In this very special live recording of The Science or Fiction Podcast, we asked: why does representation in science matter, and how do we build spaces where more people feel like they belong?
Thank you to everyone who came along and supported us at the live event. It meant so much to see so many of you there, and we can’t wait for the next one!
Why this topic matters
Lack of diversity in science isn’t just an equity issue. It shapes the quality of the research itself, and ultimately, its impact on society. Only 12% of young people surveyed felt that scientists represented their values, and even fewer thought scientists looked like them. One in seven scientists represented in textbooks are women and only 7% are people of colour. What does representation in science look like, across health, mental health, psychology and neuroscience, and how can we make it an inclusive space?
This event was shaped by young people
Producers and undergraduate students at King’s Ahmad Muntadhar and Sahla Ansari ran focus groups with young people who’ve felt underrepresented in science, to understand their experiences and to find out what they wanted from this panel. Questions for the panel were developed from those conversations: from start to finish, this event was directed by young people.
Young people told us they wanted to hear about scientists’ personal journeys: the setbacks, the unexpected routes into science, the moments things nearly didn’t work out. They also wanted to talk about why opportunities in science can feel hidden or out of reach, and what it would take to remove those barriers.
Meet the panel
We brought those questions to three brilliant guests: Amaliah Odutola, Community and Engagement Manager at Sci-translate, Dr Maheen Siddiqui, Research Fellow at Birkbeck University and lead of the Diversity in Developmental Science Network, and Dr Salim Hashmi, Senior Lecturer and Culture, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at King’s College London.
Through panel questions and audience Q+A, we covered personal experiences and a vision for real change, from unexpected career U-turns to what it actually takes to create belonging in science.
Salim spoke about not always finding a space where he felt he belonged and how he built that space himself. Maheen talked us through her research with families, and why she takes a slow, careful approach that makes sure the families she works with get something back and understand the science. And Amaliah had a message for anyone who doesn’t feel like they are the smartest person in the room: there is space for you to grow, and fresh perspectives from young people are exactly what drive new discoveries.
One attendee summed up the night perfectly:
“Seeing some of myself, my journey and aspirations in the panelists, we get permission to dream big!”
We hope you enjoy this episode! Thanks again to everyone who came out and supported us, can’t wait for the next one!
Resources
Here are the links to opportunities and resources that were mentioned in the panel:
Health Data Science Black Internship Programme: https://www.hdruk.ac.uk/study-and-train/health-data-science-black-internship-programme/
In2research programme: https://in2scienceuk.org/our-programmes/in2research/
Diversity in Developmental Science Network: https://cbcd.bbk.ac.uk/events/diversity-in-developmental-science-network/
For King’s Staff and Students, you can access the Diversi-tea seminar webpage here and join the mailing list: https://tinyurl.com/Diversi-Tea
PhDs and funding:
We talked a lot about PhDs so we’ve included some more information here.
There are many routes into a PhD, here is a website that has guides, funding information and current opportunities for a range of subjects: https://www.findaphd.com
Here are the funded PhD programmes that the panelists’ completed:
Maheen completed a LIDO PhD which involves collaborating with a non-academic, industry partner: https://www.lido-dtp.ac.uk
Salim was funded by Cardiff University by a Departmental Teaching Fund, which meant that he taught at Cardiff whilst completing his PhD. These opportunities will usually be adversitised on university websites and jobs.ac.uk - they’re often called Graduate Teaching Assistant positions.
Kathryn completed a 1+3 ESRC Studentship which involved a funded Masters and PhD: https://www.findaphd.com/guides/phd-study-in-uk/esrc-funding
