Chalmers has named three recipients of this year’s Equality Award. Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto, Mirna Alhanash and Georgia Savvidou have all contributed to creating a more inclusive environment at the university.
Francisco Gomes de Oliveira, Associate Professor in Software Engineering at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has been awarded Chalmers Equality Award for his long-term and dedicated efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable academic environment, and as the founder of QUIByte (Queers Unity in Bytes), a network for LGBTQIA+ students at Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg.
During his studies in Brazil, Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto experienced first-hand how much belonging can mean.
‘During my PhD I started to accept myself and live more openly. I found a network of gay men from different academic fields, but no one from my own, computer science. At the first meeting one man came up to me, hugged me and said, “Finally someone else from STEM.” It became clear to me how important recognition is.’
In 2021 Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto came to Chalmers as a visiting researcher. Far from home, he decided for the first time to be completely open about his sexual orientation – and felt supported by his host supervisor, Richard Torkar, and other colleagues at the software engineering division.
‘It was the first time I was entirely myself at work, and back in Brazil it was hard to have to hide again. Eventually I came out there as well, and my colleagues were very supportive.’
This led to important insights.
‘Even though work is about professional skills, one cannot separate professional identity from personal identity.’
Community matters
When Francisco Gomes de Oliveira later became a teacher, he wanted to be the representation he had once missed. He also noticed that the climate had changed – there were more queer students, and they often sought him out to talk. When he then read a study in Nature showing that gay men are twice as likely to drop out of STEM education as heterosexual men, he decided to act.
‘It hit me hard because I had often been close to giving up. I decided to start an LGBTQ+ group for students, an affinity group.’
Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto planned activities, but soon realised that for the participants, the most important thing was simply to meet – that community itself was central.
‘I sent an email to bachelor students in August 2023, asking them to register through a form. I sat refreshing the page all day, moved each time a new name appeared, and by the end there were twenty of us.’
He describes the first meeting as ‘magical’; it lasted three and a half hours instead of one.
‘For some of the participants it was the first time they had spoken to another LGBTQ+ person.’
Attracts students
Today the group has between 50 and 60 members and more join each term.
‘I also talk about QUIByte when I visit fairs and meet prospective students, and many of the queer young people I meet later choose our Software engineering programmes at Chalmers and GU precisely because of the group,’ says Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto.
Following an initiative from PhD student Martina de Cet, a corresponding network for employees was also established at Chalmers, which quickly attracted about ten participants.
‘The difference there is that we talk more about the work environment, visibility, and what it feels like to be a teacher or researcher and LGBTQ+. It’s a safe forum for sharing experiences.’
What challenges do you see ahead for diversity and equality in academia?
‘A major challenge is the view of activism. Many people think it only means demonstrating or demanding change. But preserving rights – raising the Pride flag, teaching openly as a gay man – is also a form of activism.
‘It is important that the organisations, especially Universities, can support the different types of activism, like Chalmers and GU have been supporting me with the creation and expansion of the QUIByte group’, says Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto.
Mirna Alhanash, Doctoral student in Materials Physics at the Department of Physics, is awarded the Equality Award for her determined efforts to raise awareness of rights, reduce barriers for international students, and build bridges in a multicultural academic environment.
Mirna Alhanash is a doctoral student and equality representative in the Chalmers Physics PhD Student Council (CPPC). She is also active in UN Women, Generation Equality, and youth work.
‘UN Women Gothenburg is a local branch connected to UN Women, a UN initiative. Generation Equality is an international movement linked to the UN and Erasmus, aiming to strengthen young voices and bring more youth perspectives into equality work,’ she says.
Mirna Alhanash has often used her various commitments to connect activities between networks – for example, by inviting representatives from UN Women to events at Chalmers.
‘In that way, international students can learn more about the support available outside the university, since many don’t know where to turn for help. For me, it’s all connected, and my goal is to link local and international equality initiatives.’
What challenges have you seen for international students?
‘One of the main challenges is access to information and knowing their rights. Many international students and employees don’t have complete access to policies, procedures, or information about their rights in English. As a result, they may not be fully aware of their options, which can make it harder to exercise their rights or navigate certain situations confidently, even when the policies themselves are supportive, says Mirna Alhanash.
