The Rebel Researchers Lab began as an idea on a walk along the Mediterranean in Cyprus, where Fatma Sabet and Kristi Dingwall dreamed of reshaping academic research into a force for real-world change. In 2024, at the ECER conference where both were presenting, they envisioned a space where research is accessible, relevant, and touches the lives of all. This vision, grounded in a passion for social justice and democratic knowledge sharing, became the foundation for the Rebel Researchers Lab.
Fatma and Kristi share a global outlook shaped by their international backgrounds and experiences as women growing up in the Global South. They first met as doctoral students at the University of Exeter’s School of Education, where they quickly bonded over their dedication to transforming research for a more inclusive world. Together, they’ve navigated the challenges of early-career research and built a friendship rooted in the desire to make a difference.
Our Mission
- The Rebel Researchers Lab is more than just a research initiative—it’s a movement. So What’s the IDEA? Our mission is to make research
- Impactful: reaching and changing lives of millions of people
- Diverse: telling and shaping new narratives of untrodden space
- Equal: giving a voice to the voiceless
- Accessible: educating the public about research in a creative, engaging, and non-technical way.