Outstanding researchers named in first cohort of Royal Society Career Development Fellowship pilots

Eight outstanding researchers have been announced as the first cohort of Royal Society Career Development Fellowships (CDFs), aimed at developing underrepresentation in UK STEM academia.

From the origins of blood stem cells in the brain to the birth of planets beyond our solar system, the first cohort are undertaking groundbreaking research that can benefit society and further human understanding.

Currently running as a pilot with researchers from Black and Mixed Black heritage, the Career Development Fellowships offer four years of funding (up to £690,000), mentoring and support to kickstart the careers of researchers from groups underrepresented in UK STEM academia.

They will take up their fellowships at seven different institutions: Newcastle University, Durham University, University of Manchester, University of Liverpool, University of Nottingham, University of Cambridge and Imperial College London.

The CDF scheme was launched in response to 11 years of higher education data which showed Black heritage researchers leave academia at higher rates than those from other groups.

The impact of this higher attrition rate is pronounced at senior levels of academic careers. Analysis of the 2022/23 Higher Education Statistics Authority data, undertaken by Jisc on behalf of the Royal Society, shows just 3% of Black heritage staff were working at F1 Professor level. This compares to 13% of White STEM academics working at professor level, 7% Asian, 6% Mixed and 5% Other.

In addition to their fellowship funding and support from the Royal Society, the award holders will have access to networking and mentoring opportunities supported by the Black British Professionals in STEM (BBSTEM) network.

If the pilot is shown to be effective, the CDF programme could be expanded to include researchers from other groups where the data shows there is persistent underrepresentation.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said:

“We need an academic system where talented researchers can build a career, whatever their background. But we know that is not the case in the UK today – particularly for researchers of Black heritage.

“The variety and quality of research being undertaken by this first cohort of Royal Society Career Development Fellows suggests a bright future ahead if we can ensure more outstanding researchers develop their talents and follow their research passions.

“I hope this pilot and the support it offers can be a launchpad to achieve that.”

Dr Mark Richards, Senior Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London and a member of the Royal Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee who participated in the shortlisting and assessment panels for the CDFs, said:

“There are many reasons scientists from marginalised groups may leave academia, often it’s because they’re looking ahead and not seeing themselves reflected in those spaces.

“This scheme, which offers funding, mentoring and recognition from a body like the Royal Society can be the endorsement to propel these eight excellent academics to go on and grow their own research groups.

“Over time I hope it can become self-sustaining, creating a network of scientists in universities, and beyond, who can help raise aspirations and open doors.”

Applications for the second round of Career Development Fellowships open on 24 September. For more information about the scheme, please visit the Career Development Fellowships homepage.

The eight Royal Society Career Development Fellows for 2024 are:

Dr Stephanie Adeyemo
Engineering novel ultrabroadband polarisation-sensitive terahertz detectors
University of Cambridge

Dr Bovinille Anye Cho
Revolutionising bioprocess design: harnessing data intelligence and digital twins for sustainable acceleration
University of Manchester

Dr Timmy Delage
Connecting the dots between the early and late stage of planet formation
Imperial College London

Dr Yohance Osborne
Numerical methods for mean field games with non-separable Hamiltonians
Durham University

Dr Katrina Skerratt-Love
Development of radiation-resistant glass and glass-ceramics for enhanced astronaut health and space exploration
University of Liverpool

Dr Majeed Bakari Soale
Decoding the mechanism of antigenic variation in livestock trypanosomes
University of Nottingham

Dr Nsikan Nsek
Investigating the impact of age on cancer progression using Drosophila
Imperial College London

Dr Simone Webb
A systems approach to unravel neural regulation of embryonic haematopoiesis
Newcastle University