The latest event for the RES Diversity and Inclusion Network was held in-person, kindly hosted by Ofcom at their offices in London on Tuesday 6 May. This event focused on “Breaking the Mould: Intersectionalities and the Future of Economics”.
Written synopsis
Click here to read a written summary of the event discussions.
Photographs
Event details
Date: 6 May 2025
Time: 12:30 – 17:00 (optional networking lunch 12:30 – 13:30)
Venue: Ofcom, Riverside House, 2A Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA
Programme
The Diversity and Inclusion Network is kindly supported by Frontier Economics as the RES Strategic Partner for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. See here for further information.
12:30 – 13:30 Arrival, registration and optional networking lunch
13:30 – 13:45 Welcome and opening remarks
- Luisa Affuso, Chief Economist and Economics Group Director, Ofcom
- Giovanni Razzu, Professor of Economics, University of Reading and RES Trustee Board member
13:45 – 14:45 Panel discussion: “Intersectionalities and the Future of Economics”
- Karen St Jean-Kufuor, Senior Associate Policy, Payment System Regulator
- Robin Finer, Economics Director, Ofcom
- Felix Danbold, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, UCL
- Chair: Stefania Paredes Fuentes, Principal Teaching Fellow in Economics, and EDI Co-Lead for Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Southampton, and RES Diversity Champion.
14:45 – 15:00 Introduction of breakout sessions
15:00 – 15:50 Breakout sessions
Breakout 1: The Gini is Out of the Bottle: Class & Economics | Breakout 2: In the room where it happens: an argument for diverse economists |
| Ben Harries, Policy Director, Sponsor of Ofcom’s Social Inclusion Network & Sinead Boultwood, Senior Associate Economist, Ofcom A discussion on the barriers that students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds face in accessing and pursuing a degree in Economics. | Laura Comincini, Economic Analyst, ICO A session on D&I issues in data protection & information rights, and how ICO economists can, and have, contributed to dealing with them. |
Breakout 3: Inclusive Teaching Across Intersectional Identities | Breakout 4: Be the Change: Active Bystander Skills for Economists |
In conversation with Prof. Denise Hawkes, Kings College London and Chair of RES Education & Training Committee How to design teaching that considers students’ various identities/identities of teachers and how they can be brought into the classroom. | Prof. Jo Blanden, University of Surrey & Marie-Luiza de Menezes, RES This session aims to increase awareness of the culture challenges in the profession and educate participants on what an ‘active bystander’ is and how they can intervene safely. |
15:50 – 16:15 COFFEE BREAK
16:15 – 16:45 Session feedback
16:45 – 17:00 Closing remarks
- Stefania Paredes Fuentes (she/her) – Principal Teaching Fellow in Economics, and EDI Co-Lead for Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Southampton, and RES Diversity Champion
RES Diversity & Inclusion Network
The RES Diversity & Inclusion Network aims to connect individuals and groups working to make Economics more diverse and create a better community. We welcome economists from academia, public and private sectors working on increasing diversity, and creating more inclusive environments for under-represented groups in economics to join us (also join our mailing list to keep up to date with our news and events).
If you cannot attend but believe someone else from your institution may be interested, please encourage them to register.
If you have any questions, please contact programmesofficer@res.org.uk