Professor Clare Ray PhD PFHEA

• Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), 2022
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2016
• Post-graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2011
• PhD Cardiovascular Physiology, 2004
• BMedSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences, 2000

 Prizes

•  Joseph Chamberlain Award for Educational Advancement, University of Birmingham’s Founder’s Awards, Winner, July 2022
• Award for Educational Leadership, University of Birmingham’s Higher Education Futures Institute (HEFi) Awards, Winner, July 2022
• University of Birmingham and Guild of Students Outstanding Teaching Award, nominee, July 2020
• Award for Supporting Student Learning, University of Birmingham’s Higher Education Futures Institute (HEFi) Awards, Winner, July 2018
• National Widening Participation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Widening Participation, Health Education England, Runner-up, May 2017
• Dean’s Leadership Award, College of Medical & Dental Sciences, Winner, September 2016

Clare Ray gained a BMedSc (1^st Class Hons) in Medical Science, specializing in Cardiovascular Physiology, from the University of Birmingham in 2000 graduating top of the year and winning the Sarah Bundy and Arthur Thompson Prizes. She went on to study for a PhD in the Department of Physiology, developing a novel technique for directly measuring the in vitro release of nitric oxide from blood vessels and elucidating the pathway by which adenosine evokes nitric oxide release during systemic hypoxia. Her two post-doctoral research projects, both funded by the British Heart Foundation, allowed Clare to continue her research into the control of oxygen delivery in skeletal muscle at the University of Birmingham and it was during this time that she developed her interest in learning and teaching. Whilst continuing with her research, Clare completed the Associate Module in Learning and Teaching in HE in 2009 and was appointed as a lecturer in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences in January 2010. In 2011, she completed the PGCertLTHE and became a Fellow of the HEA. In 2016, Clare was promoted to Senior Lecturer and became a Senior Fellow of the HEA.

As a post-doctoral researcher Clare developed an interest in outreach and widening participation and in 2003 became a subject tutor on the University of Birmingham’s flagship widening participation scheme Access to Birmingham (A2B). Since then Clare became increasingly involved in a variety of schemes and activities aimed at supporting the participation of underrepresented groups in Higher Education, resulting in her being the College lead for Outreach and Widening Participation from 2013-2023. During this time the College made large strides in its widening participation activities particularly around widening access to medicine, via the Routes to the Professions: Medicine scheme. She increased focus on the success and progression of students from underrepresented groups at all stages of the student life cycle and launched MDS Pathways in September 2019, which has received support from the Alumni Impact Fund, and provides a mentor and professional development and networking opportunities for all MDS students who engaged with our widening participation programmes. As part of these activities Clare sat on the University Student Access and Progress Committee, APP Operational Oversight Group, the APP Evaluation Working Group, and the Birmingham Scholar Delivery Group. Nationally, Clare Chaired the National Medical School’s Widening Participation Forum (2021-2023), an organisation of over 120 academics, admissions tutors, outreach staff, charities and medical student representatives which aims to widening access to the medical profession by developing policies and strategies which support colleagues in schools, colleges, universities, charities, Royal Colleges and in the medical profession to enable young people to access, succeed and progress in medical careers.

Clare became a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) in November 2022 and was promoted to Professor of Widening Participation in Biomedical Education in August 2023. In recognition of her sustained leadership in widening participation she received the Joseph Chamberlain Award for Educational Advancement at the University of Birmingham Founders’ Awards 2022. Clare left her permanent position at the university to continue her work to widening participation in higher education but continues to work closely with colleagues at Birmingham as an Honorary Professor in Widening Participation in Biomedical Education.

Clare also continues to be a member of the Birmingham Arterial Chemoreceptor and Hypoxia Group and her current research is centred around the control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and diabetes on which she regularly publishes. She has held several committee roles for the Physiological Society including on the Education and Outreach Committee and the Conferences Committee, playing a principal role in organising the education symposium at Europhysiology 2022 in Copenhagen and in developing a set of Physiological Objectives for Medical Students.

Clare is a trustee of the widening participation in STEM charity, In2scienceUK, and chairs the Evaluation and Learning and Policy board subgroups.

Clare is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is interested in the scholarship of learning and teaching and evidence-based active approaches to education particularly in respiratory and cardiovascular physiology.

• Biomedical Science BSc, undergraduate research projects

Internal Examiner - Defining the mechanistic importance of CD73 in promoting carotid body-mediated cardiovascular dysfunction in response to chronic hypoxia

Clare’s current scientific research is centred around the control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Clare is a group leader of the Birmingham Arterial Chemoreceptor and Hypoxia Group. The research group focuses on defining the role of the carotid body chemoreceptors, in cardiovascular, respiratory and neuroendocrine physiology and pathology. With colleagues she has developed both an acute model of airway obstruction and a chronic model of intermittent hypoxia in order to investigate the mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular and respiratory complications of OSA. She also has an interest in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes as a co-morbidity of OSA and the interaction between blood glucose level and chronic intermittent hypoxia in the development of microvascular complications and the function of the autonomic nervous system.

Clare’s educational research is in the area of Widening Participation and Inclusivity in Biomedical and Healthcare Education. Her current projects include: a collaboration with the University of Glasgow Medical School and Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, looking at the experience of students from underrepresented groups before, during the transition to, and while at University; an evaluation of the effectiveness of mentoring and bespoke professional development training and networking opportunities on the transition to University and sense of belonging of students from underrepresented groups; and investigating the factors that contribute to differential attainment of underrepresented groups at all stages of the student lifecycle.

Clare is also interested in the scholarship of learning and teaching and widely uses and evaluates the effectiveness of the flipped classroom in undergraduate biomedical education.

• Board of Trustees of In2scienceuk, charity which promotes widening participation, social mobility and diversity in Science, Technology Engineering and Maths, 2021 – Present
• Chair, National Medical Schools Widening Participation Forum, 2021 – 2023
• Physiological Society Conferences Committee, Education and Outreach representative, 2019 – 2023
• Physiological Society Physiological Objectives for Medical Students Working Group, 2019 – 2020
• Physiological Society Grants Review Task and Finish Group invited member, 2019 – 2020
• Physiological Society International Working Group invited member, 2018 – Present
• Physiological Society Education and Outreach Committee, 2015 – 2019