STEM teaching and research

Advice for academics and lecturers working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths to help advance STEM research and teaching. These resources cover issues such as how to widen participation and get more women into STEM fields, preparing students for STEM careers, managing the impact of AI on STEM learning, building industry collaborations and communicating STEM research for greater impact.

What I needed as a Black woman in STEM

Factors that influence the success of Black women in STEM, including community building, EDI responsibilities and invisible labour – and how to provide support

Carlotta A. Berry

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Young female Asian university student in white coat

Using design-thinking to train the next generation of engineers

A ‘triple helix’ teaching approach shows how engineering educators can combine theoretical rigour with practical problem-solving to prepare students to innovate in the real world. Here, Chen Xiaodong explains how it evolved

Chen Xiaodong

Nanyang Technological University

Three people looking at a page in a meeting

‘Explain your research as if you were speaking to a smart teenager’

For researchers to give their work a chance to have real-world impact, they need skills and tools to communicate effectively with politicians. Here, Kylie Ahern offers ways to make every engagement count

Kylie Ahern

STEM Matters

Guard rails to mitigate ethical concerns for AI use

Artificial intelligence can vastly improve productivity and advance innovation, but integrating AI into academia brings significant ethical implications. These policies and procedures could help mitigate these concerns

Qin Zhu

Virginia Tech

Five ways to start leading research culture change

If you’re concerned that research culture is valuing output over well-being, or prioritising prestige over passion, these tips could help you move towards more supportive and collaborative labs and departments

Annette Bramley, Candy Rowe

N8 Research Partnership, Newcastle University

Connect and catalyse: international collaborations in the semiconductor field

Semiconductors are essential for modern electronic devices, AI hardware and economic efficiency and growth. How can we drive continued progress and innovation in this field? International collaborations are key, as Cindy Yi explains

Yang “Cindy” Yi

Virginia Tech

Thinking like a physicist can prepare students for life’s challenges

Technology and peer learning can be used to optimise classroom time and enhance problem-solving skills. Here, Teck Seng Koh uses a sample lesson to illustrate how to develop students’ analysis capacity

Teck Seng Koh

Nanyang Technological University

Close-up of silicon die are being extracted from semiconductor wafer

Techniques for designing and managing international collaborations

An effective international initiative can benefit a whole host of stakeholders – universities, industry leaders, students, wider communities. But how do we get to success? Cindy Yi looks at the opportunities and challenges of international collaborations using a real-world example

Yang “Cindy” Yi

Virginia Tech

How we reassure accounting students that AI won’t take their jobs

Hearing first-hand from industry professionals about AI’s impact on workplaces can alleviate career anxiety. Here is how to organise firm visits and prompt post-activity reflection

Multiple authors

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University , Mila University

A computer programming student working on her laptop

Authentic assessment design for computer programming master’s courses

A four-step plan for more meaningful assessment that incorporates AI-assisted evaluation, group discussions and presentations

Thomas Selig, Ling Wang

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Multiracial group sitting around housing plans

Navigating uncertainty with interdisciplinary teaching

The siloed approach to education – where students in technical, business, humanities and arts disciplines learn separately – is no longer adequate, writes Lisa McNair

Lisa McNair

Virginia Tech

Lessons from an interdisciplinary community engagement course for engineers

STEM curricula in the US don’t often expose students to perspectives on culture, history and power nor equip them with effective community engagement skills. Here, an instructor and students share lessons from designing and teaching an interdisciplinary course that sought to address that gap

Ruthie Yow

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Pathway from PhD to healthcare leadership

Beyond the classroom: from PhD preparation to leadership

A foundational pathway that nurtures future leaders in healthcare and scientific innovation produces students who are not only ready for their PhD journey but emerge as skilled professionals and researchers, write Zoltán Benyó and Attila Szijártó

Zoltán Benyó, Attila Szijártó

Semmelweis University

Close up photo of a guest speaker delivering a lecture on sustainability

Integrating sustainability into a financial and actuarial mathematics course

Advice on delivering sustainability-focused guest lectures in collaboration with industry experts and reinforcing learning with project-based assessments

Multiple authors

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

How to humanise engineering education and why we must

Despite years of effort across the education sector, engineering sciences are still not gender equitable. Incorporating more social sciences into engineering education could help address the imbalance

Rich McIlroy

University of Southampton

‘Generic prompts give students autonomy and flexibility to expand their ideas’

