(She/her) 2024 | PhD in French Studies

Hi there, I’m Lucy. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, as well as a neurological condition which means I am a full-time wheelchair user. I am also waiting on an assistance dog to be my furry companion and to help me to live as independently as possible.

My journey in academia began with studying Modern Foreign Languages at BA and MA level at the University of Manchester. During the pandemic, I then pursued a PhD in French Studies which focused on the concept of care in relation to nonhuman animals in early modern France, graduating in 2022.

The Snowdon Trust supported me throughout my studies, enabling me to live independently and make the most of all the opportunities my PhD offered.

I now work in UK Higher Education supporting a Vice-Chancellor’s Office, which certainly keeps me busy! Alongside the day job, I am the disability and neurodiversity lead for our LGBTQIA+ staff network and the co-chair of our disability staff network, as well as being an EDI advocate for our office. EDI is a fundamental part of what I do, and so I joined the DLN to network with like-minded disabled individuals from across the UK.

I am also dedicated to spreading awareness and promoting disability equity in Higher Education through an intersectional lens, and am keen to effect lasting change at policy level. I am hoping that the skills and community I will gain through being part of the DLN will help me to achieve this goal at my university and beyond.