Black in Research: empowering diversity for research excellence

October is Black History Month and this year’s theme is Saluting our Sisters. Professor Yemisi Takwoingi shares her reflections on her career and being a Black woman in research.

“Academia is so White” said one of my two daughters while looking through slides of a prestigious plenary lecture I recently gave. That’s because she hardly saw people of colour in the pictures of colleagues and people I’ve collaborated with over the years. Being Black in research can indeed be lonely at times especially the further up the ladder you go but I do not feel alone.

Prof Yemisi Takwoingi in the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens earlier this year.

I am a Nigerian-British married woman in a small (60ish) but growing cohort of Black female professors in UK higher education institutions. I have an unconventional career path with complimentary background in veterinary medicine, computer programming and medical statistics and have transitioned from technical support to academic related to an academic role at the University of Birmingham (2001−now). Starting from Nigeria, my entire life, well almost, has been in a university which certainly wasn’t the plan!

My research timeline began in 2008 as a part-time Research Fellow in Biostatistics; awarded a National Institute for Health and Care (NIHR) Doctoral Fellowship in 2012; completed the part-time PhD and promoted to Senior Research Fellow in 2016; awarded a NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2018; promoted to Chair in 2020; Deputy Institute Director in 2021. My trajectory may seem to defy stereotypes and celebrate individual achievement without the ‘burden’ of being a Black researcher in a predominately White space. Not entirely true. I owe a lot to people and to my Christian faith that keeps me going whenever I’ve felt like giving up.

For me, being Black in health and care research carries the duality of burden and privilege. The burden lies in the weight of disproving stereotypes, constant awareness of being an outlier in spaces where diversity is often lacking, pressure (often self-imposed) to prove my worth and the responsibility of being a role model and an advocate. Yet, within this burden lies privilege—a unique perspective forged through diversity and a rich lived experience that I initially buried but I’ve grown to embrace and maximise; resilience honed through the uncertainty of life; ability to challenge the norm; an unyielding determination to excel against all odds and make the most of every opportunity; and a commitment to supporting the development of others. The duality is my catalyst for leading the new NIHR Race Equity and Diversity in Careers Incubator to ensure that being a Black female professor is not just an individual accomplishment but an opportunity to amplify my voice. It is a no brainer that academia and research should reflect the diversity of the community it serves. Change is inevitable!

I salute my family who have inspired me to believe in the impossible. Amazing colleagues here and elsewhere have championed me over the years, opened doors, nudged me and given me the opportunity to thrive. As such I believe it is important as a (Black) researcher to be surrounded by the right people, be in the right place, do the right things, and at the right time it all falls into place. Proud to be Black in research.

Survive and thrive: skills for a post-COVID-19 world

In this post, Katie Hoare from Careers Network introduces her new occasional series, “survive and thrive”, looking at the skills most sought after by employers.  It’s likely that you are already developing and using these highly transferable skills in your research.

The world has changed.  COVID-19 has impacted all aspects of society and both people and businesses need to adapt and learn in order to survive.

As a postgraduate researcher you are accustomed to learning new things and you are already developing an excellent set of transferable skills such as research, independence, project management and communication.  Now all you need to do is augment this with the top skills employers are looking for and when the time comes for you to seek employment, be it during or after your degree, you will be a very attractive candidate for roles both within and beyond academia.

Job hunting is a research project

Following her post back in May, PGR Careers Adviser Dr Holly Prescott updates us on how to keep track of the employment landscape for 2020 job hunting.

Last time I spoke to you on this blog, toilet roll was just making its return to supermarket shelves. Since then, I’ve spoken to many of you who have had job offers rescinded, or have even had to rethink your entire PhD projects. However, I’ve also seen some of you get jobs. So what can you do uncover the opportunities that are still out there?

• Know the bigger picture. Stay up-to-date on the wider labour market from reliable sources. A great place to start is with Dr Charlie Ball’s UK Graduate Labour Market updates on Prospects Luminate

The thesis is not enough… (part 2)

Representing the University as a Postgraduate Ambassador

One role I have had is that of Postgraduate Ambassador. You might think that as a Postgraduate Ambassador during open days you mostly stand outside holding an umbrella when it is windy and rainy waiting to provide directions to potential students. Although this might be part of the role it is also a great opportunity to meet new people. As a Postgraduate Ambassador you get the chance to meet and advise prospective students from a variety of disciplines on open days and other University events, which can be very rewarding.

The thesis is not enough… (part 1)

When starting my PhD at the University of Birmingham I remember going to a Careers Network event during which one of the attendees stated: “try to gain as much experience as you can in different fields at the University while doing your PhD as it will help you obtain a job afterwards”.

Shana presenting her poster at the RPC 2016

My first reaction to this was a feeling of slight anxiousness as I felt a little overwhelmed by just beginning a PhD and I didn’t want to add more to my so-called ‘to-do list’. However, since then I have obtained some work experience in different capacities and have been involved in a variety of social activities. They have greatly helped me in my development as a researcher. In this post I will talk about how focusing on more than only your thesis could help you not only while you are doing your PhD, but also afterwards. So what types of roles have I been involved in? Well, they have been varied. However, while reading this you should recognize that this is not a comprehensive list and that each PhD journey will be different with its own valuable and unique opportunities.