advice would you give to early-career women seeking leadership positions in the future? 

I would definitely say it’s important to have an awareness of the barriers to progression and be committed to overcoming these. Do some research on imposter syndrome; its’s a real thing! 
 
Depending on your area of work, there may not be a great number of role models – seek them out, find someone to aspire to. Actively engage in coaching and mentoring schemes and share experiences with other women in your networks to help overcome the feeling of imposter syndrome. Try to be your ‘true’ self; a skill that will develop with confidence. 
 
Setting aside time for self-development is important. Be aware of time constraints in undertaking training and development particularly where you have commitments outside of work and how you can find a manageable balance (e.g. developing support networks, negotiating ‘study leave’ absences with your employer etc.  
 
Try not to let male dominated groups deter you from your end goal, even more so if you are a person of colour. Look for ways that you can positively affect change even if you are ‘not at the table’, recruit male colleagues as allies, continuously lobby senior management teams to consider gender and race equality in decision and policy making, make a conscious effort to support your women leaders and other women generally.   
 
Look for opportunities outside of your immediate area of work that can that widen your skill set or awareness of the organisation (e.g. shadowing, contributing to faculty/ university level forums).  
 
I am hopeful that as more women enter into leadership who are supported by other women and who they themselves support other women the more the landscape will change.