2024-OU9 Exploring the influence of access to nature to diversify participation in Earth and environmental sciences and improve health and well-being for minoritized citizens

Project highlights

Ethically informed research exploring the role of minoritized community groups in promoting health and well-being through access to nature, involving a combination of ecological and geological fieldwork, and social research methods.
Engaged research to identify need, map assets and co-design solutions with minoritized community groups, environmental scientists and other relevant ‘publics’.
Training in interdisciplinary scientific and social research techniques to generate and evidence forms of social and/or economic impact.

Overview

This PhD project builds on previous research. ‘Walking the Walk’ (Figure 1) was funded by NERC (2021) as part of a programme to make environmental science more diverse, equitable and inclusive. We interviewed walk leaders and walkers from minoritized1 grassroot community groups to identify and overcome barriers to make walking in nature more equitable, inclusive and accessible.

Figure 1: The Dadimas Community Walking Group and members of the ‘Walking the Walk’ team. Photo: Subash Ludhra.

Findings from Walking the Walk highlight a strong desire among walk leaders and walkers to improve physical, mental and emotional health and well-being in combination with a commitment to create the conditions where regular, routine and easy access to nature is genuinely available to all (Holliman et al., 2023).

Drawing on the findings and network developed through ‘Walking the walk’, this PhD project brings together environmental scientists, minoritized, grassroot community groups (e.g. Dadimas) and other relevant interested and affected parties to diversify participation in Earth and environmental sciences, and improve health and well-being for minoritized citizens.

A core aim will be to conduct ethically informed engaged research with, rather than to conduct research on, minoritized community groups, environmental scientists and other relevant ‘publics’ (Holliman et al. 2022). The successful candidate will draw on a mix of relevant knowledge, experience and expertise, including: 1) ‘established’ and ‘cutting-edge’ NERC-funded Earth and environmental science, including natural history and conservation (e.g. Badger, 2021; Araya et al, 2017); 2) expertise in the communication of Earth and environmental science to diverse audiences (e.g. Downey et al. 2021; Khatwa, 2019); 3) findings from studies the explore connections between health, well-being and access to nature (e.g. Qwynne Lackey et al. 2021; Saraev et al. 2021); 4) local knowledge and expertise (Irwin and Michael, 2003) from minoritized community groups and other relevant ‘publics’.

Host

The Open University

Theme

Climate and Environmental Sustainability
Dynamic Earth

Supervisors

Project investigator

Professor Richard Holliman, OU; [email protected]

Co-investigators

Dr Marcus Badger, OU; [email protected]

Dr Anjana Khatwa, OU Visiting Fellow; [email protected]

Dr Yoseph Araya, OU; [email protected]

How to apply

Each host has a slightly different application process.
Find out how to apply for this studentship.
All applications must include the CENTA application form.
Choose your application route

Methodology

The candidate will draw on and extend the map of relevant ‘publics’ produced during the ‘Walking the walk’ project to recruit research participants.

Data collection will draw on a mixed methods methodology (Jensen and Holliman, 2009), involving:

A ‘systematic review’ (Miljand, 2020) of relevant research literature and other public documents.

Semi-structured interviews with research participants, exploring their perspectives and identifying resources that support access to nature.

Identification and co-development of new approaches and resources with environmental scientists, communication experts and research participants*.

Research participants* will ‘test, learn and revise’ approaches co-developed under point 3 to bring environmental science directly to those trying to make the UK countryside a more inclusive space.

*For each of the activities, we expect to recruit minoritized community group leaders and members, ecologists and environmental and Earth scientists and other relevant publics (e.g., representatives from tourist and leisure outlets) as ‘research participants’.

Training and skills

Students will be awarded CENTA2 Training Credits (CTCs) for participation in CENTA2-provided and ‘free choice’ external training. One CTC equates to 1⁄2 day session and students must accrue 100 CTCs across the three years of their PhD.

Training in research design, methods and analysis will be provided. Depending on the candidate, specific training in aspects of geology, ecosystems and/or the social aspects of researching minoritized community groups will be provided. It is not expected that applicants would have experience in all of these methods prior to starting the PhD.

The candidate will join a thriving postgraduate community. Our students can gain teaching experience (e.g. Bradley Neal), alongside skills in engagement through training (e.g. Holliman and Warren, 2017), placements and internships (e.g. Kate Hand), and by contributing to a range of media (e.g. Katrina Nilsson-Kerr).

Further details

Further details on how to contact the supervisor for this project and how to apply for this project can be found here:

For any enquiries related to this project please contact Richard Holliman.

To apply to this project:

You must include a CENTA studentship application form, downloadable from: CENTA Studentship Application Form 2024.
You must include a CV with the names of at least two referees (preferably three) who can comment on your academic abilities.
Your application materials, including the CENTA application form 2024, your CV and the Open University application form must be emailed to [email protected]. Instructions on how to apply to the Open University are to be found on https://www5.open.ac.uk/stem/environment-earth-ecosystem-sciences/research/phd-students/current-opportunities-and-how-apply, please ensure you read this webpage before applying as you will need to obtain the relevant OU application form from here. Please quote CENTA 2024-OU9 when completing the application form.

Applications must be submitted by 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 10th January 2024.

We invite applications from students with a demonstrable interest in environment, race equity and health and well-being.

The successful student will join well-established teams researching engagement and a vibrant postgraduate community at the Open University.

Possible timeline

Year 1

Revise and extend the existing ‘Walking the walk’ map of relevant ‘public’s; select initial list of research participants to interview. Conduct and analyse interviews. Develop a framework and select initial activities in nature to feature geology and/or ecology. Identify existing resources to support initial activities; co-produce new and/or collate/curate existing resources. Present preliminary project outline/results to the School. Pass probation upgrade.

Year 2

Select further sample of research participants to interview. Conduct and analyse interviews. Re-use framework to select at least two further activities in nature to feature geology and/or ecology. Identify existing resources to support the activities in nature; co-produce new and/or collate/curate existing resources. Present preliminary results at a national conference, prepare article for publication.

Year 3

Finalise analytical work on data collected in Year 2, return to existing activities in nature to validate resources with additional community groups. Present results at an international conference. Write thesis, prepare articles for publication.