Saima Salehjee

Saima Salehjee is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Education at Brunel University London, within the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. She is actively engaged in teaching, research, and leadership in STEM education, with a strong emphasis on equity, inclusion, and anti-racist pedagogy. Her work spans formal and informal learning environments, with a focus on lifelong STEM engagement, particularly among ethnically minoritized women.

• PhD in Education, Brunel University London
• MA in Educational Leadership, Brunel University London
• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Her research interests center on STEM identity, science literacy, and the intersection of race, gender, and religion in science education. She explores how stories and narratives can transform science learning and support identity development across the lifespan. Her work emphasizes pedagogies for success and inclusive practices in teacher education.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in equity-focused science education, with recurring themes in mentoring, teacher development, intersectionality, and informal learning. Articles often employ narrative and qualitative methods to understand identity formation and success pathways in STEM, particularly for underrepresented groups.

• Grace Peeling Memorial Prize (Brunel University, 2011)
• British Council/Newton Funded scheme (UK delegate, 2018)
• Canberra University ASERA Conference funding (2016)
• Royal Society of Chemistry funding – Nudges into Science Education (2018–2019)
• Skills Development Scotland grant – Boosting Teachers’ Engagement with Research Evidence (2019–2021)
• University of Glasgow Interdisciplinary Research Funding – STEM resources for ethnic minority families (2023–2024)

Saima supervises doctoral students and mentors early-career researchers. She has successfully guided PhD candidates on topics such as teacher professional learning in Scotland and distributive leadership in Saudi Arabian schools. She also examines doctoral theses and contributes to the broader academic community through editorial and conference roles.

She convenes the Race, Ethnicity and Education special interest group at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Advance HE Anti-Racist Curriculum group, and the Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators. Her outreach includes guest lectures at institutions like UCL Institute of Education and the University of Birmingham, focusing on intersectionality and equity in STEM.