At Nottingham Trent University, researchers are using their expertise to make a difference in society.
One such researcher is Dr Seema Patel, a Senior Lecturer in Law at Nottingham Law School.
Seema leads, lectures and tutors on a number of law modules, with expertise is Sports Law, in particular discrimination in sport and the regulatory balance between inclusion and exclusion in competitive sport. Her current research includes gender discrimination and genetic discrimination. Seema has frequently attended and presented her research at a number of national and international conferences. She has also published in her area and has released a book with Routledge.
In a video interview, Seema talks about her experience engaging with UK Parliament's House of Lords National Plan for Sport and Recreation Select Committee.
An enjoyable and valuable experience
In the UK, select committees are small groups of MPs or members of the House of Lords that are set up to investigate a specific issue in detail or to perform a specific scrutiny role. They may call in officials and experts like Semma for questioning.
The House of Lords select committee on the National Plan for Sport and Recreation invited Seema to take part in a private seminar covering relevant aspects of sport and recreation policy. She was asked to talk in the topic of the UK legislative framework in regard to sport and comparative international models. But she was also given scope to expand upon inclusion issues and they welcomed suggestions from her.
Seema was then invited to submit written evidence as an academic expert on discrimination in sport offering a legal and regulatory view on issues concerning barriers to participation, accountability of sports bodies, and inclusion.
“I was really nervous about interacting with notable Members, but the Committee were extremely welcoming and receptive, the questions after the talk were manageable and they really challenged me to speak concisely and precisely," explains Seema.
"I was very honoured and excited to engage with Parliament and offer my expertise. It’s really important to me that my research influences and promotes change in policymaking to ensure inclusion in sport."
"This entire experience is incredibly enjoyable and valuable, and the team are really welcoming and friendly, and there is an overarching sense that what you are doing is making a real difference by contributing," she adds.
Inspired by Seema's experience?
At Nottingham Trent University, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. It’s about breaking down barriers and tackling society’s problems in the wild, not just in a laboratory. It’s about bringing together the brightest minds to reimagine research and find the answers to the questions that really matter.
If you're interested in a research career, start by searching job vacancies at NTU.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.