Professor Carol Davenport

Associate Professor

Department: Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering

Carol is a Professor of STEM Engagement, and Director of NUSTEM at Northumbria University.

Carol began working in education at Barnsley College as a Physics lecturer, and later taught at a large North East school. Moving into teacher education, she worked within the network of Science Learning Centres for over five years, and with the Institute of Physics as a Physics Network Coordinator for the Stimulating Physics Network.

Carol is an experienced curriculum designer and textbook author. She is also a governor at a local school and college.

Carol's research interests include career aspirations in young children, and diversity in STEM.

Campus Address

Ellison Building, EB305

Email Carol

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

My research interests are focused on diversity in STEM. With the NUSTEM team I research the attitudinal and behavioural changes required to increase the diversity and number of young people choosing STEM careers. I am interested in the factors which influence very young children's career choices, and how teachers and famillies can support these early choices.

I also work with organisations to help them develop impactful ways to support diversity in STEM, especially through the use of Theory of Change processes.

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Let's do Engineering: Engineers and Creative Practitioners Experiences of Co-creating Activities and Resources for 3-7 Year-Olds, and Teacher Evaluation of Resource Effectiveness, Bridle, H., Donnelly, R., Padwick, A., Rajendra, T., Shimwell, J., Davenport, C. 1 Mar 2025, In: Early Child Development and Care
Embedding career-related learning in primary science, Davenport, C., Padwick, A. 6 Sep 2024
Using a behaviour change framework to develop an Early Years literacy and science project to support parental engagement, Davenport, C., Padwick, A., Shimwell, J. Nov 2024, In: Journal of Emergent Science
“We would just assume the wolf would be a boy…”: critical engagement with children’s literature by Early Years Educators, Davenport, C., Heslop, K., Padwick, A., Shimwell, J. 24 Dec 2024, In: International Journal of Early Years Education
Evaluating a complex and sustained STEM engagement programme through the lens of science capital: insights from Northeast England, Padwick, A., Dele-Ajayi, O., Davenport, C., Strachan, R. 12 May 2023, In: International Journal of STEM Education
Scientist of the Week: evaluating effects of a teacher-led STEM intervention to reduce stereotypical views of scientists in young children, Shimwell, J., DeWitt, J., Davenport, C., Padwick, A., Sanderson, J., Strachan, R. 3 Apr 2023, In: Research in Science and Technological Education
16 key skills and attributes for a successful career in physics, Davenport, C. 3 Oct 2022
Elimination before imagination:: How children’s early understanding of scientists may limit aspirations for broader STEM careers, Padwick, A., Davenport, C., Strachan, R. 8 Oct 2022, 2022 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), IEEE
Imagining the Sun: using comparative judgement to assess the impact of cross-curricular solar physics workshops, Davenport, C., Morton, R. 31 Oct 2022, In: Journal of Science Communication
'People like me': identifying personal attributes of STEM professionals, Davenport, C., Horan, M., Willis, B., Padwick, A., Strachan, R. 8 Oct 2022, 2022 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE 2022), Piscataway, US, IEEE

PGR Supervision

Emmy Amers An exploration of STEM role models from both facilitator and participant perspectives: A study in England and Wales Start Date: 01/10/2023