Participation in Science Is Designed: What Shapes Inclusion, Visibility, and Engagement in Research Communities

Session Information

Location: amf. P7 | "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University of Iași (TUIAȘI)
Day: 4. Thursday 18
Time: 14:30-14:50
Chairperson: Ionel Dumitrel Ghiba

Presentation Details

Presentation Type: Oral presentation
Title: Participation in Science Is Designed: What Shapes Inclusion, Visibility, and Engagement in Research Communities
Abstract: Participation in science is often presented as open, merit-based, and equally accessible to everyone. However, the structures through which scientific research is organised significantly influence who can participate, whose work gains visibility, and who feels acknowledged within academic and research communities. In Greek Women in STEM, we address issues surrounding participation in science with the aim of drawing attention to and reshaping the infrastructures that hinder inclusion.

In this presentation, through a socio-technical approach, we will focus on the systems, practices, and infrastructures that affect inclusion, visibility, and engagement in research environments. Drawing from perspectives in science and technology studies, we will illustrate how institutional norms and structures, conference spaces, and digital platforms contribute to experiences of participation in STEM.

While scientific communities are often imagined as neutral spaces governed primarily by expertise and achievement, in reality, participation is shaped by many invisible dynamics, including access to networks, representation, recognition, platform visibility, and informal social practices. Such dynamics can significantly affect how researchers navigate academic spaces and maintain long-term engagement in scientific communities.

Participation, therefore, is not merely an individual choice or a result of personal motivation. it is continuously shaped and negotiated through the environments and systems in which research takes place. By reframing participation as something intentionally designed rather than a naturally occurring phenomenon, this talk will spark a broader discussion about responsibility and design in scientific communities. What kinds of academic cultures foster a sense of belonging? Which practices support sustained engagement and visibility for diverse researchers? How can institutions and networks move beyond symbolic inclusion towards meaningful participation?

Through this discussion, our presentation emphasises the significance of creating equitable and reflexive research cultures that view diversity not as an afterthought but as central to scientific collaboration and innovation. Ultimately, we argue that building inclusive scientific communities requires attention not only to who is present but also to how participation itself is structured, valued, and supported across the research ecosystem.

Presenter

Ms Maria Kyriazi
University of Oxford | United Kingdom

Authors

1. Kyriazi, Maria | University of Oxford, United Kingdom
2. Sikotakopoulou, Antonia Nikoletta | Technische Universität Dresden, Germany