The experiences of feminist academic activists attempting to challenge the rules of the game in UK academia

This PhD examines the experiences of feminist academic activists attempting to challenge the rules of the game in UK academia. It addresses the questions: 1. Are the rules of the game in UK academia gendered? 2. Who are feminist academic activists? 3. In what ways do feminist academic activists challenge the rules of the game in UK Academia? And 4. How do feminist academic activists persevere within gendered institutions? The study is underpinned theoretically by feminist activism, concepts of empowerment and Freire’s theory of an alternative education, alongside feminist pedagogy. Narrative interviews were conducted with fifteen self-identified feminist academic activists and presented in a series of re-tellings and a narrative synthesis. In addition, my own narrative illustrates my own reflexive feminist academic activist positioning. Findings suggest that feminist academic activists often develop their identities during their upbringing, through education and through exposure to other feminists. They also suggest that the rules of the game can be challenged in the everyday through feminist research and teaching, speaking out, and through micro, everyday actions, including non-conforming. Furthermore, being a feminist academic activist requires both emotional and physical labour which involves developing approaches to survive within gendered institutions. The thesis contributes to theory and practice by suggesting ways in which developing a critical consciousness can lead to action; offering an innovative methodological approach; illustrating the embodiment of feminist academic activists; and challenging the rules of the game in academia

Daughter-mother perspectives on feminist activism in the academy

This article addresses feminist solidarity between a daughter and a mother in academia. We are respectively a PhD student and aspirant early career academic, and a senior academic, both identifying as feminists and engaging in forms of activism to improve gender equality. We take an autoethnographical approach, drawing from vignettes and conversational dialogues, focusing on feminist perspectives, activism, our contested identities, fears and hopes. We reflect on the challenges of living feminist lives whilst working in gendered university institutions and highlight strategies to enact feminism whilst trying to progress and maintain an academic career at different positions on the career spectrum. Our contribution is to highlight differential experiences and understandings of academic activism between daughter and mother, early-career academics and senior leaders, in order to enhance mutual understanding and action on feminist solidarity and praxis in the academy

Identification of Antifungal Compounds Active against Candida albicans Using an Improved High-Throughput Caenorhabditis elegans Assay

Candida albicans, the most common human pathogenic fungus, can establish a persistent lethal infection in the intestine of the microscopic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The C. elegans–C. albicans infection model was previously adapted to screen for antifungal compounds. Modifications to this screen have been made to facilitate a high-throughput assay including co-inoculation of nematodes with C. albicans and instrumentation allowing precise dispensing of worms into assay wells, eliminating two labor-intensive steps. This high-throughput method was utilized to screen a library of 3,228 compounds represented by 1,948 bioactive compounds and 1,280 small molecules derived via diversity-oriented synthesis. Nineteen compounds were identified that conferred an increase in C. elegans survival, including most known antifungal compounds within the chemical library. In addition to seven clinically used antifungal compounds, twelve compounds were identified which are not primarily used as antifungal agents, including three immunosuppressive drugs. This assay also allowed the assessment of the relative minimal inhibitory concentration, the effective concentration in vivo, and the toxicity of the compound in a single assay

Graduating in uncertain times: the impact of Covid-19 on recent graduate career prospects, trajectories and outcomes

This article examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on recent UK graduates' initial employment outcomes and how they experience the transition into a challenging labour market context. We draw on longitudinal survey and interview data, collected from recent graduates who had mainly graduated during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in summer 2020 that examines graduate perception of the labour market, impacts on labour market entry impacts and early career progression and effects of periods of unemployment or under-employment. The article shows some of the main impacts of the recent pandemic-affected labour market, including: widespread concerns about job opportunities and employer support, the perceived employment impacts of the pandemic and early signs of scarring and labour market disorientation amongst those who were struggling to find employment of their choice. Such experiences are clearly intensified during the specific COVID-19 context, but the policy implications they raise have wider relevance for supporting graduates during future periods of labour market volatility.</p

Graduating in uncertain times: The impact of COVID ‐19 on recent graduate career prospects, trajectories and outcomes

This article examines the impacts of the COVID‐19 pandemic on recent UK graduates' initial employment outcomes and how they experience the transition into a challenging labour market context. We draw on longitudinal survey and interview data, collected from recent graduates who had mainly graduated during the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic in summer 2020 that examines graduate perception of the labour market, impacts on labour market entry impacts and early career progression and effects of periods of unemployment or under‐employment. The article shows some of the main impacts of the recent pandemic‐affected labour market, including: widespread concerns about job opportunities and employer support, the perceived employment impacts of the pandemic and early signs of scarring and labour market disorientation amongst those who were struggling to find employment of their choice. Such experiences are clearly intensified during the specific COVID‐19 context, but the policy implications they raise have wider relevance for supporting graduates during future periods of labour market volatility