10 - 11 July 2023
Conference theme:
Dis(ability)
Invited Speakers
David Ruebain
David is Pro-Vice Chancellor for Culture, Equality and Inclusion and Law Professor at the University of Sussex.
Prior to that David was Chief Executive of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama and before that Chief Executive of Equality Challenge Unit, a policy and research agency funded to advance equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the UK further and higher education and research sectors. He began his career as a solicitor and practiced for 21 years; latterly as Director of Legal Policy at the Equality and Human Rights Commission of Great Britain following a career in private practice as a Partner at and founder of the department of Education, Equality and Disability Law at Levenes Solicitors.
In addition to his current role, David is a Visiting Professor of Law at Birkbeck University of London, an equality adviser to the Premier League, a Board Member of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and a Fellow of the British American Project. He is also an experienced, specialist EDI consultant focusing on leadership and law-heavy policy working with the anti-racism CIC Black Thrive Global and with The EW Group.
David has published widely and taught nationally and internationally on education, disability and equality law and practice. He is a co-editor of all 4 editions of Blackstone’s Guide to the Equality Act and of Education, Disability and Social Policy (the 2nd edition of which has just been commissioned). Most recently, he co-presented colloquia with Yates Norton at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Serpentine Gallery in London, Rupert and National Gallery of Lithuania in Vilnius, and at Cambridge, Boston and Reading Universities on Disability, Inter-Dependence and Allyship and with whom has recently published on Radical Belonging - An exploration of disability, commitment, interdependence, and care in Tohu Magazine -
David’s past roles include: Chair of the Mental Health & Disability Committee of the Law Society, co-opted member of the Rights & Justice Committee of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, Short-Term Expert to the European Union, ADR Group accredited mediator, Law Panel member for the 2022 Research Excellence Framework, member of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board of the Wellcome Trust, founding member of The Times Newspaper Law Panel, member of the Editorial Board of Disability & Society, Board Member of Equinet (the European Network of Equality Bodies) and member of the Advisory Group of OFFA (the Office for Fair Access).
David is the winner of RADAR’s People of the Year Award for Achievement in the Furtherance of Human Rights of Disabled People in the UK, 2002. He was shortlisted for the Law Society’s Gazette Centenary Award for Lifetime Achievement – Human Rights, in November 2003. In August 2006, David was listed as one of 25 Most Influential Disabled People in the UK by Disability Now Magazine and in 2013, listed in the Disability News Service’s “Influence Index”. He is also listed in the Disability Power Lists, October 2014, October 2015 and May 2017. In October 2022 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Law in recognition of outstanding contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the furtherance of human rights for disabled people.
Jamie Knight
"I'm Jamie, and this is Lion. We're a neurodivergent duo at our happiest when we're adventuring, making & being helpful.
Our first love is accessibility.
In the past 20 years we've held senior engineering, research & accessibility roles working on hundreds of products used by millions of users. We've worked with leading brands, such as Apple, HSBC, Sky and others, in addition to a decade at the BBC.
We're active in the neurodiversity movement, with a keen civil rights focus. We've adventured our way around the world talking about neurodivergent life, work and play across print media & podcasts.
Outside of that lot.. we've got productively distracted many times. Building everything from kit cars and adaptive trikes, through to financial crime fighting tools & earning a Queens Award for Voluntary Service. It’s never boring!"
Kate Sang is a Professor of Gender and Employment Studies, Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University. Kate's research explores gender and disability in employment, with a particular focus on co-designing interventions to improve the working lives of those who have experienced considerable disadvantage and discrimination. Recently Kate's research has centred the needs of neurodivergent scientists, woman and trans people experiencing problematic menstruation and disability in science careers. In addition, Kate is a member of the Cross Party Working Group on Women's Health in the Scottish Parliament, and is on the UCU Scotland Executive as Equality Officer.
Talk: Navigating the choppy waters of academia: the experiences of disabled and neurodivergent academics.
Drawing on 7 years of research studies, Professor Sang's talk will share the lived experiences of academics living with a range of long-term conditions (including gynaecological health conditions), and neurodivergent academics. The talk will emphasise the importance of centring disabled people's own voices and expertise and using the social model of disability to move narratives away from problematising the disabled person at work. Kate will also share the challenges of working with universities to create more disability inclusive workplaces, reflecting on experiences of (peri)menopausal, disabled and neurodivergent people working in the public and private sector. Please note that the presentation may include distressing content as research participant's personal experiences are shared.
