Advisory Board
Martin McLean, Senior Policy Advisor at The National Deaf Children’s Society
Alison Hendry, BSL Officer at Edinburgh University
Sarah Anderson, Current UG deaf student at The University of the West of Scotland
Kevin Buckle, Representative from Black Deaf UK
Gary Quinn, Assistant Professor at Heriot Watt University
Karen Robson, Director of RNID Wales
Dr. Paul Miller, Professor of Educational Leadership and Social Justice
Abigail Gorman, Previous UG and PG deaf student
Dr. Rob Wilks, Senior Lecturer at University of South Wales
Emma Reilley, Previous PG deaf student
Dr. Bronagh Byrne, Senior Lecturer at Queens University Belfast
Sam Hall, Disability Advisor at the University of Bath
Dr. Manjula Patrick, Disability Equity Lead at Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL
Des Masterson, Department for Work and Pensions Officer
Dr. Christine Callender, Associate Professor at UCL Institute of Education
Sarah Page, Senior Disability Advisor at University of South Wales
Research team
Dr. Chijioke Obasi
Principal Investigator
Dr. Chijioke Obasi is Head of Social Work Research and External Engagement at the University of the West of Scotland and is the Principal Investigator for this project. Chijioke has a Graduate Diploma in deaf studies as well as a PGDip in BSL/English Interpreting. Chijioke has nearly 20 years experience working in higher education in a number of academic as well as access and support roles. Chijioke’s PhD focused on the experiences of Black women and culturally deaf women working in the public sector and their perspectives of the equality and diversity practices within their organisation. Identity and intersectionality are a key focus of Dr Obasi’s work.
Selected publications:
Napier, J., Skinner, R., Adam, R., Stone, C., Pratt, S., & Obasi, C. A demographic snapshot of the profession:
The 2021 Census of sign language translators & interpreters in the UK RESEARCH REPORT.
Obasi, C. (2021). Identity, language and culture: Using Africanist Sista-hood and Deaf cultural
discourse in research with minority social workers. Qualitative Research,
https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794120982827
Obasi, C. (2019). Africanist Sista-hood in Britain: Creating our own pathways. In Emejulu, E., Sobande, F. (Eds), To exist is to resist Black feminism in Europe (pp. 229–242). Pluto
Obasi, C. (2014). Negotiating the insider/outsider continua: a Black female hearing perspective
on research with Deaf women and Black women. Qualitative Research, 14(1), 61–78.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112465632
Obasi, C. (2013). Race and ethnicity in sign language interpreter education, training and practice.
Race Ethnicity and Education, 16(1), 103-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2012.733686
Rachel England
Research Fellow
Rachel England is a Deaf research fellow at the University of the West of Scotland working part time on this project. Having completed her BA Degree in Deaf Studies and Psychology at the University of Wolverhampton, she later achieved her Postgraduate Certificate in Deaf Studies at the University of Bristol. She also has level 6 NVQ in British Sign Language.
She has over ten years’ experience of working in academic research with numerous universities across the UK with a focus on education, psychology and sign linguistics. She also has over 16 years’ experience of working with the Deaf community in support,
information guidance, advocacy and training roles.
Selected publications:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.673342/full
https://www.sardines.biz/post/flipping-the-tin-podcast-episode-2-accessibility-within-digital-
events
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10044630/1/Thompson_Deaf_hearing_children’s_picture
.pdf
Dr. Mette Sommer Lindsay
Research Fellow
Mette Sommer Lindsay has a background as a deaf sociologist and works on the project full time as a research fellow. She has years experience of working on various research projects on deaf people’s lived experience.
She is about to finalise her PhD studies at Heriot Watt University: https://signs.hw.ac.uk/projects/denmarkbusiness/
Selected publications/researches:
Sommer Lindsay (2020): “Deaf People’s Coping Strategies in an Everyday Employment Context”, Deaf Studies Digital Journal:
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/d/dsdj/15499139.0005.011?view=text;rgn=main
Sommer Lindsay (2016): Deaf Interpreters in Europe – a comprehensive European survey of the situation of Deaf Interpreters today
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/951d5d_a1a95f3b83cd468d872a9437f1fd1f6b.pdf
Larsen, L., Sommer, M., & Bengtsson, S. (2014): Deaf and deafened people – everyday life and living conditions. The Danish National Centre for Social Research (SFI)
https://www.vive.dk/media/pure/5065/276230
More:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mette-Sommer-Lindsay-2
Jim McKechnie
Co-Investigator
I am a Professor of Psychology at the University of the West of Scotland. I am a developmental psychologist with a specific interest in adolescent development. This is reflected in my primary research interests which are: (i) child/adolescent employment and transitions into work (ii) the impact of educational environments on staff and student outcomes and (iii) cultural variation in developmental experiences. Methodologically my research utilises quantitative and qualitative approaches. I have held several significant grants and have extensive experience of research project management.
More: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jim-McKechnie
UWS PURE profile: https://research-portal.uws.ac.uk/en/persons/james-mckechnie