WRDTP 13th Annual Conference – Inclusive Research Cultures and Practices

The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership holds its 13th Annual Conference at the University of York on 19th June 2024 (10am – 4pm). The conference is a great opportunity to network with other doctoral researchers, share and get informal feedback on your research ideas, plans or findings, discover more about the training on offer from the DTP interdisciplinary pathways and meet your Pathway Director and other academics working with the DTP. The conference is free to attend (lunch and refreshments will be provided by the DTP) and is open to all social science postgraduate researchers (PGRs) across our partner universities regardless of how you are funded. Travel on a free coach will be available for PGRs based in Sheffield, Leeds and Hull. PGRs travelling from outside of these areas can claim travel expenses via their own institutional processes. The theme for this year’s conference is Inclusive Research Cultures and Practices.

The challenge of creating inclusive research cultures and practices is being taken up across the UK higher education sector. Universities, Research Councils and DTPs are actively responding to the fact that leading edge research can only emerge in environments where support for equity, diversity and inclusion is the norm both within research communities and in the research that they do, and where all researchers feel supported and able to do their research openly and confidently. This conference will provide an opportunity to reflect on the work that is currently being carried out on inclusive research cultures and practices and identify and explore challenges that still need to be addressed.

Our opening panel session will bring together a range of experts to discuss critical issues concerning the challenges of creating and maintaining inclusive research cultures that, for example, reflect the diversity of the society that they are embedded in, make sure that opportunities to participate in research and other professional activities are equitable, fair and inclusive and ensure that researchers feel seen, heard and included in their research communities. It will also discuss the challenges of doing inclusive research and the connections between the creation of inclusive research cultures and the development of inclusive research practices.

The conference will also provide exciting opportunities for our social science PGRs to share their work, engage with colleagues with similar research interests, and develop transferable professional skills. The lunchtime session will include a poster competition and the afternoon pathway sessions will provide opportunities for PGRs to present talks based on their research.

We welcome all social science PGRs (regardless of how you are funded) from across our seven partner universities. You are very welcome to attend whether you are presenting your work or not. Further details on the conference venue can be found here and additional accessibility information is available here. If you are attending or presenting at the conference, please follow our account on X and post messages using the #wrdtp.

Please note: It is compulsory for ESRC funded students to attend at least one Annual Conference during their funded period.

Draft programme

Conference speakers

The speakers for the panel are:

Ayse Humeyra Bas (PhD Research Student, School of Architecture, University of Sheffield)

Ruth Knight (Lecturer, Department of Psychology, York St John University)

Syra Shakir (Associate Professor and University Lead on Race Equality, Leeds Trinity University and PhD Research Student, Sheffield Hallam University)

Paul Wakeling (Professor of Sociology, University of York and Workstream 2 Lead, Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education)

Liz Wands-Murray (Research Associate, School for Business and Society and Co-Chair of the University of York’s Rainbow Alliance)

Pathway afternoon session information

SPEL – The Art of Research

In the SPEL pathway session, we’ll explore how creative and arts-based methods can be incorporated into the research process. Conference delegates will be invited to follow the different art trails found around the University of York campus which showcase art works that have emerged from academic-artistic collaborations, and which celebrate art, science and education in the Biosciences at York.

The ‘Art of Politics Trail’ presents art works concerned with issues of social change, development, human rights, injustice and inequality that have emerged from academic-artistic collaborations.

The Biology Art Trail celebrates the research and education that goes on in the Biology Department at York. Duck silhouettes decorated by staff and students highlight the Department’s key themes of Better Health, Green Futures and an Education that Empowers.

The University’s Sculpture Trail can also be explored. It may be of particular interest to conference delegates with research interests that encompass public art.

Poster Exhibition Competition

All PhD researchers in the Social Sciences at the WRDTP partner universities are invited to present a poster about their research at the Annual Conference. Posters and presentations can relate to any aspect of your research, and do not have to be aligned to the conference theme. You will have the opportunity to present your poster to delegates during the extended lunch period, and delegates will vote for a winner.

The winning poster for each year group (or FTE equivalent) will be awarded a £30 voucher prize.

Poster guidelines:

• All posters must be A0 size and include your name, contact details, university, department, funder and relevant logos, if appropriate.
• ESRC-funded students should note further branding guidance can be found here (Please note – you need to be logged into the WRDTP VIRE in order to view this page).
• The exhibitor must print their own poster and bring it to the conference where it should be given to WRDTP staff upon registering to add to the exhibition.

Deadline for submissions – 12:00pm on Tuesday 28th May 2024

The WRDTP office will contact all applicants to confirm whether they have been successful by 5pm on Wednesday 5th June.

Present at your afternoon Pathway Panel

All PhD researchers in the Social Sciences at the WRDTP partner universities are invited to give a talk about their research to their interdisciplinary Pathway Panel. Posters and presentations can relate to any aspect of your research, and do not have to be aligned to the conference theme. Presentations should be approximately 10 minutes long. AV facilities will be available for you to use slides when presenting.

The winning presentation in each Pathway will be awarded a £30 voucher prize.

Deadline for submissions – 12:00pm on Tuesday 28th May 2024

The WRDTP office will contact all applicants to confirm whether they have been successful by 5pm on Wednesday 5th June.