Leaving space for students to bring their prior knowledge and experience to a question can help with comprehension in STEM courses

Karen Ho, Douglas B. Clark

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary

A computer science studeng coding on her laptop

Opening doors to computer science education

Ways to get more students from under-represented backgrounds into computer science, including offering joint undergraduate degrees and master’s degrees that require no tech background

Beth Mynatt

Northeastern University

Two science students use a microscope together

For truly practical learning, embrace an interdisciplinary approach

Bringing different fields of study together into one practical assignment, focused on a real-world problem, proved to be a game-changer in a sector shifting towards interdisciplinarity. Here's how it worked

Zulkifli Merican Aljunid Merican , Lim Jun Wei

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Programmer writing code on large screens

These AI tools can help prepare future programmers for the workplace

How educators can teach programming students to use AI tools to enhance productivity

Rohini Rao

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Woman in VR headset against image of wind farm

It’s time to turn the tide on our clean energy ambitions

Universities have a pivotal role to play in inspiring the next generation to find sustainable energy solutions, from uniting researchers with business to translating innovation into practice to growing the future workforce, writes Deborah Greaves

Deborah Greaves

University of Plymouth

Citizen science in biomedical engineering: rewards and challenges

Harnessing citizen science to progress research enriches our findings and leads to innovative solutions to real-world problems. Addressing the potential challenges of working with non-expert volunteers from the start makes for more effective research

Robin Queen

Virginia Tech

‘Changing the culture from academic-owned equipment to shared ownership is not easy’

With dedicated research technical professionals alongside equipment investments, universities can foster a culture of equipment sharing. Here, Sarah Bennett explains this key role in resource management

Sarah Bennett

The University of Warwick

Encouragement and talent development for future scientists

Secondary students need access to practical laboratory experience and career guidance. Mamta Sharma explores ways to introduce budding researchers to the lab setting and broaden scientific horizons

Mamta Sharma

Wellcome Sanger Institute

How to succeed as an early career researcher? Be motivated and inspire others

Pursuing a research career, especially in a competitive field such as neuroscience, requires commitment, early action, long-term goals and, above all, ongoing passion and curiosity about your field

András Horváth

Semmelweis University

Young female engineer with wind turbines

Equipping university students to be leaders in addressing climate change

The world is hotter today than at any time in the past 100,000 years. Tripp Shealy offers educational strategies for universities to develop the leaders needed in the critical fight for a liveable future

Tripp Shealy

Virginia Tech

Eight innovative ways to teach coding online

Advice on how to create dynamic, engaging and supportive online learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of today’s coding students

Manojkumar Nagasampige

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Donors want to see real-world impact. What does that mean for higher education in the sciences?

Amid academia’s challenges related to talent retention and fundraising, universities can use translational research programmes to enhance scientific edge and real-world impact, and strengthen donor relations

Shai Shen-Orr

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Using Sustainable Development Goals to foster innovation

The SDGs offer both a universal framework and a way to incorporate global perspectives into curricula. Here are strategies for integrating their outward-focused, innovative mindset into everyday learning

Tripp Shealy

Virginia Tech

A blueprint for programmatic assessment in healthcare courses

A shift from traditional to outcome- or competency-based programmatic assessment began before the pandemic and has gained momentum since. Here are some ways to work towards it

Sreejith G

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Lessons in chemistry: widening university students’ participation through storytelling

Storytelling can bridge the gap between complex STEM content and student engagement – it gives learners a discovery-based approach and educators an inclusive teaching tool and means of assessment

Karen Ho

Mount Royal University

Streamlining a move from a faculty position to a leadership role

Moving into a leadership role at an academic institution includes setting ambitious goals around collaboration and finding solutions to worldwide challenges. These techniques can support leadership success

Brian Lattimer

Virginia Tech

Kids watching demonstration at science centre

School visits are a triple-win for academics, schools and society

For researchers, taking science into the community is an opportunity to hone communication skills, increase impact and enthuse children to pursue their own university studies, writes Ben Kennedy. Plus, it’s fun

Ben Kennedy

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Students in a classroom on their laptops

Let’s play! Using games to teach statistics and economics

Incorporating games into economics classes can enrich the learning experience. Here are some of the factors to consider when designing them

Joshua Fullard

The University of Warwick

An inter-university and interdisciplinary approach to dental education

A degree course that blends engineering and dentistry prepares students for their future practice. Here, Szandra Kormendi and Peter Hermann explain how it works

