We believe that the future of research should be shaped by a broader range of voices
Summer Placements
MasterS by Research
PhDs
GenerationResearch provides authentic paid placements across disciplines in a range of technical, research and science policy projects, widening access to all university students in order to be inclusive and diverse in answering the question: who will our next generation of scientists be?
Placement opportunities early in a student's career can be transformative. However, many placements are unpaid, meaning access to these opportunities is not equitable or inclusive. GenerationResearch is on a mission to change this.
The University of York Biology Department hosted around 30 – 35 student per year in lab-based projects over the summer vacation. Many of these positions were voluntary, or accessed by individual York students proposing projects to potential supervisors.
Summer diversity studentships discussed for the first time in the Biology Department at the University of York. The original team gets together (Jillian Barlow, Lecturer York, Phil Lang, Placements Coordinator York, Fran Oliver and Steph Ellis, Student Engagement Managers, Angela Lipscomb, Deputy Head Faculty Operations).
They have a shared interest in creating a platform to offer all undergraduate and Masters students the opportunity to gain experiences that will enable personal and professional development.
University of York – Department of Biology
The team generates funding for 8 summer studentships at University of York, open to York biology students, in partnership with a limited number of external partners (Jacobs Engineering, Zeiss microscopes, STEMCell Technologies) and University of York matched funding (Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, and York Biomedical Research Institute). 120 students apply.
Our aims become:
We hold our first symposium on 16th September 2021 so our students can present their achievements.
Funding for 24 studentships. Project hosts were expanded to York, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge, FujiFilm Diosynth, and across disciplines (Medicine, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics), with multiple external partners now supporting us (StreamBIO, BBSRC/White Rose doctoral training programme, the Max Perutz Prize at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology).
Chris MacDonald (Henry Dale Wellcome Fellow, York) joined the GenerationResearch team and support from other friends of GenRes to process 250 applications (Emily Flack, James Stockdale, Lecturers at York)!
The process for increasing diversity and inclusivity in our application process is fully embedded, leading to at least 50% of our successful students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Partnered with VISFO and Vertically Urban to provide 4 fully-funded Masters by Research opportunities to students with high widening participation criteria.
Alexis, a GenRes student in 2022, in the lab at the University of York
Total number of summer studentships funded rises to 32. The GenerationResearch student annual symposium attracts nearly 100 attendees. We also partner with VISFO and Vertically Urban to fully fund 3 Masters by Research students, providing a stipend in line with UKRI studentships, tuition fees, and a project budget, as well as an industrial placement student in partnership with AstraZeneca. Other new partners we work with are the MRC Mary Lyon Centre in Harwell, Sense About Science, the Royal Society, and Novogene.
The ‘Friends of GenRes’ who give up their time to read our 360 student applications and help with interviews grows (Emily Flack, James Stockdale, Joana Correia Faria, Nathaniel Jones). For the first time we receive applications from students at University of Bradford and University of Hull, with 53% of studentships being awarded to students from underrepresented backgrounds, and from diverse degree backgrounds such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Medicine, and Natural Sciences.
GenRes is included in the University of York’s Giving Day for the first time, enabling us to spread awareness throughout an alumni community of over 170,000 and raise over £58,000 to support our students.
In partnership with the Office for Partnerships, Philanthropy, and Alumni at University of York we send our first GenerationResearch student to the US! Joining the lab of Dr. Kellie Machlus in Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Yrina (Hull York Medical student) studied the role of platelet-producing cells in blood cancer.
Yrina presenting for us at the 2023 GenRes symposium
"It is not an overstatement to say that this studentship has changed my perspective on my future career plans and also encouraged a lot of personal growth. I feel more confident within myself and choices to combine my love for science and the clinical environment’....’The kindness shown by my direct supervisors, mentors, technicians, colleagues and strangers during this studentship will remain with me as a motivating factor as I finish my studies and move forward into my own career."
Elena was a GenRes student in 2022 and then became one of our first PhD GenRes supervisors in 2024
Now open to applications and engaging with STEMM students across Yorkshire and The Humber we offer 41 summer placements. We also go nationwide, offering 4 fully funded Masters by Research and 2 co-funded PhD studentships, to UK home students from underrepresented backgrounds. 560 students apply for our summer opportunities and we award 67% of them to individuals that score highly in our widening participation criteria. Lots of other ‘firsts’ happen! Our first Leeds Beckett students (Thomas and Annie), our first projects happen in animal technology with the ARES unit at the Babraham Institute, and we have our first project supervisor who was themselves a past GenRes-er (Elena - pictured). More industrial partners realise the potential in engaging with young scientists via GenRes (Biostatus and Exciting Instruments) and we add Martin Fascione (an amazing Chemist) to our GenRes team.
GenRes is part of the University of York’s Giving Day again, raising over £48,000 from 115 donors to help us support more students.
GenerationResearch continues to expand, with 44 summer placements and 2 Masters by Research students. With 630 students applying we need more friends to review applications, and so we add Sean Meaden, Dave Boucher, and Liz Rylott to help us read and assess everything! Our annual GenRes symposium now has a full day of poster and oral presentations and attracts an audience of over 100 students, supervisors, supporters, and funders, all celebrating the work of our GenRes cohort.
Mia presents a poster at the 2025 GenRes symposium
Let’s make 2026 our best year yet! To help us support future GenRes students please consider donating below.
We support GenRes because we value diversity and inclusivity in our own workforce and want to see that reflected externally, because wherever barriers to success are removed, everyone benefits."
I was determined not to be a faceless funder but more co-supervisor to assist in pivoting the project based on the early results. From Lauryn’s ability and hard work I’ve already been able to present exciting findings to my R&D colleagues."
They make the process of recruiting really great students really easy and simple, and they do it in a way that prioritises inclusivity and social mobility. Working with GenRes is a brilliant opportunity to engage with the next generation of talent who might be advocates for the work we do at the FSA."