TransEDU R&I: Exploring and Mitigating the Experiences of Trans and Non-Binary Researchers in R&I in the UK

Overview

TransEDU R&I (2025–2026) is the latest phase of the wider TransEDU programme. This UK‑wide project examines the experiences, challenges and unmet needs of trans, non‑binary and gender diverse researchers across the Research & Innovation (R&I) landscape.
This study provides essential insight into how current conditions shape the participation, safety and inclusion of gender diverse researchers within the UK R&I system.

About TransEDU R&I

TransEDU R&I was undertaken in 2025 by Dr Stephanie McKendry, Dr Matson Lawrence and Dr Sidonie Ecochard, with empirical data collection taking place between July and October 2025.
The study investigates the experiences of trans and non‑binary researchers across all disciplinary areas and career stages in UK R&I. Survey and interview participants span STEM, social sciences, arts, humanities and health fields, demonstrating that gender diverse researchers contribute widely across the sector.
The project aims to:

  • Build a robust and much‑needed evidence base on the experiences of trans and non‑binary researchers within the UK R&I ecosystem.
  • Identify and analyse structural barriers affecting research participation, collaboration, and progression.
  • Understand the impacts of the current legal and political climate on the professional and personal lives of gender diverse researchers.
  • Develop actionable recommendations for universities, funders, research organisations and networks.
  • Produce innovative and accessible dissemination outputs in collaboration with artists and knowledge‑exchange partners.

This study extends earlier TransEDU research while responding to contemporary challenges affecting researchers across the UK.

Research Questions

The TransEDU R&I report sets out two core research questions:

  • What barriers exist for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people to engage in the research process generally and in collaborative activity specifically?
  • How can the barriers faced by trans, non-binary and gender diverse postgraduate and early career researchers be mitigated to improve the long-term viability of their research careers?

These questions provide the framework for the project’s methodological design and thematic analysis.

Methodology

The project adopts a mixed‑methods approach, allowing for breadth and depth in data collection:

  • UK‑wide online survey examining research experiences, barriers, support needs and perceptions of inclusion across the sector.
  • One‑to‑one qualitative interviews, enabling deeper exploration of participant perspectives and lived realities.
  • Thematic analysis of qualitative data using NVivo, allowing the research team to systematically identify patterns across large datasets.
  • Collaboration with an advisory group of trans and non-binary researchers who co‑designed tools, shaped engagement strategy, and reviewed emerging themes.

This methodology supports robust, participatory and ethically grounded research design.

Findings

These findings represent the key themes emerging from the survey and interviews, providing a clear picture of the barriers and conditions shaping research careers for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people in the UK R&I sector. They foreground the issues that participants identified as most consequential for their ability to participate, collaborate and progress.

Representation

Trans and non‑binary researchers are present across all career stages and disciplines in UK R&I, yet their experiences remain under‑represented in sector-wide policy and practice.

Key Barriers

  1. Mobility—typically essential for academic progression—is constrained by structural and personal safety concerns, including access to gender-affirming healthcare and hostile legal or institutional environments.
  2. Visibility in academia—via conferences, publications or media—often poses significant personal risk. Researchers reported limiting public engagement to avoid harassment or reputational harm.
  3. Safety—Participants described heightened day‑to‑day anxiety, including concerns about facilities access, campus environments and online harassment. Many reported that previously safe workspaces feel increasingly precarious.
  4. Institutional Context—Institutional responses to the current context vary widely. Some universities have upheld commitments to trans inclusion, while others have withdrawn protections or delayed action, deepening uncertainty and distress.

Resilience and Strategies

Participants employed a range of strategies—including building peer-led networks, managing visibility and pivoting research topics—to sustain their involvement in research.

Impact

TransEDU R&I has:

  • Increased awareness of systemic barriers in R&I
  • Identified priority areas for policy and structural change
  • Produced creative dissemination outputs funded by the Wellcome Trust
  • Informed institutional and sector-wide discussions about researcher support and safety

The project’s full findings and recommendations are published in the Final Report (February 2026).

Recommendations

The Final Report (February 2026) sets out comprehensive recommendations covering:

  • Institutional inclusion and legal clarity
  • Facilities reviews and improvements
  • Staff training grounded in lived experience
  • Safer, alternative routes for dissemination and networking
  • Transparent processes for responding to transphobia
  • Recognition of context in career progression frameworks

A full set of recommendations arising from TransEDU R&I is available in the dedicated Recommendations tab.

Full Report

👉 Download the report: Trans and Non-Binary Researchers – Final Report (University of Strathclyde)