About STARS CDT

The STARS CDT provided a diverse skills programme, including: Holistic training in soils, the promotion of collegiality and joint working, strategies to promote science and generate impact, internships with end users (e.g., policymakers, industry), personal wellbeing, and ways to generate a lasting soils training legacy.

Overall, both supervisors and students reported a positive experience of the CDT in comparison to the conventional doctoral training programmes, which have less discipline focus and little chance for students to scientifically interact with their cohorts or to undertake joint training activities. The STARS CDT also allowed students to freely access research infrastructure across the partner institutions (internal link) (e.g., long-term field trials, specialised analytical facilities, high-performance computing), breaking down traditional institutional barriers and thus maximising the students' potential to undertake high-quality research. The success and legacy of the STARS CDT can be evidenced in many ways; however, it is exemplified by the large number and diversity of journal papers produced (internal link, STARS outputs), the lasting collaborations, final career destinations, and the creation of a web-based legacy portal including new and reflective video material

In 2022 STARS was awarded additional funding to support a STARS Legacy. This funding has allowed us to consolidate our learning and outcomes and make them available to a wider community. This website is its digital home. We intend this space to communicate the STARS CDT legacy and support future soil scientists and related researchers and students with valuable information on the culture and practice and basics of soil science, particularly, but not limited to the U.K.

For more information on the STARS Pedagogic approach please see our management board, administration and student lead paper:

On pedagogy of a Soil Science Centre for Doctoral Training

STARS Partners