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STEM teaching and research

Advice for academics and lecturers working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths to help advance STEM research and teaching. These resources cover issues such as how to widen participation and get more women into STEM fields, preparing students for STEM careers, managing the impact of AI on STEM learning, building industry collaborations and communicating STEM research for greater impact.

Greener lab practices for higher education

Greener lab practices in higher education

Advice on how to make university laboratories more environmentally sustainable

Kiera O’Brien, Campus contributors

Campus

A vial of green liquid sits on a sheet of reaction formulas

Tips to integrate sustainability into day-to-day university lab practice

Sustainability doesn’t have to be a big project. Instead, make it a part of what science departments do daily, writes Deirdre Black

Deirdre Black

Royal Society of Chemistry

A robot uses a microscope in a laboratory

A surprising ally in the fight to make chemistry greener – AI

While making chemistry more sustainable is paramount, tiny changes to lab materials and conditions can have significant effects. Can AI’s data-crunching abilities help?

Jonathan Hirst, Joe Heeley

University of Nottingham

A close-up of a lab worker looking through a microscope

Turning research sustainability from a tick-box exercise into ‘the way we work’

Sustainability can feel like yet another task for busy researchers. Here are ways to make greener research practices easier – and more memorable

Andrea Hodgetts, Caitlin Broadbent, Hong Zhang

UCL

A green liquid is dispensed into a petri dish

Take action to make sustainable labs a reality

Eliminate waste, reap the benefits of a circular economy and aim for ambitious targets for greener laboratories, with these tips

Jenna Lowe

University of Liverpool

Two masked scientists fillin test tubes in a lab

From experiment to impact: reducing waste in teaching labs, part 2

How to move beyond basic waste reduction to teaching students responsible decision-making in experimental work

Rebecca L. Jones, Sara Thayammal, Fatema Khatun, Roberta Stinga

Imperial College London

A group of students conducting an experiment in a lab

From experiment to impact: reducing waste in teaching labs, part 1

From cleaning glassware to choosing cooling systems, learn how small teaching interventions can help students experiment more sustainably

Rebecca L. Jones, Sara Thayammal, Fatema Khatun, Roberta Stinga

Imperial College London

The hidden environmental cost of cold storage in laboratories

Ultra-low-temperature freezers in laboratories can use as much energy as two UK households per year. Here’s how to make cold storage as efficient as possible

Marcelo Salierno

King’s College London

Two female scientists consulting a document in a lab

Routes to equity for mothers in STEM research

How institutions can help fix the STEM ‘leaky pipeline’ by addressing maternity bias, improving progression opportunities and equipping mothers with financial literacy

Rachel James

The University of Edinburgh

A scientist filling a test tube in a lab

Practical ways to embed green chemistry into a packed curriculum, part 2

Find out how targeted teaching, skills-based projects and real-world context equip students to think critically about environmental and human impacts while developing as responsible scientists

Agnieszka Brandt-Talbot, Euan D. Doidge, Rebecca L. Jones, Laura Patel

Imperial College London

A scientist drops liquid into glass vials

Guide research students to think like scientists

Research supervision is about helping students develop a scientific mindset as much as it is about imparting knowledge. Find how to guide them with these practical tips

Kamilya Kokabi

Nazarbayev University

Two chemists in a lab consulting a training manual

Practical ways to embed green chemistry into a packed curriculum, part 1

Learn how small, intentional curriculum changes can help students connect chemistry with health, environmental and social impact and sustainable development

Agnieszka Brandt-Talbot, Euan D. Doidge, Rebecca L. Jones, Laura Patel

Imperial College London

How can we embed students’ ‘cultural wealth’ in STEM teaching?

How can educators build on the knowledge, skills and personal assets students bring to the classroom? Sarah Rodriguez offers practical, adaptable strategies

Sarah L. Rodriguez

Virginia Tech

Outreach programmes that lay STEM pathways and strengthen research skills

Help local schools build the foundations for future STEM students, address regional issues and hone your students’ research management skills – all with outreach activities. Here’s how

Cristina Mihaela Nicolescu, Marius Bumbac

Valahia University of Târgoviște

Young female student wearing safety glasses in an organic chemistry lab

Questions that support reflection and sense-making in STEM education

Focusing on the thinking that a lab-class prompt invites – rather than the answer it elicits – allows instructors to create learning experiences that are both rigorous and inclusive

Karen Ho, Douglas B. Clark

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary

Students in a lab listen to the instructor

Rethinking laboratory design for accessibility

Are lab assessments truly evaluating students’ scientific abilities – or simply their physical agility in an inflexible environment? Find out how to design more accessible biomedical laboratory practices

