Esther Omotola Ayoola, who is undertaking her PhD at the university’s School of Applied Social Science, is giving a 10-minute talk entitled ‘From ADHD to PhD: A Black Woman’s Guide to Embracing Intersectionality in Academia’ at Black in Academia: Live.
The two-day event is held at the Wellcome Collection in London on Monday, 10 June and Tuesday 11 June.
Black in Academia is a national campaign launched by education initiative Leading Routes which aims to “further the conversation about the representation and experiences of black students and staff in universities in the UK”.
Of her talk, Esther said: “It focuses on my personal journey through education so far. I will also be discussing my ideas on how to narrow the BAME attainment gap and giving advice to students who are considering applying for Masters or PhD funding.”
Esther will also present her new social enterprise, KANICE, which aims to support BAME students interested in careers in social sciences.
Of the importance of Black in Academia, Esther said: “This event is the genesis of a new movement which will change how black students see themselves in the academic sphere.
“Mobilising members of society, regardless of race and ethnicity, to challenge dominant and damaging discourses is the key focus of this event and I hope that being provided with a platform to discuss my experiences will encourage others to undertake postgraduate qualifications.”