School of Social and Political Science

Background

I work in Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, focusing on knowledge access infrastructures - the social, technical and institutional arrangements through which knowledge is produced, shared and governed.

I examine how institutions organise collaboration, manage knowledge infrastructures and shape research governance and science policy. This includes cross-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder environments bringing together universities, scientific organisations, government institutions and practitioner communities. 

My research on cave and karst science, developed in my PhD Shaping Knowledge Underground: Structures of Collaboration in Cave and Karst Research, analysed how collaboration between academic researchers, practitioner communities and public institutions shapes the organisation of research and access to knowledge. This work spans across multi-method projects and teams.

Alongside academic research, I contribute to international initiatives addressing governance and participation in scientific organisations. I lead the Best Practices Working Group of the Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science (SCGES) and serve on the Social and Gender Equality Working Group of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), contributing to international guidelines and policy recommendations on organisational practices and participation in science.

I welcome enquiries from academic colleagues, research collaborators, and organisations interested in knowledge infrastructures, collaboration, governance and science policy.

Qualifications

• PhD - Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh (2026)
• MSc by Research - Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh (2018, Distinction)
• BA (Hons) - Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity Saint David (2014, First Class)

Awards

• ESRC/UKRI Studentship in Science and Technology Studies (1+3, MSc+PhD), 2017-2023
• Special Award, University of Edinburgh (MSc+PhD), 2017-2022
• Helen McCormack Scholarship Prize, Best Dissertation of the Year, 2014

Academic Publications

• Sambento, S. (2024). 'Hard core, soft touches: A story of affect between caves, rocks and humans' in Earthy Matters, eds L. Steel & L. Attala. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

Research Reports and Policy Contributions

• Mattes, J., Morgan, A., & Sambento, S. (2025). 'Membership Survey 2024: How many speleologists are there?' in UIS Bulletin 67-1, International Union of Speleology.
• Mattes, J., Sambento, S., & Uasapud Enríquez, N. V. (2025). Guidelines for Social and Gender Equality in Speleology. International Union of Speleology (UIS).

Practitioner and Public Engagement

• Sambento, S. (2019). 'Entrevista con Simone Sambento' interview by M. Arriolabengoa, L. Richard, A. Hermoso de Mendoza in Karaitza, 27: 80–83.

Work in Progress

• Sambento, S. Collaboration Structures in Multi-Stakeholder Research. Article manuscript in preparation.