News

Supporting researchers from Black heritage – our new partnership with the Royal Society

Recognising a need for interventions

Despite its enormous impact and prevalence, research into dementia is desperately underfunded. This has impacted many early career researchers who find it hard to build a career in the field of dementia research. 

This is especially true for researchers from Black heritage – people from Black or Mixed Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black heritage backgrounds – where numbers have remained low across science, technology, maths and engineering.

Recognising the lack of initiatives for postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented groups and the need for interventions, the Royal Society is piloting targeted funding. This is initially for researchers from Black heritage.

We are now partnering with the Royal Society on their Career Development Fellowship scheme to help increase representation in dementia research, supporting talented researchers to thrive in an academic career.

Building a strong base for a successful research career

Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society said:

'The more diverse a workforce is, the more innovative it is.

'The partnership will give this person at the start of their research career access to new opportunities, bespoke training and mentoring from the Royal Society to help them to not only survive but to thrive in the UK academic sector.

Everyone in research should feel supported to develop in their careers.

About the Career Development Fellowship

Dementia researchers who are funded through the fellowship will join a cohort of other researchers from Black or Mixed Black African, Black Caribbean or other Black heritage backgrounds. They'll be working across a broad range of research disciplines and have access to a bespoke, high-quality programme of training, mentoring and engagement delivered by the Royal Society with opportunities for peer support and collective learning.

By joining the Royal Society in the Career Development Fellowship scheme, we will be supporting promising early career researchers to kickstart their independent career. 

We are committed to taking steps towards building a research environment where everyone can feel supported and involves the widest range of perspectives, ideas and opinions so we can tackle dementia for everyone.