Accessible Laboratories: understanding the needs of disabled chemists

Project Lead: Kate Sang
Co-investigator: Graeme Barker
Funding Body: The Royal Society of Chemistry

The purpose of this project is to delve further into two key gaps in inclusiveness and diversity within chemical sciences via focus groups with disabled chemical scientists.

Firstly, the project will improve understanding and raise awareness of the experiences of disabled chemical scientists, specifically those with long term conditions or hidden impairments. Secondly, it will address the lack of understanding of what an accessible chemical sciences research laboratory would look like for those with long-term conditions and hidden impairments.

Doing so will move discussions on accessibility beyond reactive initiatives such as height adjustable lab benches, toward the proactive design of chemical sciences research laboratories which are inclusive of disabled chemists across early, mid and senior career stages.

Accessible Laboratories will produce a report for chemical sciences community key stakeholders, which will describe the barriers faced by disabled chemical scientists, examples of better practice as well as a co-designed set of recommendations for accessible chemical sciences research laboratories. The project will conclude with an online workshop to present the findings of the project as well as launch the co-designed recommendations for accessible research laboratories for chemical scientists.