Research projects

Attitudes to Science

What does the research evidence suggest about factors that influence students' attitudes, participation and engagement in STEM subjects?

Geoengineering: a climate of uncertainty?

This aim of this project is to contribute to discussion about geoengineering by creating knowledge about how young people respond to climate intervention and the ethical, social and political questions it raises.

Manifesto for Education for Environmental Sustainability

What could the future of education for environmental sustainability look like?

Open-ended investigations post-16

The Gatsby Charitable Foundation asked UYSEG to investigate how teachers create opportunities for open-ended investigative work post-16.

Research into the Impact of Spaceflight on Engagement with STEM subjects: the RISES project

Tim Peake’s Principia mission saw him become the first government-sponsored British astronaut to go to the International Space Station. We are investigating if human spaceflight inspires school students to choose science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects and careers.

Teaching about genomics

UYSEG, working with the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus Public Engagement team, is reviewing the research on teaching genomics-related biology, and surveying the landscape of materials and teacher support for genomics learning.

Youth voices and the environment

UYSEG is conducting research into young people's experiences and responses to environmental interventions and associated activism.

Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST)

Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) is a major research-informed curriculum development, which aims to transform science education research into practice by making research-informed, open-access resources freely available to secondary school science teachers.

Independent research projects

Find out more about UYSEG research into teaching and learning through independent research projects at post-16, supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Oak National Academy Project

The University of York Science Education Group (UYSEG) in the Department of Education and the Centre for Industry Education Collaboration (CIEC), in the Department of Chemistry, are working together to develop lesson resources for teachers and pupils covering the primary and secondary science curriculum in England.

The £1.4 million project is funded by Oak National Academy and will draw on UYSEG’s highly regarded Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) project.

Practical work: a rapid evidence review of independent practical research projects

The Wellcome Trust asked UYSEG and colleagues at the UCL Institute of Education to carry out an international review of work on independent research projects in school science.

Science beyond the boundaries

This project, funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation seeks to engage high school science teachers with pedagogical approaches that will take their students beyond traditional subject boundaries and enable them to consider ‘big questions’ about the ways in which the sciences intersect with other disciplines.

Understanding and improving doctoral training in the sciences and engineering

We are working with the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Aerosol Science to develop new approaches to doctoral training and to understand their impact.