Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science

Yacoub, Mariam, Koops, Sarah, Axelithioti, Panagiota, Caltagirone, Claudia, Draper, Emily R., Haynes, Cally J. E., Hind, Charlie, Kieffer, Marion, Krbek, Larissa, McConnell, Anna J., and others. (2025) Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science. Chemical Science, 16 (23). pp. 10386-10396. ISSN 2041-6520. (doi:10.1039/D5SC00205B) (KAR id:109798)

PDF Publisher pdf Language: English This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Download this file (PDF/2MB)	Preview
Request a format suitable for use with assistive technology e.g. a screenreader
PDF Author's Accepted Manuscript Language: English Restricted to Repository staff only This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Contact us about this Publication
PDF Supplemental Material Language: English Restricted to Repository staff only
Contact us about this Publication
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5SC00205B

Abstract

Being in the first generation to access Higher Education (First Gen) is a barrier to academic success. First Gens face difficulties transitioning into, completing, and attaining competitive grades in undergraduate studies despite intervention strategies. Triangulating data across studies, we reveal the unique challenges resulting from being First Gen in science and show how these persist at every stage of a career in academia. We propose that invitation practices, i.e. behaviors that encourage, guide, and/or affirm others, need to be intentionally directed towards First Gens throughout their career journey to successfully support their retention and progression in science. As First Gens are overrepresented in other intersectionally marginalised groups, such actions will contribute to building a more inclusive and diverse scientific community.

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1039/D5SC00205B
Subjects:	L Education
Institutional Unit:	Schools > School of Natural Sciences > Chemistry and Forensic Science
Former Institutional Unit:	Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Chemistry and Forensics
Funders:	UK Research and Innovation (https://ror.org/001aqnf71) Royal Society (https://ror.org/03wnrjx87) Leverhulme Trust (https://ror.org/012mzw131) University of Kent (https://ror.org/00xkeyj56)
Depositing User:	Jennifer Hiscock
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2025 15:47 UTC
Last Modified:	03 Jul 2025 15:30 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/109798 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Yacoub, Mariam.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:	Writing - original draft, Writing - review and editing, Validation

Hiscock, Jennifer R..

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1406-8802
CReDIT Contributor Roles:	Writing - review and editing, Conceptualisation, Investigation, Validation, Project administration, Writing - original draft, Supervision, Funding acquisition

Leigh, Jennifer S.

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3672-1462
CReDIT Contributor Roles:	Conceptualisation, Writing - review and editing, Validation, Investigation, Project administration, Supervision, Writing - original draft, Funding acquisition

Depositors only (login required):

Altmetric

Total Views

Total unique views of this page since July 2020. For more details click on the image.