Spotlight On... Vicki Austin

What is your role and what does it involve?

I co-founded the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), a research and practice centre driving disability innovation for a fairer world, based at UCL East. GDI Hub works in more than 40 countries with more than 70 partners on issues like access to Assistive Technology, Inclusive Design, and Disability Justice. We have reached more than 25m people since we started counting in 2018. Check us out on Twitter. 

It was actually our birthday last week (3^rd September) – we are now 7, so we are still learning the best ways to get things done! We consider GDI of a successful ‘spin-in’ to UCL as it grew out of the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. I have also just joined the UCL team as Associate Professor of Social Justice and Innovation, based in UCL Engineering. I’ll be teaching a new module for UCL East on Innovation for a Fairer World in January 2023 and I also support our MSc Disability Design and Innovation, which we have been running for 4 years now with UCL East partners Loughborough in London and the London College of Fashion.

I also Co-Direct the WHO-UCL Global Collaborating Center on Access at AT, which is the only one in the world. It's such an honor to have brought that to UCL East.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

GDI has been based at UCL for 5 years now, before that I worked for three different Mayors of London on social justice and led the Paralympic Legacy programme from London 2012 for LLDC.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

It’s hard to top London 2012, but I think when me and Professor Cathy Holloway stood in British House in Rio, overlooking their Olympic Park, with the British Paralympic team all around us listening to the then Minister for Disability (Penny Mordaunt) announce the GDI Hub - that was a thing!  

This year I also got to speak at the launch of the World report on Access to Assistive Technology, at the WHO in Geneva with Dr Tedros and the Prime Minister of Ireland. I felt a weight of responsibility to do a great job because our programme – AT2030, funded by UK Aid – had sponsored the report. And I also wanted to make sure that we recognised the issues affected by the poorest disabled people, in the informal settlements we had been working in in places like Kenya and Sierra Leone. But it was one of those things that was alright on the night.  (Phew).

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list

I should say our new module, because it's going to be fab, and I would also like to mention, the opening of UCL East and our new lab. We’ve been interloping for years, so to have our own space will be wonderful.

My family are from East London, and I’ve lived and worked here for nearly 15 years, it's home to me and it will be so wonderful to see the space full of UCL faculty and students. I am looking forward to getting in and making cross-disciplinary magic happen with our new colleagues and friends in the other departments.  

Hats off to everyone that’s been involved in UCL East from the very start (back in the early 2000s when it was just an idea). It's quite the mountain moved. I’m in love with the idea that kids from east London feel like UCL is for them now.

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Prioritise Pleasure by Self Esteem – if you haven’t listed do! I saw her at two festivals this year, just awesome.

I recently enjoyed You Exist too Much by Zaina Arafat, which is about the impact of not quite fitting in as a brown, queer woman.

I’m not sure I enjoyed it, but technically the last film I saw was the NT live of Prima Facie. Bloody hell – Jodie Comer is astonishing. As are the issues!

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

“My cat Minton, keeps eating my shuttlecocks. Baaaaad Minton”.

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

Audre Lorde, Barak Obama, Bowie, and Stella Young.

(I’m a social justice nerd who likes Bowie.) 

What advice would you give your younger self?

Less damns given, honey. You are good as you are.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

I’ll soon be a qualified yoga teacher.

What is your favourite place?  

Erm, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, obvs. Come visit, soon.

Links:

• Instagram: victoriapaustin
• Global Disability Innovation Hub 
• Disability, Design and Innovation MSc