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 volunteer work raising awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.[1] The outcome of this was her rise as a significant role model to the LGBT+ community.[2]

Clara Barker
Barker standing in a laboratory, next to a large pulsed laser deposition tool.
Barker standing next to a pulsed laser deposition tool
NationalityBritish
TitleTechnical Lab Manager
Academic background
Alma materManchester Metropolitan University
ThesisA New Route to high-Performance Functional Films on Polymeric Web
Academic work
InstitutionsCentre for Applied Superconductivity at the University of Oxford

Career and research

Barker completed her thesis on thin film coating at Manchester Metropolitan University.[3] She then held a post-doctoral position at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) in Switzerland for four years,[4] before she moved to the University of Oxford, where she manages the Centre for Applied Superconductivity within the Materials Department.[5] She is also chair of the university's LGBT+ Advisory Group.[6][7][8]

LGBT+ advocacy

Barker is a transgender woman and an advocate for LGBT+ diversity and women in STEM.[9][10][11] She works with two youth groups in Oxfordshire, Topaz and My Normal.[12] She also speaks in local schools on behalf of Stonewall and has helped Oxford City Council run an anti-HBT bullying initiative.[10][13] In 2017, she was featured in a Stonewall poster campaign for Trans Day of Visibility.[6] She also led the promotion of the Out in Oxford project,[12] a project which highlights LGBT+ artefacts in museums.[14] She has given numerous talks on LGBT+ visibility and diversity in STEM.[5][9] In December 2018 Barker gave a TEDx talk entitled "Why we need to build trust to create diversity in institutions".[15] She has also appeared on BBC Victoria Derbyshire and Sky News talking about transgender rights.[16][17]

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 her other volunteering.[1][12] Her belief is that role models are necessary in all aspects of life. Her representation in STEM has been pivotal for following generations to follow in her footsteps.[18]

In 2018, she won the staff Individual Champion/Role Model award in the Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards from the University of Oxford.[19][20]

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. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  2. "Dr Clara Barker". edu.admin.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  3. Barker, Paul Michael (2012). A new route to high-performance functional films on polymeric web (Ph.D. thesis). Manchester Metropolitan University.
  4. "LGBT+ 101 | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  5. "Dr Clara Barker". TEDxLondon. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  6. "Clara Barker | TORCH". www.torch.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 12 January 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  7. Quine, Oscar (28 October 2018). "Oxford professor says 'academic freedom' is under threat after he is accused of running transphobic Twitter account". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  8. "University of Oxford LGBT Advisory Group members list". Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  9. "Dr Clara Barker - Why Diversity is Important in STEM". allevents.in. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  10. Whitfield, Francesca (3 October 2018). "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 12 January 2019.
  11. izzy256 (13 March 2018). "Session 29: Making it as a woman in STEM – a visit from Dr Clara Barker". Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  12. "Out in Oxford". Points of Light. 5 October 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  13. "Dr Clara Barker recognised by Prime Minister for her LGBT+ voluntary work — Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division". www.mpls.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  14. "Out in Oxford | Gardens, Libraries & Museums". www.glam.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  15. "TEDxLondonWomen 2018". TEDxLondon. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  16. "Journalist insists she isn't anti-trans, believes trans women should not have access to women-only services - PinkNews · PinkNews". www.pinknews.co.uk. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  17. "Feminists and trans activists clash over gender recognition". Sky News. 19 July 2018.
  18. "You Can Be Yourself And Be A Scientist Too". HuffPost UK. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  19. "Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards | University of Oxford". www.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  20. "Winners announced of Vice-Chancellor's Diversity Awards 2018".
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