4 minute read
Kenzie joined NPL six months ago as a part of the Graduate Research Scientist Programme and is from a minority ethnic background. When it came to applying for a job, Kenzie was uncertain about their future career and didn’t have many people locally with a science background to approach for advice. They were attracted to the graduate programme to get a broader perspective of science and skills and look forward to rotating between teams and getting access to on-the-job training.
Since starting at NPL, Kenzie has had a great experience but is the only person from a minority ethnic background in their immediate team. It can at times make them feel isolated, it can affect how they interact within the team, and they find themselves being more reserved. Despite being welcomed into the team, they have experienced bias and stereotyping in the past and worry about it happening again.
As Kenzie has spent more time on site and got to know other areas, they have met a range of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They haven’t shared how they feel with anyone in their team but are encouraged to see people in their team participating in active bystander training. It means a lot to see colleagues investing their time in these courses and they feel reassured that colleagues are equipped to provide support should they find themselves in a negative situation.
"I applied just over a year ago to be part of NPL’s graduate programme, I didn’t know a lot about metrology or NPL before I came across the programme. Throughout school and university I enjoyed science but wasn’t sure where to go with it as a career. I don’t really know anyone with a science-based career, so I decided to have a look at different graduate programmes and that’s when I found NPL. I was really attracted to the opportunity to be part of teams working to tackle real world problems and I thought that the rotation aspect of the programme would give me the chance to experience different teams and areas of science before having to pin down the area I wanted to work in.
The application process was all good, but I did worry as my last name identifies that I am from a minority and can be difficult for some to pronounce. There wasn’t anything in NPL’s application process that made me think this, but I have experienced quite a few rejections in other types of jobs. When there is very little feedback as to why, even if the decision is the right one, it can be hard to stop yourself from wondering if being identifiable played a role. I was successful this time and was so excited to find that I had got a place.
As I started in my new team, the challenge of my surname continued. It’s something that I am pretty used to. I appreciate it when people at least try but those that completely avoid it, particularly when they have said everyone else’s surnames are the most uncomfortable. It’s another thing that creates an awkwardness. But for the first time since my graduation, I was asked to provide a phonetic spelling so that someone could introduce me properly. Turns out NPL did an internal campaign on phonetic spellings a while ago and I have noticed a few people have them in their signatures since, which is something I have now started doing too.
I think a big thing that affects me, is that I often feel different to others, whether this is due to my ethnicity or my personality is hard to say. Take the above, while not intentional, it means I am treated differently from others. It feels like a such a small thing, but it has an impact and I often wish I had someone in my team who understood this. I find myself not feeling comfortable to share aspects of myself or doing things, be it getting a certain hairstyle, or wearing certain clothes, because I don’t want to bring more attention to the difference.
Unconscious bias can be a real problem and although unintended, over time it can make you feel isolated. A common one I get all the time is asking where I am from and instinctively knowing that’s not the question I’m being asked, they want to know about my heritage. I pretty much always laugh it off and explain that I am from London, not wanting to make a fuss. I know this experience is a common one across minority ethnic groups.
What it’s like being from an ethnic minority at NPL is a hard question to answer, firstly I am very new and every person will have their nuances and my experience is not everyone’s. I guess in general I do feel an unseen weight from never knowing whether your ethnicity is an influencing factor in people’s perceptions of you, sometimes it is and sometimes it’s a perception I can’t shake. Despite all the statements on diversity and inclusion and the training available, it can be hard to trust in processes and believe that you will get treated fairly and get the same opportunities as others.
One thing that I will say about NPL is it’s very culturally diverse with lots of people who come from all over the world. I think someone told me that around 60 nationalities are represented. Having such diversity creates a great environment to work in, particularly for science and it’s enhanced when you hear about some of the international collaborations and visitors that NPL has. Knowing more about what it is like at NPL for people from minority ethnic backgrounds is hard as I haven’t been here long, but I do know someone that has been here longer than me who have seen increases in representation across the organisation, just from the diversity they see day-to-day in the corridors.
In terms of advice, I think that it’s important to try as much as possible to be yourself, this can be hard as I think many people who feel different want to blend in, work hard and let the work they do speak for them. It can be difficult to articulate how you feel, easy to dismiss it and even harder to bring it up, particularly as many still find this a difficult topic to talk freely and with confidence on. A few people have suggested I get a mentor to help with some aspects of this, there is a programme at NPL that has a diversity and inclusion element built in, so maybe look for opportunities like that or connect in with any staff groups available.
In talking here, I found it hard to capture everything that I wanted to say and I'm still not sure I have really articulated the full extent of it. So maybe my advice to someone like me, is if this resonates with you and you face the same struggle, help share this story so that awareness grows."
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