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To ensure an impactful and inclusive future for STEM, it is crucial to engage diverse communities of highly-skilled individuals to empower the next generation. However, essential investment in early career stages often fail to reach some of the most talented undergraduates.
Since its launch in 2021, GenerationResearch has funded 140+ research, technical, and policy summer projects, 9 Masters by Research and industrial placements, and 2 PhD studentships. Students come from universities across Yorkshire, and placements are completed across a wide range of UK and US institutions. 75% of GenerationResearch students undertake a project that is different from their degree, allowing knowledge creation beyond disciplinary boundaries.
In 2025, GenerationResearch received 630 applications for 44 summer studentship placements. With your help we can provide more opportunities for students from underrepresented groups.
Jessie is one student who benefitted from a GenerationResearch summer studentship in 2023 during the final year of her Biochemistry degree at York. She has since gone on to complete a research-based Masters for a year, and is now working towards a PhD in Medical Sciences through Hull York Medical School. Jessie went to school in an area of the North East of England with few opportunities and was the first in her family to attend university, which she did while also being a commuting student with caring responsibilities.
“Without the GenerationResearch scholarship, I wouldn’t have applied for the MRes with the PI I met during my summer studentship, and without that, I definitely wouldn’t have received a PhD offer. It’s not just about the technical skills you learn from these lab studentships - though those are extremely important for your CV and application forms. It’s also about learning the daily life of an independent researcher - being in the lab from nine to five, teamwork, data analysis, public speaking and problem solving. These are transferable skills which employers really value. I gave a presentation at the GenerationResearch symposium, which was my first opportunity to speak to 100 people. That was intimidating but very rewarding for my confidence. It’s also about the connections you make with other researchers, which are important for opening doors to future opportunities.”
Jessie, GenerationResearch Alum
Access to paid studentships is important if students want to be competitive with peers in areas including continuing in higher education (Masters and PhD programmes), graduate research and technician positions, the industrial and pharmaceutical job market, and medicine.
Often these schemes offer little transparency over the choice of candidate, and are unpaid, reducing accessibility. Thus, students with ‘low social capital’, or students with protected characteristics, often do not apply or do not win these opportunities due to financial restrictions, lack of support, or problems with the usual selection procedures. GenerationResearch is working to change this.
In 2024, 93% of the 41 summer studentships identified with at least one of our widening participation criteria, with 67% identifying with 3 or more. And looking at GenRes alumni, over 80% pursue further education or work in a STEM subject, far surpassing the UK averages for STEM graduates, and demonstrating that GenerationResearch is successful in encouraging people from underrepresented groups to continue a career in STEM.
Please consider helping us to change this and make STEM more inclusive by making a gift to GenerationResearch this Giving Day.
Thank you.