Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

The IGNITE DLA is committed to promoting best practices for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all our activities, for our students, staff and supervisors, from recruitment through to graduation. We work with all of our partners to monitor best practice and share experiences and expertise, aiming to create an inclusive research community, recognise structural barriers and privileges, and continuously improve equality and equity in all aspects of scientific research and education. 

The IGNITE DLA aims to align its approach with the University of Southampton’s EDI strategic plan, which builds on the People strand of the Triple Helix Strategy and is supported by the University’s framework for EDI in Research and Innovation  

Our Initiatives:  

The IGNITE DLA programme has a dedicated Deputy Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Dr Lauren Nadler

To best tackle our shared global challenges and further strengthen the talent of our student cohort, IGNITE is committed to attracting applicants from backgrounds as broad and diverse as possible. 

  • All interviews are held online in a comfortable and supportive manner to give applicants the opportunity to perform at their best. Interviews will include a chair and a co-chair who are independent from the project, as well as the project supervisor. Our interview chairs are experienced at putting applicants at ease.  
  • IGNITE has an opt-in guaranteed interview scheme for qualifying UK applicants who self-identify as racially minoritised (i.e., come from a Black, Asian, or minority ethnic background). Applicants should contact nerc-dla@soton.ac.uk to opt in. 

We offer NERC funded Research Experience Placements where undergraduate/integrated master’s students from underrepresented backgrounds can undertake paid placements to provide them with experience of what a PhD would be like, and to encourage them to consider a career in the environmental sciences.  

We offer both full-time and part-time studies, with the exception of a few projects where it is not feasible for the research activities to be conducted on a part-time basis. Adverts will clearly state if a project is full-time only.  

Our Hosting Partners:

The University of Southampton holds an Athena Swan Silver Award and Race Equality Charter Bronze Award and was one of the first 10 institutions to be awarded the Mental Health Charter.  

The British Antarctic Survey holds an Athena Swan Silver Award. 

The Doctoral College at the University of Southampton has developed a Research Culture team, with a sector-leading EDI specialist, Dr Maisha Islam, and a dedicated student voice, mental health and wellbeing provision.  This team supports and enables a diverse range of staff and doctoral candidates, including those from underrepresented and minoritised groups, to succeed.  

The University of Southampton has a Widening Participation and Social Mobility team that designs and delivers services that meet the needs of those underrepresented in higher education, including their flagship Ignite Your Success programme. 

Read the National Oceanography Centre’s equality, diversity and inclusion Statement here. 

Read the British Antarctic Survey’s equality, diversity and inclusion Statement here. 

Read the Natural History Museum’s equality, diversity and inclusion Statement here. 

Find out more about the Marine Biological Association and their initiatives here. 

Placements with the IGNITE DLA: 

The IGNITE Placement Scheme is designed to help postgraduate researchers enhance their academic journey by stepping outside the traditional boundaries of their PhD project. Please see our placements page for further information! 

  • We provide up to 3 months of additional funding for placements, enabling students from all backgrounds to access this amazing opportunity.   
  • Placements can be done on a part-time basis if required. 
  • Placements are typically undertaken onsite at the host organisation; however, part-remote placements are considered  
  • Students are not expected to work on their PhD while on placement to avoid disruption to the research project and allow postgraduate researchers to get the maximum out of the placement. The time on placement is accounted for with extensions to any remaining deadlines.  
  • We will consider a broad range of placement opportunities, covering all different kinds of research and individual needs.  

Training at the University of Southampton: 

All staff and students are required to complete University-led Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training 

A PGR Wellbeing Toolkit with advice on work-life balance, financial tips and support, supervisory relationships and signposting to wellbeing support. 

The Student Disability & Inclusion Team offer advice and support for students with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health conditions and Specific Learning Differences (SpLDs) such as dyslexia. A Disabled Students’ Allowance is available through UKRI. This is outlined in the UKRI Disabled Students’ Allowance Framework (DSA).

The Student Wellbeing Team are dedicated to supporting student wellbeing and enhancing the student experience. The team are available to support students 24/7, 365 days a year.