About I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) The Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics is committed to creating a safe, inclusive and equitable working environment for all staff, students, academics and visitors. Content navigation Who we are The School strives to create an inclusive and diverse environment for working and learning, where everyone experiences a sense of purpose, feels valued, and is respected. These principles are encapsulated in our Values Statement. Initiatives in these areas are led by the RSAA IDEA committee and are coordinated with University and College-wide efforts to support and advance various activities aimed at improving the organizational culture for both our staff and students. Our priorities range from bottom-up initiatives aimed at enhancing the culture aligned with our values, to top-down affirmative actions promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. We routinely organize networking events and training initiatives for all staff, covering topics such as Implicit Bias, Disability and Mental Health, Indigenous Cultural Awareness, Respectful Relationships , and LGBTIQA+. Our initiatives have been recognized with the Bronze and Silver Pleiades Award by the Astronomical Society of Australia in 2021 and 2023. IDEA values serve as pillars of the ANU Strategic Plan for 2025 and are central to the Equitable Hiring Strategy developed by the College of Science to foster gender balance and diversity across all levels. For more information, please refer to our Resources and Events pages. Our committee endeavours to represent all areas within the School and includes students, postdocs, faculty, technical, and administrative staff. If you would like to get in contact with us please email Luca Casagrande Associate Director IDEA ad.idea.rsaa@anu.edu.au. Resources Please check the following tabs for further information on our initiatives and available resources. (Please note that some of the documents are accessible through our intranet with on-site access, or you can connect via VPN from the outside.).Values and BehaviourFamiliarize yourself with the RSAA Values Statement and Behaviour Guidelines. These guidelines apply to all staff, students and visitors, including external vendors who provide training on-site. A summary of the grievance and resolution procedure is available for staff and students.Equitable Hiring StrategyThe RSAA Equitable Hiring Strategy offers a set of recommendations to increase equity and diversity through hiring, retention and promotion practices. This strategy has been developed as part of the ANU College of Science objective to raise the proportion of women at all levels in all staffing categories to parity by 2030 and to make significant headway in raising awareness of diversity in hiring more broadly. The School regularly monitors the impact of these initiatives as part of the ANU College of Science ongoing efforts to advance gender equality and diversity.Demographic and CultureYou can access results from the latest RSAA Demographic and Climate surveys which we use to track diversity and work culture across the School. IndigenousAt RSAA we acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians on whose traditional lands we meet, and pay our respect to the elders past and present. Mount Stromlo and the surrounding areas were inhabited by the Ngunawal people for more than 20,000 years, and Siding Spring Observatory stands on the land of the Gamilaraay people. Please refer to our guidelines for Acknowledgement of Country during meetings and events at RSAA.We are committed to increasing the indigenous representation of staff and students within the School. We support Indigenous students in astronomy and we are part of the College of Science Indigenous Cadetship program. University-wide opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment are also available. The Tjabal Centre provides a meeting place and support base for the Indigenous students and staff at the ANU.Parenting and Wellbeing RoomsIn the Commonwealth Solar Observatory building there is a parenting room located next to the kitchen. Similar space is also available in the AAT building at Siding Spring Observatory.A quiet/wellness room is located at Level 1 in the Woolley Building for individuals who need to decompress and seek a quiet space. You can access it at any time if not occupied, or book it through our intranet page.NewsletterLunations, the RSAA newsletter, is your go-to destination for regular updates from the School, including anything going on in the IDEA space.Contact and SupportA summary of the grievance and resolution procedure is available for staff and students. Further support is available at the University level for students and staff, also through the Staff Respect Consultant and the College of Science Wellbeing Portal. If you would like to get in contact with RSAA IDEA please email to Luca Casagrande Associate Director IDEA ad.idea.rsaa@anu.edu.au. Events We organise regular IDEA morning or afternoon teas at both Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatory, along with various IDEA-related training courses. Look out for our calendar invites and check this space. Do not forget to also check for IDEA events happening within the College of Science.