Mohamed Hussein, Yusra Idrees

Dubai Medical University

Statue of Plato in front of Academy of Athens in Athens, Greece

I blame Plato: how ancient thinking still might shape belonging in STEM

The history of mathematics tells a rich story of collective labour, curiosity, dialogue, adventurousness and responsiveness to human questions. Educators have responsibility to tap into this for current and future students, writes Clemency Montelle

Clemency Montelle

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Raffaella Ocone is a professor of chemical engineering at Heriot-Watt University

Campus Talks: The career story of Raffaella Ocone, the first female professor of chemical engineering in Scotland

We hear how a woman from rural southern Italy became the first female professor of chemical engineering in Scotland – and what she’s working on now

Raffaella Ocone, Miranda Prynne

Heriot-Watt University

A male and female engineer in safety gear pointing at project

How to lead industry-focused research without losing academic rigour

Working with industry can increase research impact, but many academics worry about protecting quality and rigour. Here, Firdous Nazir shares practical lessons on how to collaborate effectively on applied research without compromising academic standards

Firdous Ul Nazir

Glasgow Caledonian University

Older engineer working with an engineering apprentice

How to run effective industry-enriched project-based learning in STEM

The foundation of widening participation lies in a curriculum that is flexible enough to accommodate increasing student diversity while aligning with industry needs, writes James Williams

James Williams

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Opening doors to greater diversity in STEM

Find out how to remove barriers to study and research in science, technology, engineering and maths in order to attract and retain a wider diversity of talented students and academics in STEM fields

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

Young male and female high school students in a chemistry lab

Why investment earlier in the pipeline would strengthen diversity in STEM

Persistent inequities in uptake of science, engineering, technology and mathematics begin before college. Drawing on evidence from K-12 talent development programmes, Keisha Simmons offers practical guidance to strengthen the STEM pipeline

Keisha Simmons

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Boosting gender diversity in male-dominated STEM disciplines

How to address gender disparity in STEM, when so many disciplines are overwhelmingly male-dominated? Here’s how to work towards equality

Rick Cooper

Birkbeck, University of London

How to help women thrive in STEM study and beyond

Women must be supported at both the student and staff levels to pursue rewarding careers in STEM, during their degrees as well as in the workforce

Natalie K. D. Seedan

The University of the West Indies

A woman in a lab coat testing samples in a lab

Inspire the next generation of bioengineering lab technicians

STEM outreach workshops can encourage school students to pursue careers as laboratory research scientists. Nana Asante Asamoah-Danso offers advice on creating memorable and engaging experiences

Nana Asante Asamoah-Danso

Imperial College London

A young woman smiling to camera ourside wearing a t-shirt with a rainbow on it

Practical LGBTQ+ allyship within STEMM

Allyship in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine requires more than symbolic gestures. From inclusive language to visible signals of support, practical action can help create safer, more equitable workplaces for LGBTQ+ colleagues and students

Claire L. Davies, Eleanor M. Townsend, Andrew M. Griffiths

The University of Exeter

How to embed STEM across all disciplines? Start small

Build the STEM skills students will need for the future into your existing courses – with a little-and-often approach. Here’s how

Kenneth Wai-Ting Leung

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Young Asian man recording observations in nature

‘The process of writing forces the writer to be present’

Writing is hard and uncomfortable, but the craft of turning thoughts into words should not be lost to the frictionless ease of generative AI, write Jackie Webb and Christina Birnbaum

Jackie Webb, Christina Birnbaum

The University of Southern Queensland

A robot uses a microscope in a laboratory

Balance human intuition with machine efficiency in scientific research

AI can automate scientific experiments quickly, efficiently and accurately – but what are we losing in the process? Here’s how to strike a balance

Mohamed Hussein

Dubai Medical University

Campus Talks: ‘Use your brain!’ And other pointers from a seasoned computer scientist on using AI in research

Hear a leading researcher in artificial intelligence discuss the potential of these digital tools for advancing knowledge and what effective and ethical AI use looks like

Karin Verspoor, Miranda Prynne

RMIT University

Beyond Alan Turing: bringing LGBTQ+ role models into STEM

LGBTQ+ identities remain largely invisible in STEM. Shining a light on them in everyday teaching can strengthen belonging and representation

Eleanor M. Townsend, Claire L. Davies, Andrew M. Griffiths

The University of Exeter

A researcher reading a pile of books next to a robot with a trolley of more books

GenAI as a research assistant

GenAI is reshaping research, from accelerating discovery to easing administrative burdens. Discover practical guidance on how researchers can use these tech tools effectively and ethically

