The Roving Researcher Scheme supports researchers on leave, particularly female scientists on maternity leave. The Scheme aims to maintain research momentum, benefiting both individuals and host labs. The current 2 Roving Researchers are already receiving good feedback.
The problem
There are many reasons for medium or long-term periods away from research. Most commonly, it is because of maternity leave, thereby disproportionately affecting the careers of talented female scientists. Provision for the research of those on leave varies widely between grant-awarding bodies, and even in those rare cases where funders do provide support for substitute appointments to compensate for the period of leave, recruitment of short-term replacements for highly skilled research is virtually impossible. Many funders pause funding and extend the duration of a grant for a period equivalent to the leave taken so that the project can be completed. However, pausing research delays the science with significant consequences and knock-on effects on the plans of the research group. Some funders do not cover parental leave costs, which can lead to pressure to return to work early. Together, these research pauses significantly impact not only the individual taking leave but also the host labs, especially those of small early-career group leaders who cannot easily redistribute the workload.
The solution
The Roving Researcher scheme enables the continuation of research momentum and benefits the individual on leave, the broader laboratory, and, ultimately, the University's research impact. Notably, the two leads on this initiative (Professor Laura Itzhaki and Dr Cathy Wilson, Department of Pharmacology) have both received one-off funding for this type of support before this scheme and found it invaluable for maintaining their research programmes.
The Rover provides experimental and othersupport to cover a researcher on leave. The allocation of Rovers is administered by a committee of group leaders from across departments in the School of Biological Sciences. It is based on research needs, timing, and the potential impact of the Rover on the career of the researcher on leave. The scheme has recruited two Rover posts for a 2-year pilot and already has feedback on the positive impact on research groups. The scheme urgently needs more funds to sustain these Rovers, as the goals are as follows: these schemes should run throughout academia, and Rovers provide full-time support during the entire leave period.
Over the last 5 years, the Departments of Pharmacology and Biochemistry combined have had 27 instances of maternity/adoption/shared parental leave ranging from 2 months to one year of absence, highlighting the need and potential uptake of the scheme. It will help to level up inequality, in particular by bridging the gender gap, which the pandemic has further impacted.