New Project Inspires Diverse Voices in Environmental Science

An exciting new initiative facilitated by a SCFS academic is aiming to reshape how environmental science careers are imagined and pursued.

Titled “This is My Environmental Journey” (TIMELY), the project is being led by Dr. Feng Mao of IGSD (Institute for Global Sustainable Development) along with a cross-disciplinary team of researchers, artists, organisations, and people with lived experience. It is funded under NERC’s Opening Up the Environment 2025.

TIMELY will seek to demonstrate how accessible and relatable role models can create opportunities for researchers and professionals to imagine, access, and thrive in environmental science careers. The project will curate and showcase a range of diverse career journeys - particularly those that are non-linear, come from underrepresented backgrounds, and whose paths cross unexpected disciplines – through art-based methods such as storytelling, exhibitions (both physical and virtual), and visual elicitation. Partner organizations include the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry City Council, and The National Mathematics and Science College.

Dr Mao commented:

"Environmental science needs every voice and every story. With TIMELY, we want to spark imagination, celebrate diverse journeys, and show that there are many ways to belong, thrive, and make a difference in this field."

A highlight of the project will be the TIMELY exhibitions, planned for 2026 at the University of Warwick and online. Co-created with the community, they will showcase diverse career journeys in environmental science and inspire future generations to imagine their own place in the field. Watch this space for further announcements to follow!