She tries to help as much as she can but often finds that some forms or information are only found on the Swedish pages.
‘We’ve discussed this within the CPPC to ensure that information is also accessible in English. Knowing your rights – both as a student and as an employee – is crucial when you come from another system or culture.’
Important to find a network
She believes that arriving in Sweden as a student comes with challenges.
‘Some people are very supportive and used to international environments, while others may not understand how difficult adapting can be. But there’s also a lot of helpfulness and solidarity. I think different groups simply face different challenges.’
For Mirna Alhanash, the most challenging part of moving from Uppsala to Gothenburg was finding a new network and sense of community, as many people already had established circles.
‘Being a woman in physics and academia adds further challenges, but it also teaches you the importance of finding your own path and building a supportive community.’
Things changed when she found her support circle and other women in physics.
‘They gave me the strength to find my own voice and to help others find theirs.’
Inclusion begins in everyday actions
She now tries to pass that support on by being inclusive at every level she can – whether it’s arranging a dinner or a coffee break or encouraging someone to join a conversation.
‘Inclusion doesn’t have to be about big events; it starts in everyday life, with kindness and openness,’ says Mirna Alhanash.
That attitude, she believes, is also the key to making a real difference – rather than just talking about it.
‘It’s easy to wait for someone else to act, but real change begins when each person feels responsible for their surroundings. If you see something wrong, you can speak up or offer support. That’s how change starts – with personal responsibility.’
Georgia Savvidou, Doctoral student in Energy technology at the Department of Space, Earth and Environment has been awarded Chalmers Equality Award for ‘her inclusive and visionary leadership as one of the founders and chairs of Dr Genie, a network that has quickly become highly significant for all doctoral students at Chalmers’.
When Georgia Savvidou heard about Genie and the idea of creating a network for Chalmers doctoral students, she immediately wanted to contribute. Early on, she realised the need for structure for the network to become a voice that would be valued.
‘I understood the importance of coming together and building a shared understanding of things so that we could speak with one voice,’ she says.
She therefore put together a programme on inclusive leadership and organizational strategy within the group. In this programme a shared understanding was created on topics such as unconscious bias, privilege, empathy, allyship, and emotional intelligence. Further, a shared vision and mission were co-developed, DrGENIE’s values were agreed upon and a collective strategy was put in place.
‘When we started, we were individuals with different values and ideas. It’s easy to want to get started with visible activities, but I felt it was important first to build trust and safety within the group. We took time to share personal experiences and show vulnerability, which gave Dr Genie a solid foundation to stand on.
‘Some might say that such work takes time away from taking action, but I saw it as essential to build trust, discuss values, conflict management and communication internally – so that we can be effective in our efforts externally later on,’ says Georgia Savvidou.
Four focused groups
This structural approach continued in the network’s more public initiatives. Four working groups with different tasks were formed – and remain active. One focuses on visibility.
‘There were many good initiatives at Chalmers, but information is often scattered. That’s why we worked on becoming more visible – both to doctoral students and to Chalmers as a whole. This is a work in progress.’
Other groups work on representation in Chalmers forums and raising awareness on equity issues.
‘The fourth group focuses on discrimination and harassment, one of the most urgent issues to address, especially for PhD students at Chalmers. Altogether, we have quite a broad set of activities,’ says Georgia Savvidou.
For her, engaging in the wellbeing of doctoral students was natural.
‘I want to live in a world that embraces fairness and ensures all voices – especially those from underrepresented communities – are heard and valued. I believe that a workplace characterised by equity, diversity and inclusion makes the world a better place. It’s important both for the wellbeing and development of individuals and for the resilience of the organisation as a whole.’
Core values in practice
For Georgia Savvidou, inclusive and structured ways of working are not only a means of getting things done – but also part of the solution to larger issues.
‘I’ve spent a lot of time being structured and creating clarity as a leader, because ambiguity and lack of communication create room for hierarchies to emerge.’
She also made a point of personally welcoming new members to the network and emphasized ensuring that the core values of Dr Genie are actively practiced through respectful communication and collaborative decision-making.
