Clara Barker

Clara Michelle Barker is a British engineer and material scientist. In 2017 she received the Points of Light award from the UK Prime Minister's Office for her work that raises awareness of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender issues within the University community and beyond.[1]

Clara Barker
NationalityBritish
Academic background
Alma materManchester Metropolitan University
ThesisA New Route to high-Performance Functional Films on Polymeric Web

Career and Research

Barker completed her thesis on thin film coating at Manchester Metropolitan University.[2] She then held a post-doctoral position at EMPA in Switzerland for 4 years,[3] before she moved to the University of Oxford, where she currently manages the Centre for Applied Superconductivity within the Materials Department.[4] She is also Chair of the University’s LGBT+ Advisory Group.[5][6][7]

LGBT+ advocacy

Barker is a transgender woman and a strong advocate for LGBT+ diversity and women in STEM.[8][9][10] She works with two youth groups in Oxfordshire ('Topaz' and 'My Normal').[11] She also speaks in local schools on behalf of Stonewall and the Oxford City Council.[9] In 2017, she was featured in a Stonewall poster campaign for Trans Day of Visibility.[5] She also led the promotion of the 'Out in Oxford' project,[11] a project which highlights LGBT+ artefacts in museums.[12] She has given numerous talks on LGBT+ visibility and diversity in STEM, including a TEDx talk.[4][8] She has also appeared on BBC Victoria Derbyshire and Sky News talking about transgender rights.[13][14]

Barker has received several awards for her advocacy. In 2017 she was the 795th person to receive the Points of Light award for her work with 'Out in Oxford' and the volunteering in her local area.[11][15] As part of the Points of Light award, Theresa May personally wrote to Barker, stating that “[Her] tireless volunteer work with LGBT+ groups across Oxford is educating young people and members of the public in the importance of diversity and different identities. [She is] a positive role model for the community and [she] should be proud of [her] ongoing work in transgender education and support.”[1]

In 2018, she won the staff 'Individual Champion / Role Model' award in the Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards from Oxford University.[16][17]

References
  1. "Dr Clara Barker recognised by Prime Minister for her LGBT+ voluntary work — Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences Division". www.mpls.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  2. Barker, Paul Michael (2012). A new route to high-performance functional films on polymeric web (Ph.D. thesis). Manchester Metropolitan University.
  3. "LGBT+ 101 | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  4. "Dr Clara Barker". TEDxLondon. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  5. "Clara Barker | TORCH". www.torch.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2019-01-12. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  6. Quine, Oscar (2018-10-28). "Oxford professor says 'academic freedom' is under threat after he is accused of running transphobic Twitter account". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  7. "University of Oxford LGBT Advisory Group members list". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. "Dr Clara Barker - Why Diversity is Important in STEM". allevents.in. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  9. Whitfield, Francesca (2018-10-03). "A cup of coffee with Dr Clara Barker: trans scientist, prominent LGBT+ campaigner and recipient of the Points of Light award". The Oxford Student. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  10. izzy256 (2018-03-13). "Session 29: Making it as a woman in STEM – a visit from Dr Clara Barker". Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  11. "Out in Oxford". Points of Light. 2017-10-05. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  12. "Out in Oxford | Gardens, Libraries & Museums". www.glam.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  13. "Journalist insists she isn't anti-trans, believes trans women should not have access to women-only services - PinkNews · PinkNews". www.pinknews.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  14. "Feminists and trans activists clash over gender recognition". Sky News. 19 July 2018.
  15. "Dr Clara Barker recognised by Prime Minister for her LGBT+ voluntary work — Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences Division". www.mpls.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  16. "Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  17. "Winners announced of Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards 2018".
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