Péter Hermann, Szandra Körmendi

Semmelweis University

Addressing the leaky pipeline in academia: strategies to attract and retain women scientists

Attracting more female researchers is one part of the work towards gender equity in science. Here, Anna Ginès i Fabrellas offers four actions to support women pursuing academic careers

Anna Ginès i Fabrellas

Esade

Using reflective practice to support postgraduate studies in the biosciences

Small-group workshops create space for postgraduate researchers to share ways to manage stress, impostor syndrome, feelings of isolation and student-supervisor relationships. Here’s how to set up a programme

Jo Haszczyn , Johanna Fish , Jennifer Tullet

University of Southampton, University of Kent

How to train world-champion cardiologists

Competition, cooperation and continuity in talent support play integral roles in training and preparing medical professionals, and improving patient care, write three cardiologists

Gellér László, Zoltán Salló, Nándor Szegedi

Semmelweis University

A group of people sitting round a laptop

Give educators the skills to bring assessment into the future

How can academics get to grips with the most cutting-edge of assessment tools? Matthew Courtney details how to educate STEM experts on modern assessment systems

Matthew Courtney

Nazarbayev University

Steps to adapt engineering education to changing skills demands

Context-based learning, teamwork and creativity are all elements that could help engineering training respond more effectively to the needs of complex workplaces, writes Parakram Pyakurel

Parakram Pyakurel

New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering

Pledges and charters in medical schools: catalysts for change or performative promises?

Pledges demonstrating support in addressing issues such as racism and misogyny will often garner interest and may even attract pockets of funding. But they also risk oversimplifying complex problems, writes Lois Haruna-Cooper

Lois Haruna-Cooper

UCL

Black female engineer working on a drone

How to help young women see themselves as coders, inventors and engineers

Female students can be overlooked in STEM fields. Janille Smith-Colin shares four ways to empower tomorrow’s engineering leaders to find their voice and the determination to use it

Janille Smith-Colin

SMU Lyle School of Engineering

Film storytelling can enhance learning in STEM subjects

In the era of social technologies, authentic storytelling becomes a powerful tool for cultural and social change, a fundamental role of higher education, writes Arijit Mukhopadhyay

Arijit Mukhopadhyay

University of Salford

Campus interview: Mike Ibba of Chapman University on mentorship and the future of US science

In this video podcast Mike Ibba, dean of Schmid College of Science and Technology at Chapman University, talks about undergraduate research, what philosophers and scientists can learn from each other and the state of US federal funding for science and technology research

Mike Ibba

Chapman University

Campus talks: how to do public engagement

What is best practice for universities’ public engagement? How do you enlist the public in your research? And how do you keep them interested in the long term? Two 2022 THE Awards winners share their insights – from their experiences tracking Covid and decoding Dickens

Tanya Wood, Hugo Bowles

King’s College London, University of Buckingham

Nurturing advanced problem-solving skills with integrated projects

Integrated projects can be a powerful tool for bolstering problem-solving capabilities and encouraging students to integrate knowledge from various courses

Man Kee Lam , Yee Ho Chai

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

One write way to student success in mathematics

A detailed conversation and a letter begin a support process that can take students from repeated course failure to success and confidence. Here, Eric Grinberg explains how it works

Eric L. Grinberg

University of Massachusetts Boston

Messy decisions and creative science in the classroom

How can we teach students other than those studying for healthcare or other vocational qualifications to work across disciplinary boundaries and make scientific decisions in a creative – and enjoyable – manner? Here’s what we learned from running a data-driven drug-discovery scenario

Charlotte Dodson, Steve Flower

University of Bath

A case study in developing the next STEM generation

University ‘taster days’ can introduce teenagers to what global health research and advocacy might be like as a future career. Here four academics describe a pilot training session and what they learned from it

Michael Head, Jessica Boxall, Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Kathryn Woods-Townsend

University of Southampton

How to use humour to boost student understanding and foster creativity

Humour is a versatile teaching tool, explains Pete Ludovice. It’s fun, it makes the lecturer seem more approachable, helps make complex concepts relatable, shifts cognitive load, and encourages innovation in the classroom

Peter Ludovice

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

A checklist for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in medical sciences and education, part two

Three questions that medical sciences lecturers should ask when revising curricula to promote ethical considerations, an understanding of health inequities and diverse perspectives

Musarrat Maisha Reza, Mia-Rose Gillison

The University of Exeter

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