We are delighted to announce that registration is now open for the Diversity in Developmental Science Conference 2026, a free, in-person one-day event taking place on Thursday 23 April 2026 in London.
Registration is mandatory as places are limited. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please register using this link
📍 Event details
Date: Thursday 23 April 2026
Time: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Location: Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck, 27 Torrington Square, London WC1E 7JL
The conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and students to explore how we can build more inclusive, equitable, and globally relevant developmental science, while also providing practical skills and career development support for early- and mid-career researchers.
Keynote Address – Building Inclusive Research Communities
Dr Sakshi Ghai (London School of Economics)
Dr Ghai is an Assistant Professor of Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE. Her research focuses on how digital technologies shape young people’s wellbeing in the Global South, alongside broader work on diversity, sample representativeness, and equity in behavioural science.
Panel Discussion – Advancing Inclusive Research Practices
The panel brings together expertise in cross-cultural research, participatory methods, global research networks, and equity in science and healthcare. Featuring:
Professor Cecilia Essau (University of Roehampton)
Dr Bayparvah Kaur Gehdu (Participatory Research Specialist, neurodiversity & community research)
Dr Melissa Washington-Nortey (King’s College London)
Dr Sasha Henriques (Genomics England)
The afternoon includes two interactive workshops designed to upskill and support career development:
Making Mentoring Matter (Research Culture and Researcher Development Team, University of Glasgow)
Exploring how to find, shape, and use mentoring relationships that are culturally responsive, empowering, and values-aligned.
Building a Competitive Academic Profile (Wellcome Trust)
A practical session demystifying funding and fellowship decisions, what reviewers look for, and how to build a strong academic profile over time.
The full conference programme is available here: https://bit.ly/4qagKnn.
🖼️ Posters, travel awards & prizes
We warmly invite students and early-career researchers to submit an abstract for a poster presentation. Posters may be on any topic in developmental science and do not need to focus on diversity or inclusion. A poster prize will be awarded at the end of the day. To support attendance, we are offering travel awards of up to £100. Please follow the instructions in the registration link to submit an abstract and/or apply for a travel award. The deadline to submit an abstract and/or apply for a travel award is 6th March 2026.
We would be very grateful if you could share this invitation with students, colleagues, and networks who may be interested.
We look forward to welcoming you for a day of discussion, learning, and connection.
Best wishes,
Diversity in Developmental Science Network