Campus contributors, Laura Duckett

Campus

AI and human collaboration concept illustration

Harnessing AI to expand scientific discovery

From drug design to climate modelling, artificial intelligence can process data at scales far beyond human capacity. Hongliang Xin argues that the future of research lies in harnessing agentic AI through human-guided discovery

Hongliang Xin

Virginia Tech

A group of university students working together at a table

Make team-based learning work for neurodivergent students

Students with autism, ADHD and dyslexia often struggle in team-based learning contexts. Read advice for tailoring this activity to specific learning needs and reducing overstimulation

Multiple authors

University of Bath, University of Bradford

How technicians can achieve professional registration

Technical professionals are essential to the success of universities and research institutes. Nana Asante Asamoah-Danso offers guidance on achieving formal recognition

Nana Asante Asamoah-Danso

Imperial College London

Storytelling in STEM: connecting concepts, confidence and identity

Designing STEM classrooms that encourage students to reflect on their progress and share their stories takes intention, but the pay-off is enormous: more engaged, capable and confident learners

Karen Ho, Douglas B. Clark

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary

Close up of a camera as it films an instructor explaining a medical concept

Use scripted conversations to fill knowledge gaps

How a conversational video that recreates instructor–student dialogues is boosting test scores, confidence and deeper comprehension across engineering cohorts

María Villarreal, Jobish Vallikavungal, Ana Sarmiento, Jonathan Montalvo

Tecnológico de Monterrey

Magnifying glass looking at a brain, illustration

Putting arts and humanities at the heart of research

Disciplines too often are siloed, but today’s most pressing challenges rarely fit neatly into a single field. How do we encourage science and technology fields to work with arts and humanities?

Lisa McNair, Thomas L. Martin

Virginia Tech

An interdisciplinary team discussing a project

STEAM-based education is the way forward

How to integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, humanities and mathematics to create interdisciplinary programmes that build skills and address real-world problems

Hanifa Shah

Birmingham City University

Group of four smiling college students walking

A warm welcome is a strategic imperative for higher education

If we want incoming students to flourish, we must stop treating belonging as a bonus and start seeing it as an essential condition for learning. Scott Dunning offers strategies on welcoming students to succeed

Scott Dunning

Virginia Tech

Embracing co-creation through experiential learning

Co-creation cultivates skills and mindsets that traditional classrooms may not be able to provide. For instructors, sharing control with students can result in a richer, more dynamic educational experience for all, writes Ed Berger

Ed Berger

Virginia Tech

Prevent overstimulation and support autistic students in the laboratory

Laboratory sessions can prompt overstimulation in autistic students. Here, one student outlines the challenges they’ve faced and what support has helped

Matthew Jones, Beth Crofts

University of Salford

Subtle steps that protect your authorship

Many early career researchers working with code, data and analysis assume goodwill is enough to secure authorship – it isn’t. Here’s how to protect your contributions and build fair, transparent collaborations

Hari Ram C. R. Nair

Chalmers University of Technology

Three ways to motivate engineering students

Motivating engineering students when information overload threatens to sap their attention requires real-world industrial collaborations, a customised learning experience and a focus on impact

Julien Le Duigou

Université de Technologie de Compiègne

‘Support is not remedial. It is pedagogy’

STEM foundation years are key to widening participation. Find out how to make them supportive and structured, with well-being at the centre

Darryl Morgan, Hannah Seale

University of South Wales

The Portfolio Club: an extracurricular activity to support students’ employability

Strengthen the work readiness of your biomedical science students by supporting them to begin work on their training portfolios early. Here’s how

Tahmina Hussain

University of Salford

A woman wearing a cape with a light saber in hand, ready for battle

How to train PhD Jedi

Training PhD students is less about supervision and more about empowerment. By fostering independence, creativity and diversity, supervisors can nurture the next generation of scientific leaders

Lars Chittka

Queen Mary University of London

Mind the gap: how an industry-university partnership brought theory into practice

Regular communication, flexibility in timelines, a willingness to look beyond academic disciplines and a shared commitment to the bigger picture kept this university-industry research collaboration on track

Xiaojun Zhai, Michael Hayes

University of Essex, Railscape

Liquid with dollar sign dropping into test tube, research funding

Who cares about this problem as much as you do?

Securing funding requires researchers to think like strategists, storytellers and coalition-builders. Nicole Akers offers advice for navigating the demanding process to win grants and turn ideas into impact

Nicole Akers

Virginia Tech

A white-coated figure handles test tubes

Four ways to shape the future of analytical labs now

Academic labs are key to research and innovation – but they need to keep evolving. Here’s how to make a lab smarter, greener and leaner

Imtias Amir Bahauddin

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

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