Meet the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Three members of the Department sitting on a sofa talking

The Department of Economics has one goal regarding diversity – to be recognised as a community that celebrates the background, culture, rights and values of all its members. We want to develop a teaching and research in which all staff and students to truly feel welcome and are determined to increase diversity within our department and help influence change in the wider Economics community.

Barbara Petrongolo

Professor of Economics / Associate Head (People) and Academic Search Committee Lead

“We should constantly raise awareness about potential biases (explicit or implicit) against minorities and everyone should learn how to recognize, condemn and redress them. It will be a welcome sign of progress when EDI committees are no longer necessary.”

Jenny Hayward

Head of Administration and Finance

“I am the Head of Administration and Finance for the Economics Department. I have worked in this department for 6 years now and I am extremely proud of the great strides the Department has made with respect to EDI and ensuring we provide a welcoming and supportive environment for our community. I am very committed to working with the EDI Committee to ensure we do everything we can to maintain the supportive environment we have in Economics as well as continuing to address new challenges and opportunities."

Sarah Laseke

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer

"As EDI Officer for the Department of Economics, it is my goal to create a working and studying environment for staff and students where people can be themselves and are fully included in all aspects of department life. Also, as Chair of the University's LGBT+ Advisory Group, I have extensive experience in supporting the LGBT+ community."

Inès Moreno De Barreda

Associate Professor in Economics

"I firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive environment is a far more productive and interesting one. There is usually not a unique “right” way of doing things. However, many times we are unconsciously and unnecessarily imposing or expecting a particular way of doing things that might not fit every character and might be detrimental to particular groups. This results in unfair outcomes and loss of talent. The committee provides a channel to flag these unnecessary impositions that might be quite subtle, and to implement changes that can improve the environment for all."

Mathias Jensen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

"People need to feel safe, accepted, and welcome to thrive and develop. I grew up in a small town in Denmark and doing so as gay was not always easy. I later realised that experiences with hate speech, bullying, and even physical violence were shared by so many members of the LGBT+ community – as well as members other minority groups. In my life, as well as in my research, I take a special interest in how our personal characteristics influence the opportunities and challenges we face. I believe that institutional support is essential for creating an inclusive study and work environment."

Hannah Roemer

DPhil Representative

"To feel comfortable and safe in the department is crucial for our success as students. Within the EDI committee, I hope to contribute to our efforts to make the department more welcoming and inclusive. Ensuring diversity is an important step towards an environment where people from all kinds of backgrounds, with all kinds of characteristics, and thus all of us can thrive".

Andrew Garrett

MPhil Representative

"I chose to pursue economics for the express purpose of uplifting others. Working in EDI and making people feel accepted, included, and safe is a natural extension of that mission. My personal experience being queer, disabled, and indigenous taught me that the intersectional nature of EDI concerns often goes unaddressed. By representing these issues, I aim to ensure that our department does not suffer from this shortcoming and maintains an environment that is positive and affirming for all its members."

Guangpu Yang

MPhil Representative

"Continuous studying in a multicultural environment has taught me the importance of diversity and inclusion. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be heard and valued, regardless of their cultural background, gender, or social status. By ensuring that the voices of MPhil students are represented, I will empower the committee to enact more targeted and effective policies, and foster a diverse academic environment."

Karanpreet Singh

Undergraduate Representative

As the Undergraduate Representative, I aim to ensure that everyone feels comfortable, respected, and included - regardless of their race, gender, or cultural background. By fostering this safe environment, I believe we can make the university, and slowly the world, a much better and happier place.

Christopher Bowdler

Associate Professor in Economics /Associate Head (Undergraduate Studies)

“Working towards greater diversity in the Department of Economics and the Economics Profession is an important goal, in order to ensure a more vibrant academic community and to ensure representation of all groups in public policy analysis to which economists are often asked to contribute. I have contributed to undergraduate access and outreach initiatives in Oxford and across the UK over a number of years and ensuring better representation of all school types amongst the students admitted to Oxford was one of the main activities that lead to me joining the EDI committee.”

Sanjay Jain

Senior Fellow of Economics/ Associate Head (Graduate Studies)

Freya Waites

Communications and Events Manager

"Embracing and celebrating diversity, equality, and inclusion enriches our perspectives, enhances collaboration, and ensures that everyone feels empowered and represented. I am passionate about ensuring that this is reflected in our communications and events, and that we are fostering a vibrant and respectful community where every voice is heard."

Anna Warrington

Academic Office Manager

"I believe that the values of equality, diversity and inclusion should underpin all the work we do to support the Department, and I’m particularly interested in working to create a fair, welcoming environment where students and staff of all backgrounds can thrive. I am passionate about improving students’ experiences at Oxford through better student welfare and disability support, improved admissions and examination processes, and by supporting initiatives to reduce attainment gaps.

Qingyu Chen

DPhil Representative

"Economic research is fundamentally about improving people's welfare, not just in monetary terms, but also in the extent to which they feel safe, accepted, and included in the environments where they live and work. As an EDI representative, I will work to ensure that every DPhil student, regardless of their background, feels valued and supported, and can fully enjoy their time in the department."

Manaswini Goli

MPhil Representative

“Feeling safe, valued, and respected is essential for success as students and as individuals. As part of the EDI Committee, I'm committed to building a genuinely welcoming and inclusive department where diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is celebrated as a source of strength. Embracing diversity is key to building a space where individuals from all backgrounds and identities can contribute meaningfully and thrive together.”

Yumna Thara

UJCC EDI Representative

I hope to support Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion work within the department to help ensure there is a community and environment where students are comfortable and are able to thrive regardless of their background.

Meet the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee