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Next Generation Disability Initiative Online Conference

About the conference

Research evidence and international reports reveal that disabled researchers* face significant challenge in accessing, participating and progressing in research careers from doctoral studies onwards.

Exploring Equitable Research Careers for Disabled Researchers* was a free online conference that took place on Thursday 21 September 2023. As part of The Open University's Research Plan, the conference was led by Professor Lindsay O'Dell, Academic Director OU Graduate School and the Next Generation team. Their work included addressing barriers in research career development for staff and research students with any or specific disabilities. The aim of the conference was to showcase best practice across the university sector, including initiatives within universities, research career development organisations and others - with the aim of supporting action and tangible outcomes.

The conference was set up with the following commitments to:

  • foreground the lived experiences of disabled researchers, incuding those with long-term health conditions and/or neurodivergencies
  • showcase exemplars of good practice
  • support tangible outcomes to promote equitable research careers for disabled researchers

The conference was organised around three key themes:

  1. Research culture
  2. Challenges in undertaking practical research, built environment, laboratories, etc
  3. Funding and career support

*Noting that the term ‘disabled researchers’ is both contested and also multiple, covering researchers with D/disabilities, neurodivergencies (including autism and ADHD) and/or long-term health conditions.

Speakers/Panellists

Theme 1: Research Culture

  • Professor Nicola Martin, London South Bank University - "Fair Employment of Autistic Researchers: Identifying and Addressing Barriers"
  • Dr Emma Shephard, Coventry University - "Access as Care"
  • Dr Jennifer Leigh, University of Kent - "Ableism in Academia"

Theme 2: Challenges in doing pracitical research

  • Dr Katherine Deane, University of East Anglia - "Lab Access"
  • Dr Nicole Brown, University College London - "Bodies and Buildings - the lived experrience of disability, chronic ilness and/or neurodivergence in academia"
  • Dr Hamied Haroon, National Association of Disabled Staff Networks - "Disabled Lives Do Matter"

Theme 3: Funding and career support

  • Solène Anglaret, Be Beyond Borders - "Adjustments - The Why, What and How"
  • Dr Petra Boynton, Independent Consultant - "Wellbeing, safety and access from a critical perspective"
  • Dr Robin Mellors-Bourne, Careers Research & Advisory Centre (panellist)

Watch the recordings of the conference

Speaker Presentations