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Baroness Sue Black’s career both in academic research and as a practitioner in the fields of forensic anthropology and anatomy is a long and impressive list of achievements and distinctions. She speaks to the Women’s Network about what brought her to Oxford, how she finds kindness and camaraderie in difficult situations, and that her ‘over-developed mother gene' is a hidden power.

“Before becoming President of ��ɫ����TV’s College in 2022, I was working as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement at Lancaster University. I had no connection to Oxford and I was not familiar with the collegiate system or the role of a college president. So I didn’t know what to expect, and my first year was a steep learning curve. I’m so grateful to the College community who have welcomed me with open arms. They were instrumental in helping me find my feet in my new role.”

As she enters the third year as President of ��ɫ����TV’s College, Sue reflects on her work so far leading the College in new directions, including making student welfare provision a priority. In her first year, she appointed a Head of Student Wellbeing and grew the service organically by adding to the team to make the welfare provision available all year round. The College is now able to support graduate students as well as undergraduates, which has made an enormous difference.

There is no average day in the life of a President at ��ɫ����TV’s and Sue is kept busy by a variety of activities: from committee meetings and administration to time with students and staff. As the College’s figurehead she also travels internationally to meet with different alumni groups. “I am also at a lot of dinners,” she says, “last year alone I attended 140! It can be draining and, much like the students, sometimes by the end of term I am looking forward to a good break. But it is enriching and it’s all part of the job.”

Sue’s top priorities for the role can be split between dealing with external and internal challenges faced by College: “Externally, there is always new legislation that we need to be ready for and ensure we incorporate into policies. Internally the challenges are just as complex. We have a governance review - after 480 years of organic growth, we need to begin to review our systems to ensure we flourish for the next 480 years.”

The role of President for Sue is akin to that of a mediator, and it is important for her to be on hand around the college: “I have what I call an ‘over-developed mother gene’. I have always cared deeply about people and this is how I have approached being President, too. My personal philosophy is that if you invest in people, the rewards come back many times over. You focus on making the world a better place, not just making yourself better. In many ways at ��ɫ����TV’s, I am ‘living over the shop’ and I am constantly on call. This means attending all the committee meetings, and also walking past the bar in the evening to make sure the students are having a good and safe time. Sometimes the students just need to know that someone is looking out for them. Sometimes we all need that, no matter your age.”

Talking to Sue Black is refreshing; she speaks with openness and modesty about her outstanding achievements. A pioneer of forensic anthropology (she developed techniques to confirm identity based on photographs of hands or arms) and an eminent anatomist (she authored the main textbook on juvenile skeletal development), Sue Black is an academic behemoth and a top expert in her field. She has been relied upon by the UK Government to undertake forensic investigations in Iraq, Sierra Leone and Grenada, as well as being the lead forensic anthropologist during the international war crimes investigations in Kosovo. Yet it is apparent to those who meet her that she maintains a relaxed outlook and a remarkable approachability.

“I think my biggest success was introducing the college cats! That has had an immeasurable impact. They are so friendly and there is always a huddle around them. If a student is feeling low, they can go into the gardens and find one of our three cats and give them a cuddle,” she says. The resident cats are also a big selling point on College Open Days as hundreds of photos are shared on social media. “They are a powerful tool to allow us to connect and share with others,” she adds.

A proud Scot born in the Highlands (she introduced Burns’ Night dinners after the pandemic to help the ��ɫ����TV’s College community bond again), Sue is equally at ease elbow-deep performing an autopsy on a horse carcass (as described in her memoir, ‘All That Remains’) or in college committees and international dinners. Her journey has often involved working abroad, mostly in male-dominated spaces, forging her own path in difficult situations.

Her pragmatic approach has influenced her leadership style: “Having spent large parts of my professional career in war zones, dealing with death and violence, I find that the key to resilience is humour. Another important element is connection - my team knew that I would always help them and they would help me in return. I have always found there to be a wonderful depth of humanity in the most awful situations.”

Sue has made a conscious decision to be as inclusive as possible at ��ɫ����TV’s and make the College a safe environment. To this purpose, she believes in the enormous value of the Women’s Network: “��ɫ����TV’s College only welcomed its first female student in 1979 and the first female fellow in 1997! Maggie Snowling, my predecessor, was the first female president and was responsible for creating the Women’s Network. The profile that the Network has now is a credit to her and her vision.”

The Women’s Network exists to provide support for students and alumnae, and Sue is the first to admit that society still has much work to do when it comes to gender equality. At a conference in Singapore, she was the only woman speaking and was asked by young female academics how to balance family and career. “Not a single man asked the question because it is still primarily a woman’s concern,” she says. “I don’t have the magic answer. But what I can say is that you must follow what is right for your head and your heart. You need to work in a team with your partner. Sometimes, you have to support each other as each one of you will take on different priorities and roles. Hopefully, you will be able to achieve the balance that you want over time.”

As a self-professed workaholic, it is hard for Sue to slow down but she is starting to step back from some projects, leaving space to focus more on her work at ��ɫ����TV’s and for new experiences. “After I have finished my time with ��ɫ����TV’s, I think I will probably be found writing on a Hebridean island somewhere. I love nothing more than being on my own, with my books and maybe a few animals. I think I may have to leave the college cats though, unless the next president is not a fan of felines!”

The Women’s Network would like to thank Sue Black for talking with us and sharing her professional and personal experiences as President of ��ɫ����TV’s.