Ruth Tolani Foluso Ogundamisi
Department for Learning and Leadership/Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, UCL
UBEL Pathway: Quantitative Social Science
Supervisor: Dr Jake Anders
Contact details: ruth.ogundamisi.19@ucl.ac.uk
About Me
I am a British Nigerian who grew up in Haringey, a vibrant borough in North London. Throughout my doctoral studies at UCL I plan to further my engagement in the field of quantitative social science. I am keen on quantifying sociological and political phenomena to illuminate on theoretical discourse, inform policy, and enact change.
Growing up, I had a passion for the arts, political science, technology, and maths, and craved to combine these interests in a substantial way. Unexpectedly, completing an art foundation course was the first instance in which I could explore interdisciplinary and creative methods. I found that engaging with a subject or audience warranted an understanding of psychosocial realities, identity, and positionality. For this reason, I pivoted into social and data sciences at the beginning of my academic career. As I began to interact more with my communities, I had the opportunity to explore the mechanisms that underpin interactions between the personal, political, and society.
My time at UCL has been spent refining my study of sociological phenomena through the courses MSc Social Research Methods and BSc Social Sciences and Quantitative Methods. The former course has broadened my use of methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and rigor to explore inequalities and social mobility in the UK. Alongside my PhD, I am completing a studentship with the Sutton Trust, an educational charity that delivers widening participation schemes and contributes to research for policy and practice.
Twitter: @RuthTOgundamisi https://twitter.com/RuthTOgundamisi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-tolani-ogundamisi-0a2540215/
My Research
My research investigates the impact of the pandemic on the potential stagnation of social mobility for young carers and other marginalised groups. Longitudinal methods will be used to further investigate the trajectories of those who experience a multiplicity of roles in childhood and beyond. My research will contribute more broadly to the COVID Social Mobility & Opportunities study (COSMO), a UKRI/ESRC investment that is investigating Covid-19’s impact on social mobility and wellbeing of a representative cohort of young people who have been most adversely affected by the pandemic. Throughout this enquiry, I plan to make use of the linkage between COSMO data, the Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT), and other administrative datasets.
Ultimately, I strive to build an understanding of the unequal impacts of the pandemic on university access for BAME students, those with disabilities, and those with a-typical household compositions. As such, I will focus on the intersectional socio-economic and geographical factors that impact mobility. Through this, I hope to discover the factors and resources that are conducive to well-delivered education and social change.
Impact of My Research
At present, there is a lack of longitudinal studies that track the pursuits of young carers as they enter adulthood. Transitions into early adulthood are often mired with precarity, especially for a cohort who experienced major life events during the pandemic. I plan on employing theories of intersectionality to understand how identity and circumstance interact during these transitionary stages. In doing so, I hope to contribute to the literature that recognises the unique emergent experiences that race, class, disability, and household compositions have on a population. From this, the alienation from equalising resources that young people experience can be quantified and addressed. This could clarify the ways in which existing policies surrounding education and social welfare are actualised.
Strengthening educational trajectories and promoting mobility ultimately benefits everyone by instrumentalising preventative and early interventions for families and pupils. I hope that my work allows social scientists to anticipate long-term trajectories, predict the fidelity of legislation, and promote possible safeguards that alleviate the effects of global economic and health crises.
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