Loughborough London EDI Committee Hosts First Ever Research Showcase

“There is so much research being done in the EDI space across the seven academic institutes on our campus, but very few of us are aware of what everyone else is doing.” said Dr Andrea Geurin, Chair of the EDI Committee. “We thought the EDI Research Showcase would be a fantastic way to shine a spotlight on all of the amazing and impactful research taking place in London and to start new conversations about opportunities to collaborate.”

Presenting EDI-related projects using poster presentations allowed attendees to speak directly with the researchers to ask questions and discuss their projects. The showcase was well attended, with both the Loughborough University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Nick Jennings, and the Loughborough London Dean, Professor Tony Edwards, engaging with presenters and fellow attendees throughout the event.

EDI features prominently in the new university strategy, and the LUL EDI Research Showcase brought together numerous aspects of this strategy. Specifically, the event incorporated the strategic aims focused on EDI, research and innovation, and meaningful partnerships, as several of the featured research projects involved partner organisations such as Citizens UK, the International Paralympic Committee, and OneTech.

Research topics covered in the presentations included neurodiversity, gender, race, and disability, among others. A full list of presentations and presenters from the event is included below:

• An Exploration of Women's Leadership Experiences Across the Sport Industry: A Critical Feminist Perspective by Kiki Christofi
• Neurodiversity in the Workplace by Dr Debbie Eagle
• Lets be Active Together: How a Student-led Anti-Racism Project Became a Career by Rhianna Garrett and Iman Khan
• Investigating Social Media Engagement with the International Paralympic Committee’s WeThe15 Campaign: Insights from Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 by Dr Andrea N Geurin, Dr Lauren Burch, Dr Emily Hayday, Professor Aaron CT Smith, & Fiona Abades-Barclay
• Media Framing of the International Paralympic Committee's WeThe15 Disability Inclusion Campaign During Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022: A Comparative Analysis by Dr Andrea N Geurin, Dr Emily Hayday, and Siena Morgan
• The Effectiveness of Sponsorship as a Mechanism for Growing Women's Football in the United Kingdom by Bethany Hushon
• Climate Heroes: Design for Climate Leadership in East London Muslim Community by Dr Ksenija Kuzmina and Dr Antonia Liguori
• Immersive Storytelling for Inclusive Innovation by Dr Lora Markova
• Learning from OneTech: Recommendations for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives in Tech and Start-Up by Dr Angela Martinez Dy
• Romaphobia in an Age of Populism: Visual Culture in UK Media by Professor Aidan McGarry and Dr Petre Breazu
• Evaluating Social Innovation Through an Anarchist Lens by Valentina Volpi

The LUL EDI Committee hope to make the EDI Research Showcase an annual event to allow staff and PGRs an opportunity to share their EDI-related research with the School and wider university, and to allow for identification of potential research synergies amongst our university community.