Zoo Spaces and Equitable Nature Connection

About the project

About the Project This PhD will evaluate how UK zoo education programmes and zoo spaces foster public connection to nature and drive behaviour change. Working with British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the student will apply social science frameworks to audit conservation education interventions at multiple BIAZA zoos. By intersecting visitor outcomes with ESRC poverty databases, the project will map how socioeconomic deprivation impacts equitable access to nature-based learning. The PhD researcher will play a pivotal role in shaping the project's empirical focus by selecting target audiences, ranging from children and families to under-represented adult communities, and determining the key geographic regions they wish to investigate. Through tailored social science methodologies, the researcher will explore how varied local contexts and structural barriers influence public engagement. Ultimately, the candidate will co-design and refine educational frameworks alongside BIAZA partners to ensure zoo spaces deliver inclusive, equitable, impactful conservation engagement. Topic details ESRC Research Priority Areas Net zero, environment, biodiversity and climate change Understanding behaviour Research skills you must have An informed interest in conservation education Competence in mixed-methods research Experience utilising spatial and/or demographic datasets Experience with qualitative methods A master's in a related field or equivalent experience Research skills it would be helpful to have Familiarity with informal/environmental pedagogy or behaviour change frameworks Understanding of nature-connection debates Prior engagement with environmental/zoo organisations Ability to translate research for third-sector partners Experience with GIS or spatial visualisation tools Supervisory team Lead Supervisor - Professor Anna Nekaris, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environment, School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, anna.nekaris@aru.ac.uk Second Supervisor - Dr Melanie Rohse, Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, melanie.rohse@aru.ac.uk Third Supervisor - Dr Elsa Lee, Centre for Education Research on Identities and Inequalities, School of Education, Anglia Ruskin University, elsa.lee@aru.ac.uk Knowledge Exchange Supervisor - Dr Cerian Tatchley, Head of Learning, Research & Accreditation, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), cerian.tatchley@biaza.org.uk About the CAM-DTP studentship This topic is offered through the Cambridge ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership (CAM-DTP), a partnership of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the University of Bedfordshire and the University of Cambridge. An ESRC-funded CAM-DTP studentship supports 3.5–4.5 years of full-time study, and part-time study (minimum 50% of full-time) is particularly encouraged. The studentship provides: Tuition fees up to the value of the national UKRI rate for Home fees An annual tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate (£21,805 per annum in 2026–27 for full-time students) Up to £900 from the department to support research training A personalised training programme to develop research, communication, employability and personal skills Support for a required three-month placement (an Innovation Fellowship) with an academic or non-academic partner Studentships start on 1 October 2027. Further details: cam-dtp.ac.uk/students/the-studentship . Eligibility Applicants should have (or expect to achieve) at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent experience. A Master’s degree in a relevant subject is desirable. Applicants from non-traditional academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Both full-time and part-time applicants are welcome. CAM-DTP particularly encourages applicants from low socio-economic backgrounds or who have experienced educational disadvantage, and those with inter- or cross-disciplinary interests. Home and international students are eligible. International students receive fees at the Home rate only and must secure an additional scholarship to cover the difference between Home and international fees (evidence is required at application), as well as the costs of a UK visa and immigration health surcharge (around £3.5k). The studentship is based at ARU (Cambridge), and students are expected to live within reasonable travel distance of their campus. How to apply Contact the lead supervisor first. Before applying, contact Professor Anna Nekaris ( anna.nekaris@aru.ac.uk ) to discuss the topic and your research proposal. Applications should not be made without speaking to the supervisory team first. Apply through the ARU online portal by 15 November 2026 , selecting the October 2027 entry option marked ‘CAM-DTP Only’. Using the wrong intake may mean your application is not considered for CAM-DTP funding. The application link for this topic is on the ARU CAM-DTP studentships page . Prepare the following documents: degree certificates and transcripts; a personal statement explaining your suitability for the project; a research outline setting out the gap in knowledge and your proposed methodology; a CV; passport and visa or EU Settlement Scheme share code (if applicable); and email addresses for two referees. Shortlisting and interview. Applicants will be contacted between 23 November and 4 December 2026. Online interviews will take place between 7 and 18 December 2026. Nomination. The successful candidate completes nomination forms with the supervisory team in January, and is nominated for CAM-DTP funding in early February 2027. Nomination does not guarantee funding. CAM-DTP does not accept direct applications. Questions about the application process: phdscholarships@aru.ac.uk .

Research areas