Patricia Kingori, a 28-year-old sociologist originally from Kenya, has made history at the University of Oxford by becoming the youngest Black woman to receive tenure, having been awarded a full professorship.
She will continue her research into the everyday ethical experiences of frontline workers on a global level at the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities. Her appointment was made in recognition of the quality and impact of her work, both in academia and beyond.
Kingori has spent eight years at Oxford and has been the recipient of competitive funding grants. She has also supervised multiple DPhil candidates and taught hundreds of students.
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Prior to her tenure, Kingori faced challenges including civil unrest in Kenya while she was conducting fieldwork and returning to work after maternity leave. Despite these difficulties, she successfully completed her Ph.D. and later became an associate professor in just five years.
Jan Royall, the principal baroness at Oxford’s Somerville College, praised Kingori’s achievements, saying that she has “moved many mountains and shattered countless glass ceilings to secure this historic achievement”. She added that Kingori’s determination, good humor, and brilliance would inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
Kingori’s appointment is an important step towards increasing diversity in higher education institutions. Her success demonstrates that despite the many obstacles that she has faced, perseverance, hard work, and dedication can lead to achieving significant milestones.
Kingori’s story is an inspiration to young people everywhere who are pursuing their dreams, and it highlights the importance of creating opportunities for underrepresented groups to excel in their chosen fields.
