Ola Thomson

Dr Ola Thomson

  • Lecturer in Business and Management
  • Dorset House D135, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
UN SDGs:
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Biography

I am a social science academic with an interest in human resource management, qualitative research and participatory methods. My particular research interests relate to equality, diversity and inclusion, and gender equality, knowledge work and scientific careers, and how employees thrive in work organisations.

I have been involved in a Horizon 2020 project, ACT on Gender, a multi-partner consortium working together to create communities of practice to accelerate gender equality in higher education and research careers in EU and beyond. You can read about this project and its outcomes here: https://act-on-gender.eu/.

More recently, I have worked on a project funded by Wellcome Trust at the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, University of Bristol. I co-authored a book about practical ways for nurturing research careers. I also worked to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in health and biomedical research careers at Bristol and more widely with collaborators such as EDIS (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health), and DORA (Declaration on Research Assessment)...

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Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Gender equality

"Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"

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Decent work and economic growth

"Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all"

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Reduced inequalities

"Reduce inequality within and among countries"

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Journal Articles

  • Thomson, A., Palmén, R., Reidl, S., Barnard, S., Beranek, S., Dainty, A.R.J. and Hassan, T.M., 2022. Fostering collaborative approaches to gender equality interventions in higher education and research: the case of transnational and multi-institutional communities of practice. Journal of Gender Studies, 31 (1), 36-54.

Books

  • Thomson, A. and Gooberman-Hill, R., 2024. Nurturing equality, diversity and inclusion: Support for research careers in health and biomedicine.

Chapters

  • Thomson, A., Barnard, S.H., Hassan, T.H. and Dainty, A., 2022. Can a Community of Practice foster institutional change for gender equality? Conceptualising ‘Community of Political Practice’. In: Palmén, R. and Müller, J., eds. A Community of Practice Approach to Improving Gender Equality in Research. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
  • Thomson, A., Rabsch, K., Barnard, S.H., Hassan, T.M. and Dainty, A., 2022. Co-creation methods for Communities of Practice: Towards institutional change. In: Palmén, R. and Müller, J., eds. A Community of Practice Approach to Improving Gender Equality in Research. Routledge Taylor & Francis group.

Reports

Internet Publications

  • Bell, A., Thomson, A. et al., 2023. "If we use the strength of diversity among researchers we can only improve the quality and impact of our research": Issues of equality, diversity, inclusion, and transparency in the process of applying for research funding. Zenodo. Available from: https://zenodo.org/record/8186347.

Artefacts

  • Thomson, A. and Rabsch, K., 2021. ACT on Gender: Community of Practice Co-Creation Toolkit, Horizon 2020. Loughborough University.

Qualifications

  • PhD in Flexible Work Experiences: Women Knowldge Workers (Bournemouth University, 2018)
  • MSc in Management with Human Resources (Bournemouth University, 2014)

Memberships

Social Media Links

External Media and Press

Broadcast Interview