‘We wanted to go beyond simply defining the values of Dr Genie, as expressed in our logo, by actively discussing and agreeing on what each value means in our communication and everyday interactions. For example, we practice respect—one of our core values—through active listening, refraining from interrupting, being open to each other’s perspectives, and assuming the best intentions. When differing opinions arise, as they inevitably and desirably do, we engage in constructive discussion and respect the majority decision.
PhD's - both vulnerable and strong
Similarly, Georgia Savvidou sees doctoral students as both a vulnerable and a strong group.
’PhD life has its ups and downs, so it is important to be aware of where members are in that journey and to see it as a strength rather than a weakness’, she says.
That is also why she finds it crucial to speak openly about the conditions of doctoral students:
‘Yes, we are a vulnerable group – with temporary contracts, work within a hierarchical structure with clear dependencies, and many of us come from abroad, facing the challenges of navigating life in a new country and uncertainty about residence status. At the same time, doctoral students are the largest and most diverse staff groups at Chalmers. We teach, study and do research – which gives us a unique overall perspective on the university.’
Team effort
Georgia Savvidou is no longer chair of Dr Genie but remains active in the network.
‘I see my role in this last year of my PhD as supporting our new chairs. In the long run, I hope Dr Genie will continue even after the Genie initiative ends and eventually become a permanent part of Chalmers that can contribute with doctoral students’ perspectives,’ she says.
Georgia Savvidou is proud of the award but stresses that the progress is not one person’s work:
’This achievement reflects the commitment and hard work of a whole community, including all the members of Dr Genie and our mentors’.
Prize justifications
Francisco Gomes de Oliveira Neto is awarded Chalmers Equality Award for his long-term and dedicated work to create a more inclusive and equitable academic environment. Through concrete initiatives that strengthen community and belonging, he has helped make Chalmers a more open and welcoming place for everyone.
As the founder of QUIByte (Queers Unity in Bytes), a network for LGBTQIA+ students at Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg, and co-creator of a corresponding network for employees, he has established safe spaces that promote community, belonging and visibility.
His commitment extends beyond Chalmers. As a driving force in international contexts, he has highlighted issues of diversity and equality, including by promoting inclusive practices and creating forums for exchange and support.
Francisco is a role model who demonstrates how academia can become more equitable and inclusive – to the benefit of both Chalmers and society at large.
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Mirna Alhanash is awarded Chalmers Equality Award for her dedicated and inspiring work to promote equality, diversity and inclusion both within Chalmers and in society at large. As a doctoral student representative at Chalmers, and an active member of UN Women Gothenburg and the global Generation Equality initiative, Mirna has in concrete ways strengthened student influence and driven efforts for greater inclusion and fairness.
She works purposefully to increase awareness of rights, reduce barriers for international students and build bridges in a multicultural academic environment.
Mirna is a role model who, with care, creativity and determination, demonstrates how inclusion can be put into practice. By actively fostering a sense of community, she has helped shape a more open culture at Chalmers. Her work shows how initiative and empathy can make a real difference – and how every effort to strengthen understanding and participation contributes to long-term change.
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Georgia Savvidou is awarded Chalmers Equality Award for her inclusive and visionary leadership as co-founder and chair of Dr Genie – a network that has, in a short time, become highly significant for all doctoral students at Chalmers. Under her leadership, Dr Genie has developed from a student-initiated idea into a well-organised platform representing doctoral students in key forums where work environment, equality and doctoral education are discussed.
By establishing structures and inclusive ways of working, she has built a sustainable organisation with a clear voice and strong mandate. Georgia has not only strengthened doctoral students’ influence and sense of belonging but has also practised inclusive leadership by building a doctoral community based on openness, trust and respect.
Her work with Dr Genie has laid the foundation for a culture of collaboration and respect that continues to grow – and will influence Chalmers far beyond her own time as a doctoral student.
Chalmers equality award
The Chalmers Equality Award is presented annually to employees or students who promote equality, diversity and inclusion at Chalmers. The award amounts to SEK 30,000 and may be used for research, education or other professional activities.