Exploring Science Capital and Nature Connection at Wakehurst

Host Name:

The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew https://www.kew.org/science/training-and-education/placements-for-phd-students

Main Point of Contact / Placement Supervisor:

Julie Whelan J.Whelan@kew.org

Location:

Wakehurst, West Sussex (primarily on-site, with flexibility for hybrid work). Subsidised on-site accommodation may be available, but otherwise Kew are unable to provide financial support.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, please send your CV and a 500-word statement of interest to sciencetraining@kew.org with the name of the placement and the name of your supervisor.

Students are also advised to contact scdtp@soton.ac.uk to express their interest.

Deadline to Apply:

Deadline for applications is the 31st July 2026.

Number of placements available:

One

Placement overview and objectives:

Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, offers unique opportunities for young people to engage with science, nature, and the environment through its Nature Unlocked and Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) learning programmes. Nature Unlocked is Wakehurst’s landscape ecology research programme, exploring how different habitats contribute to biodiversity, carbon storage, and human wellbeing. These programmes introduce pupils to real scientists, active conservation research, and nature-based learning experiences that can help build science capital, foster wellbeing, and strengthen long-term connection to nature.

This placement offers a PhD student the opportunity to investigate how learning experiences at Wakehurst contribute to pupils’ science capital and nature connection, and to explore what kinds of low-resource follow-up activities could maximise their long-term impact. The student will combine applied research, evaluation, and co-design with the Learning team to propose practical ways to sustain engagement beyond a one-off visit.

Tasks to be undertaken/possible projects:

Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) and Nature Unlocked:

• Review existing literature on science capital in young people to identify low-resource strategies for sustained engagement beyond a single visit.
• Explore opportunities for follow-up engagement, such as online Q&A sessions with MSB scientists, short social media videos, or virtual tours.
• Co-develop creative ways for pupils to continue interacting with the MSB and Nature
• Unlocked content with minimal demands on scientists’ time.

Nature Connection:

• Review literature on the long-term impact of nature-connectedness activities in schools to identify optimal levels of contact for lasting benefits.
• Co-develop a Nature Connection Grounding Toolkit (in collaboration with the Nature Connectedness Lead) to support young people’s wellbeing.
• Explore how the new evaluation toolkit (see Participation placement) could be adapted for use within Learning programmes.
• Develop a framework for working with a small cohort of schools to encourage further nature-based activity and evaluate its longer-term impact.
• Co-create accessible versions of learning trails and sensory resources to enhance sessions with SEND schools and pupils requiring extra support.

Required skills and experience:

• Experience in educational or social research, including data collection and analysis.
• Strong analytical and writing skills with attention to clarity and detail.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to engage effectively with young people and educators.
• Interest in science communication, environmental education, or wellbeing through nature.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to evolving project priorities.

Skills and areas of knowledge to be developed through the placement:

• Applied research design and evaluation in real-world learning settings.
• Data collection and analysis using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Stakeholder engagement and co-design with educators and young people.
• Framework development related to science capital and nature connection.
• Communicating findings to professional, educational, and non-academic audiences.