About the session
The landscape of higher education has significantly changed as a result of the events of this past year. The extreme loss of disabled people’s lives due to the pandemic, the BLM movement, and the fight for women’s’ rights has not only exposed the cracks in the system but has highlighted the need for reform. This session will explore the topic of allyship and its importance through the journeys of five researchers sharing their stories about parenthood, gender acceptance, disability and race within academia.
Who is it for?
- Early Career Researchers (including Postdocs)
- Mid-Career Researchers
- Managers of Researchers
- Research-related Professional Services Staff (including research support administrators, researcher developers and career development professionals)
- Others eg: stakeholders from industry, funding agencies, policy influencers, editors, etc.
Objectives
Attendees will learn about what allyship is through a panel discussion with researchers from diverse backgrounds.
Get to know your facilitators
Dr Clara Barker, University of Oxford
Dr Clara Barker is an Engineer and Material Scientist who manages the Centre for Applied Superconductivity at Oxford. Prior to this, she completed a PhD and various post-docs as a thin-film material scientist, and her main areas of research have been transparent conductive oxides, hardness coatings and, currently, high temperature superconductors. Clara is also the chair of the LGBT+ advisory group at Oxford University, and in 2018 she won the first diversity role model award from the University. She runs a youth group for LGBTI+ people, with a support group for their parents. Clara vocally campaigns for trans rights, reminding people that the fight for LGBTI+ equality is not yet won. She is the recipient of the Points of Light Award from the UK Prime Minister in 2017 and 2018, was invited to a reception to celebrate London Pride at 10 Downing Street with the UK Prime Minister in 2018, has written and delivered many talks about equity in STEM, including a TEDxLondon talk in 2018.
Ayo Barley, Business Development Manager, Co-Chair BAME Staff Network, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Ayo studied Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, UK and completed her degree is 2006. Her dissertation research focused on Black and Minority Health Inequalities and the Mixed-Race population. She went on to working for a number of charities focused on race and gender equality across the UK before establishing New Leaders Network, a registered charity focused on developing the leadership skills of people with protected characteristics. Ayo moved into the Higher Education sector in 2010 working for a range of specialist and Russell Group Higher Education Institutions in roles including International Alumni Relations & Development, and International Student Recruitment. She has travelled extensively to meet with students and partner organisations in regions including South East Asia, West Africa and South Asia. Since moving to LSTM in 2018, she has been working in the Education Department focused on implementing the Education Development Plan which includes supporting the expansion of LSTM's teaching portfolio through developing robust strategic partnerships with non-governmental organisations, governments, multilateral agencies, professional bodies, industry, and Higher Education Institutions.
Ayo has successfully secured £136,400 for a range of CSC Distance Learning Scholarships which has increased participation in the online MSc Global Health programme. Ayo is an active member of the Equality & Diversity Committee and Athena Swan Self Assessment Team. She has a strong interest in equality and founded LSTM's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Staff Network in 2020. The network aims to support all UK and International staff that identify as BAME by raising awareness of race equality across LSTM, and to promote the creation of a working and learning environment in which all staff, students, stakeholders, and visitors feel welcome, comfortable, respected and valued. Ayo is a full member of the Institute of Fundraising.
Dr Jason Olsen, Disability Research Specialists
Dr Jason Olsen is an advocate for disability rights, social justice and inclusion. He is CEO of Disability Research Specialists (DRs), a company specialising in offering businesses and organisations the academic expertise and lived experiences of disabled researchers. DRs goals are to conduct thorough disability research and to create more inclusive workplaces. Recently, his major efforts have been focused upon assisting the UK Cabinet Office in the development of the National Strategy for Disabled People. Previously, Jason served as a Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the United States Department of Labour and as a special Attaché to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Here he spearheaded key policies to protect the employment of disabled people. Jason joined the University of Ulster in 2016 to pursue a PhD in social policy. He is a former Fulbright Governance and Public Policy Scholar, a well-published author, and a recognised speaker on disability rights.
Dr Louise Stephen, Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute
Dr Louise Stephen is a post-doctoral researcher and former co-chair of the UK Research Staff Association (UKRSA). Louise investigates skeletal biology at the Roslin Institute. Louise received her PhD from the University of Manchester and previously worked at the Beatson Institute and University of Edinburgh before taking maternity leave in 2018. Louise is passionate about championing researcher development and inclusion through her work at the UKRSA and Vitae as well as with local Equality, Diversity and Inclusion groups.
Dr Krishanthi Subramaniam, University of Liverpool
Dr Krishanthi Subramaniam is a Tenure-Track Fellow at the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences at the University of Liverpool where she is works on vaccine design for flaviviruses. From the US, Krishanthi completed her MSc and PhD at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York before joining the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 2012. A trained immunologist, Krishanthi has worked for the Foundation of Innovative New Diagnostics and completed multiple field studies in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East. She is the author of multiple peer-reviewed articles and held positions as President of the Early Career Group at LSTM and co-chair of the Research Staff Association at the University of Liverpool.
Session video
Further resources
Reporting from the Margins: Disabled Academics Reflections on Higher Education:
- https://www.sjdr.se/articles/10.16993/sjdr.670/
- https://www.tigerinstemm.org/resources
- https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00024-z
All NPDC21 listed resources including presentation slides and top tips are freely available. Please ensure you acknowledge the author(s) and/or source when using them.
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