Karen Paton is a Research Associate in the School of Education at the University of Southampton currently working on the ESRC-TLRP funded project ‘Non-participation in higher education; decision-making as an embedded social practice’ research project. She joined the University in 2006, having previously worked as a Researcher at the University of Bristol on a number of projects including ‘The impact of the Connexions Service on young people at risk’ (DfES funded), ‘Winners and Losers; young people’s employment trajectories in a changing labour market’ (ESRC funded), ‘Student experiences of Higher Education: An investigation into experiences and needs’ (University of Bristol funded), ‘Ethnic segregation and entry into the labour market’ (Leverhulme Trust funded) and ‘'Class and National Identity in Britain' (Leverhulme Trust funded).

Karen’s main research interests include widening participation, the experiences and needs of non-traditional students in higher education, social class identity and social mobility, race and ethnicity, transitions between education and employment, and research methodology. She is currently undertaking a part-time PhD exploring the socio-cultural experiences of working class students in higher education and their transition into the labour market.

Karen also co-ordinates the ‘Participation Research Group’ which has over 80 University and external members drawn from policy, practice and research communities.