3. Summary of work so far 

The British Science Association, who provide the Secretariat for the APPG, presented a short summary of the work the APPG has completed so far, including: 

• Inquiry into inequity in STEM education (2020), 

• Inquiry into inequity in the STEM workforce (2021), 

• Report on Regional STEM Skills Inequity (2022/23). 

4. Update on the current project on EDI strategies 

The Secretariat updated members on the current project on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategies in the STEM sectors launched in May 2024. The project has evolved from an idea submitted by Professor Nira Chamberlain, immediate past president of the Mathematical Association, to the open call held by the APPG in early 2024. 

The project investigates EDI strategies and the evidence (data) used by STEM organisations, businesses, higher education institutions and other bodies involved in science, to form their approaches to tackling EDI. The aim is to explore what can be done to improve data reporting on representation in the STEM workforce and how organisations can evaluate the effectiveness of their EDI action plans. 

So far, the Secretariat has completed a number of interviews with EDI leads and HR departments at STEM organisations (universities and STEM businesses) about their EDI strategies and the evidence behind them. This will result in a short summary paper published later this year. 

Early next year, the Group plans to host a parliamentary roundtable with key STEM organisations about EDI data collection and analysis, and to publish a series of blogs by EDI experts and network leaders outlining their ideas on how EDI strategies can better reflect lived experience. 

5. Future APPG projects and plans 

The Chair led a short discussion on topics the APPG should explore in the future. The Group discussed the following: 

• It is important that the APPG considers class and socioeconomic background in the STEM workforce as part of its work. 

• Several participants expressed interest in exploring neurodiversity inclusion. 

• Members discussed the possibility of collaborating with other APPGs. Samantha and Dan noted that they held roles with APPGs whose work might be relevant for the APPG on D&I in STEM, for example, APPG on Digital Inclusion. 

• Large STEM businesses and trade associations should be included in the APPG’s work. Some of the new members worked in the industry before and might be able to facilitate introductions.  

• Participants discussed the importance of defining the audience of the APPG. It was suggested that this should be discussed at the next meeting. 

• Members noted that it was important to focus not only on the current workforce, but also the pipeline of people coming in. It might be useful to explore when people get involved in STEM, and why they leave. Lauren noted that she held a Daphne Jackson fellowship for STEM returners, and this issue is of personal interest to her. 

• Members suggested that high-profile figures from across STEM such as Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock could be involved in this work to increase the visibility of the APPG. 

• Members noted that it was important to involve schools in the APPG work and expressed interest in visiting schools in their constituencies.