Nicola Rollock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicola Rollock
Rollock in 2019
Born	South West London, England
Alma mater	University of Liverpool Birkbeck, University of London UCL Institute of Education
Scientific career
Institutions	London Metropolitan University UCL Institute of Education Goldsmiths, University of London University of Birmingham University of Cambridge King's College London
Thesis	Legitimate players? : an ethnographic study of academically successful Black pupils in a London secondary school (2006)

Nicola Rollock is a British academic, writer, and activist. She is a professor who studies social policy and race at King's College London. Before this, she worked at Goldsmiths College, University of London. She has written several important books, including The Colour of Class (2014). Nicola Rollock has been recognized on the Powerlist as one of the most influential Black Britons. She also received the PRECIOUS award for her work promoting fairness and equality for all.

Early Life and Education

Nicola Rollock was born in South West London, England. Her parents came from Barbados. Her father always encouraged her to focus on her studies. As a child, she loved reading. She later studied English literature.

She went on to study psychology at the University of Liverpool. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1994. Nicola Rollock continued her education with a special certificate in Family and Couple Therapy. She got this from Birkbeck, University of London. In 2001, she became the head of education at the Runnymede Trust. For her advanced studies, she joined the UCL Institute of Education. There, she researched how well Black students performed in British secondary schools.

Research and Career

After finishing her doctorate in 2006, Nicola Rollock worked at London Metropolitan University for three years. Then, she returned to the UCL Institute of Education as a research associate. Her research showed that Black children still faced challenges in school. This was true even if they came from wealthy families. She has shared her research with the government to help improve things for Black students.

Along with the Runnymede Trust, Rollock published a report called The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry 10 Years On. This report looked at how British policing needed to change. It aimed to better support the diverse people living in Britain. The report suggested ways to record racist incidents. It also recommended improving how racially motivated crimes are watched. The report was given to the government in 2009.

Highlighting Black Women Professors

In 2019, Nicola Rollock wrote a report called Staying Power. This report showed that there were very few Black British women professors in the UK. In February 2019, there were fewer than thirty. This was a very small number compared to the total of 18,000 professors. Most professors were white men. Major magazines like The Guardian and Vogue covered this important finding.

Rollock explained that this low number was due to unfair treatment. This included unfair opinions, bullying, and stereotypes based on race. She is dedicated to making Black women professors more visible. She also works to encourage and support more women to become academics.

Working for Equality

In 2019, Rollock joined a special inquiry. It looked at the progress made since the Murder of Stephen Lawrence twenty years earlier. She was also chosen to lead efforts at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her role was to help close the achievement gap for students from different ethnic backgrounds. She leads a group that works with staff and students. They try to understand why these differences exist. Then, they create solutions to help all students succeed. These efforts are part of a larger plan by the UK government. The goal is to end unfairness in higher education for different ethnic groups.

Nicola Rollock is also part of important groups. These include the Wellcome Trust Diversity & Inclusion Steering Group. She also advises the British Science Association on equality. She often speaks to the media about racial inequality. She has pointed out that some universities only deal with race in a very surface-level way.

Phenomenal Women Exhibition

Based on her research, Rollock helped create an art exhibition. It was called Phenomenal Women: portraits of UK Black female professors. The goal was to change ideas about what a professor looks like. It also aimed to show the achievements of this underrepresented group. The exhibition featured photos by Bill Knight. It was shown in places like London's Southbank Centre in 2020. It was also displayed at the University of Cambridge in 2021.

Rollock is a special Fellow at the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. In September 2021, she became a Professor of Social Policy and Race at King's College London.

She is also the founding editor of a journal called Whiteness and Education. She has written articles for The Conversation and the Financial Times.

Awards and Honours

Nicola Rollock has received several awards for her important work:

• 2015: Woman of Achievement by the Women of the Year Council
• 2016: PRECIOUS Award
• 2019: Powerlist of Britain's most influential people of African and African Caribbean heritage

Selected Publications

Her publications include: