Applications open for BNA Scholars Programme to support underrepresented ethnic groups in neuroscience

5th Oct 2021

We are delighted to announce that the British Neuroscience Association’s (BNA) Scholars Programme is now open to applications for our second cohort of underrepresented ethnic groups in neuroscience. 

Thanks to the ongoing commitment from our Founding Supporters as well as new supporters, the BNA is able to support a further seven Scholars in this unique mentorship-based scheme to increase equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in neuroscience.  

The BNA Scholars programme was launched at the beginning of January 2021 and the inaugural cohort was announced in March of the same year. The Programme was created in consultation with BNA members and others interested in improving EDI in neuroscience, to support students from currently under-represented ethnic groups in neuroscience and build a supportive community through networking opportunities, bursaries and mentorship.  

Mentorship remains at the core of the BNA Scholars programme. However, the breadth of support for Scholars has now grown to include:  

• Membership of the BNA 

• Membership of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) 

• Networking opportunities through the BNA and BNA events 

• Opportunities to connect with key individuals within the BNA, for instance members of the BNA Council and Committee, and the Editorial Board of the BNA Journal, Brain and Neuroscience Advances 

• Free registration and funding towards BNA Festival of Neuroscience attendance 

• Funding towards FENS Forum attendance 

• £300 career development grant from HelloBio  

In response to feedback during this first year of the programme, we have broadened the eligibility criteria to include early career research technicians and assistants. We are excited to broaden our eligibility criteria and hope in doing so will ensure the programme is inclusive of different career routes.  

The pilot year of the Programme is still ongoing, and an evaluation process will be completed once the year has completed. 

We are proud to see this important initiative progress into a second year and look forward to seeing how it continues to grow. 

“I am thrilled that the first year of the BNA Scholars Programme has been such a success. We have worked with the cohort of scholars to continue to review the programme and I am delighted that we can announce that the scheme is now open to applications for our second cohort. I would like to thank our founding supporters for their ongoing commitment to the Programme as well as our Scholars and the team at the British Neuroscience Association for all of their hard work and dedication.” - Emma Yhnell, BNA Representative for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

‘"The BNA Scholars Programme has increased my academic confidence, and has lined up unique conference and networking opportunities that would have been difficult otherwise. My BNA mentor has also been very helpful by providing an outside perspective of my studies and even of my work-life balance. I would definitely recommend the scheme to others as I only see it getting even better as time goes on!’" - Oluwaseyi (Seyi) Jesusanmi, BNA Scholar

"The BNA Scholars Programme is a great opportunity for anyone looking to broaden their neuroscience experiences. For example, through the scholars mentorship programme, I have gained a new support network. This takes away some of the intimidation of being an early career researcher, as I get to learn from more experienced cohort peers. I really look forward to the next three years of the scheme and diversifying my experiences as a scientist!" - Tamara Wahid, BNA Scholar

We always welcome and encourage any feedback or comments related to the BNA Scholars Programme. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

Enquiries: please contact the BNA office with any questions or comments 

Want to become a Scholar? Check the eligibility and expectations here.

Scholar applications close in late December.

Could you be a mentor? Check the eligibility and expectations here.

Mentor applications close in early March.

At the time of writing, the BNA Scholars Programme is proudly supported by our eight Founding Supporters: Bristol Neuroscience (University of Bristol), COMPASS Pathways, DeepMind, Gatsby Foundation, Guarantors of Brain, International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), MSD and the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), as well as our new supporter HelloBio. We are incredibly grateful for their cohesive commitment to the BNA Scholars Programme and associated EDI activities.