Ope Olusoga

Psychology (2023 cohort)

My research explores the psychological experiences of the Black women and Black birthing people accessing maternity/reproductive healthcare via the National Healthcare Service (NHS) in England. I use an interdisciplinary (multiple schools of knowledge) lens including, but not exclusive to, decolonial thought and scholarship, anti-racist and critical race psychology, Black feminism, organisational psychology, global health, sociology, history, gender studies, and life sciences. I am interested in research that focuses on challenging current Eurocentric systems and structures in place, that hinder the progression to a more equitable society.

I am a Black-British researcher of Yoruba descent undertaking my PhD in the School of Psychology and Counselling at The Open University. I obtained my undergraduate degree, BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology, from Nottingham Trent University in 2020. Prior to starting my PhD, I worked briefly as an all-subject substitute teacher and mentor to sixth form students in a secondary school in Kent. I then transitioned into my research career starting out as a Clinical Research Assistant in Reproductive Health and Childbirth in the NHS. I soon progressed in my roles and became a registered cross-speciality Clinical Research Practitioner, working in experimental First-in-Human research at an MRHA accredited Phase I Clinical Research Facility before leaving the NHS. Alongside my PhD, I works part-time as a Research Administrator on the Open Societal Challenge (OSC) funded project ‘BUSSIN’.