Programme Lead Hania Tayara Speaks at Explorers Symposium

 The event was held on November 29th at the Natural History Museum in London.

Hania Tayara, our Programme Lead for the Same Migrant Community programme in the UK, was as a panellist lead at the Explorers Symposium. This event is part of the Explorers Programme, an initiative of the Graduate Centre at the Natural History Museum in London, designed to inspire and support people from ethnic minorities in pursuing opportunities in Earth, environmental, and ecological sciences.

Hania at Explorers Symposium

The event featured panel discussions, skills workshops, and opportunities for community building. The objective was to understand the historical and present-day connection between different forms of marginalisation, foment the desire to embed inclusive practices in science and work practice and seek solidarity when embedding inclusive practices and programmes. 

It featured six panel sessions, each addressing key themes:

• Understanding the roots and causes of underrepresentation and marginalisation in the UK and beyond

• Co-developing science with Indigenous and local communities.

• Recruitment and retention practices with respect to diversity

• Narrating and contextualizing collections and specimens.

• Access in science.

• Outreach with marginalized communities—the session led by Hania Tayara, held on November 29th.

As the programme’s lead in the UK, Hania Tayara connects Arabic-speaking migrant children and scientists through science outreach activities. In her panel, Hania highlighted the impact of the SMC in Arabic, detailing the cities it has reached and the importance of fostering connections with students from migrant and asylum communities. 

We know that migrant children in Europe face inequalities compared to their native peers, with a noticeable gap in academic performance, and for some, these workshops mark the first time they’ve heard a scientist speak their own language, allowing them to ask questions freely in their native tongue without feeling self-conscious. In 2024, Native hosted five Arabic workshops in London, Newcastle and Bradford. With the help of sponsors like Royal Society of Chemistry, The Amjad & Suha Bseisu Foundation and Al Tajir Trust, that make the programme grow its reach each year.  

Hania has stated what it meant for her to be featured in the event. “It was great being a panellist at the Explorers Symposium and talking about the Arabic programme. We’ve come a long way since we launched this project just over a year ago. I also loved hearing from and learning from others on outreach with marginalised communities”.

Opportunities and recognitions like this show Native’s role in creating change through innovative programmes that promote engaged and educated communities.

About Native Scientists 

Founded in 2013, Native Scientists is a pan-European non-profit organisation connecting underserved children and scientists. It exists to broaden children's horizons, promoting scientific literacy and reducing inequalities through science outreach educational programmes.