Company Description
At CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on https://home.cern.
Diversity has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization.
Research Topic Description
CERN has an opening for a Doctoral Student post in the Teacher & Student Programmes (TSP) Section in the Education, Communication and Outreach (ECO) group in the International Relations (IR) sector.
Research Topic Introduction
Many students hold stereotypical views of scientists as white, nondisabled, cisgender, older men in laboratory coats. Science is often perceived as difficult, highly intellectual, and accessible only to an elite group of exceptionally intelligent individuals.
In addition, students tend to have misconceptions about what scientists actually do. They often overestimate the time scientists spend planning and evaluating experiments while underestimating the significance of social and creative tasks such as supervising students, networking at conferences, and preparing presentations.
As a result, from a young age, some students internalize the belief that science is not for them - that they do not belong in scientific spaces. This can lead to self-exclusion from science-related pathways, limiting diversity and innovation in the field.
Recent perspectives in embodied cognition suggest that identity and belonging emerge through bodily experiences and interactions with physical and social environments. Students do not simply think about whether they belong in science - they feel it in their bodies through physical comfort or discomfort, posture, gesture, movement patterns, and spatial positioning.
Moreover, research has shown that even brief interventions, both in school and out-of-school settings, can significantly influence students' sense of belonging in science and their perceptions of scientists. For example, meeting scientists and learning about their daily work routines can help reshape students’ views. Additionally, different learning spaces and contexts may uniquely shape students' experiences of belonging.
Research Focus
This PhD project will investigate science identity and belonging of school students through an embodied cognition lens. Depending on the candidate's interests, possible research directions include:
- Students' perceptions of scientists and their work
- How do students at different educational levels (e.g. primary or secondary) perceive scientists and their work?
- How can targeted interventions shift these perceptions?
- The role of space and learning contexts
- How do different environments (e.g. schools, science centres, hands-on workshops, science camps) influence school students’ sense of belonging in science?
- How do spatial configurations and material environments shape students' embodied experiences of belonging?
- Embodied dimensions of science identity and belonging
- How do school students physically position themselves and move through scientific spaces?
- What role do bodily experiences - such as handling equipment, performing experiments, and using embodied metaphors - play in developing science identity?
- How do gestures, movement, and interactions with materials reinforce or challenge students' sense of belonging in science?
This project offers opportunities for interdisciplinary research, drawing from education, psychology, cognitive science, and science communication. By integrating embodied cognition perspectives, it aims to deepen our understanding of how science identity and belonging are formed - and how educational interventions can create more inclusive and welcoming scientific environments.
Apply now! … by March 3rd, 2025
All information about CERN’s Doctoral Student Programme can be found here:
https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CERN/744000030887701-doctoral-student-programme-2025-2
Please mention the code “IR-ECO-TSP-Science-Identity” in your application.