Meet the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Three members of the Department sitting on a sofa talking

The Department of Economics has one goal regarding diversity – to be recognised as a community that celebrates the background, culture, rights and values of all its members. We want to develop a teaching and research in which all staff and students to truly feel welcome and are determined to increase diversity within our department and help influence change in the wider Economics community.

Barbara Petrongolo

Professor of Economics / Associate Head (People) and Academic Search Committee Lead

“We should constantly raise awareness about potential biases (explicit or implicit) against minorities and everyone should learn how to recognize, condemn and redress them. It will be a welcome sign of progress when EDI committees are no longer necessary.”

Hamish Low

Head of Department

"One of my key priorities as Head of Department is to ensure we have a supportive and inclusive environment. It really matters to me that everyone in the Department feels part of it and feels valued. That is why I think the work of the EDI committee is so important and why being on the EDI committee is a crucial part of my job."

Jenny Hayward

Head of Administration and Finance

“I am the Head of Administration and Finance for the Economics Department. I have worked in this department for 6 years now and I am extremely proud of the great strides the Department has made with respect to EDI and ensuring we provide a welcoming and supportive environment for our community. I am very committed to working with the EDI Committee to ensure we do everything we can to maintain the supportive environment we have in Economics as well as continuing to address new challenges and opportunities. “

Laura Epton

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer

“It is an exciting time to be part of the EDI Committee in the Department, working with colleagues and students to increase diversity at all levels, reduce differences in career progression and attainment, and together create an environment where everyone feels included.

I am personally committed to actively addressing the structural inequalities and barriers affecting minoritised communities in academic research and supporting the Department to consider how it achieves its EDI goals, learning from existing research and progress elsewhere.”

Christopher Bowdler

Associate Professor in Economics /Associate Head (Undergraduate Studies)

“Working towards greater diversity in the Department of Economics and the Economics Profession is an important goal, in order to ensure a more vibrant academic community and to ensure representation of all groups in public policy analysis to which economists are often asked to contribute. I have contributed to undergraduate access and outreach initiatives in Oxford and across the UK over a number of years and ensuring better representation of all school types amongst the students admitted to Oxford was one of the main activities that lead to me joining the EDI committee.”

Inès Moreno De Barreda

Associate Professor in Economics

"I firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive environment is a far more productive and interesting one. There is usually not a unique “right” way of doing things. However, many times we are unconsciously and unnecessarily imposing or expecting a particular way of doing things that might not fit every character and might be detrimental to particular groups. This results in unfair outcomes and loss of talent. The committee provides a channel to flag these unnecessary impositions that might be quite subtle, and to implement changes that can improve the environment for all."

Mathias Jensen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

"People need to feel safe, accepted, and welcome to thrive and develop. I grew up in a small town in Denmark and doing so as gay was not always easy. I later realised that experiences with hate speech, bullying, and even physical violence were shared by so many members of the LGBT+ community – as well as members other minority groups. In my life, as well as in my research, I take a special interest in how our personal characteristics influence the opportunities and challenges we face. I believe that institutional support is essential for creating an inclusive study and work environment."

Bev Cousins

Communications Officer

“I hope to make a positive impact as part of the EDI committee, using my expertise to communicate the thoughts and perspectives of all Department members so that we reach our goal of bringing together the entire community and making sure all voices are heard.

It is vitally important that the Department is a welcoming and inclusive place to be, and my role is ideally placed to make sure that message is effectively communicated, and that key information is disseminated accessibly to all.”

Hannah Römer

DPhil Student

"To feel comfortable, safe and heard in one’s concerns is something that all people need and deserve. The EDI Committee is the place where these concerns are addressed within our department, and I am looking forward to representing my peers here. Ensuring diversity and making the department a more welcoming space is a crucial step towards an environment where people from all kinds of backgrounds, with all kinds of characteristics, and thus all of us can thrive."

Maria Eskelinen

DPhil Student

“I study macroeconomics, which is at the heart of policy-making, and therefore essential to include people from different backgrounds, however the field is one of the least diverse in economics. This is unfortunate as diversity means a better understanding of the implications of policies on various groups, improving research and policy design. Career progression poses a challenge to diversity, where we see representation decrease at every level from undergraduate to professors. By working on the EDI committee I hope to address these points and create an inclusive environment."

Samantha Sharkoff

MPhil Student

“Throughout my brief career in economics, I'm used to being one of the only women in the room. The lack of diversity and inclusion in the field, especially as one moves up further in studies and work, is something I hope to ameliorate wherever I can. With my fellow MPhil representative, we are developing an undergraduate-graduate mentoring scheme with the aim of improving matriculation of underrepresented groups into the MPhil. I feel incredibly grateful to be a part of the EDI committee and work with department members so committed to making economics a more diverse and inclusive field."

Lara Woo

Undergraduate Student rep

“Having grown up in environments where I was always a minority - whether it was gender, race, or nationality - sometimes it felt very easy to lose my identity in order to conform to those around me. It is so important to me that individuals are able to express their identities without feeling “other”. The Committee ensures that these problems receive enough attention and are properly addressed. I joined the Committee because I saw it as an opportunity to actively promote underrepresented groups, both at the grassroots and structural levels, so that students feel comfortable being themselves."

Anne Pouliquen

HR Projects Officer

"I joined the EDI committee because these are issues I care about, and I saw in my HR role an opportunity to influence workplace practices. I believe that we all have an important role to play in creating a fairer and more inclusive workplace, where everyone can be themselves."

Meet the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee