Dr Athina Frantzana (She/her)

EDI & Mentoring in STEM Expert – Researcher, Founder/Director of Spread the Word

With a STEM background (Geoscience and Planetary Physics) and a passion for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Athina’s life purpose is to make this world more inclusive and a better place for everyone, with equal rights and opportunities, and respect and admiration for diversity.

Athina has been working in the EDI sector for more than 10 years and has educated and improved workplaces in a variety of sectors and industries with a focus on Science and Technology, such as the University of Edinburgh, Space Scotland, Pint of Science UK, Google Developers Group, Codebase, Zero Waste Scotland, and many more. Athina’s PhD thesis was a pioneering study and formed the first step to understand women’s representation and experiences within the advanced computing community and suggested solutions to tackle the barriers causing the gender gap in STEM. She has founded and collaborated with women in STEM and other EDI advocacy groups, and has written articles, guides, and reports for various media and audiences. Her expertise lies in workplace evaluation and data analysis, EDI training, policy and strategy development, mentoring, HR and leadership coaching and consultation.

Athina is an experienced EDI professional with thorough knowledge in all EDI matters and has participated in many national and international conferences as a keynote speaker, workshop leader, panel and organising committee member. Highlights include her invited talk at the Gender Summit 6 in Seoul (South Korea, 2015), her keynote talk at Europython 2019 in Basel (CH), sitting as the Inclusivity Training Chair at the Supercomputing Conference 2021 (SC21, USA), her workshop at the Workplace Equality Fund Conference 2023 in Glasgow (UK), and being an invited panellist at the Scottish Ethnic Minority Talent Summit 2024 (Edinburgh, UK).

She continues researching EDI matters as a Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh working on projects focusing on widening participation, socioeconomic background, age, and mental health in Higher Education, as well as on inclusive recruitment and inclusive language.

Athina is also a trustee and the EDI Lead and the Child Protection Officer for Prewired, a charitable organisation that promotes coding to young people, and she has initiated and worked in other award-winning outreach and public engagement projects and events aiming to bring STEM closer to everyone, regardless gender, age or background.

She has recently been appointed as the Chair of the New Voices in Space (Space Scotland) developing and managing projects and teams to promote EDI and the opportunities in the space sector that are open to all, regardless of background or demographics.

Moreover, Athina has developed a workshop and a coaching program on managing Imposter Syndrome, which has helped many people, especially those working in workplaces dominated by one group, those changing career or being in early career stages, to boost their confidence and become the best version of themselves at the workplace.