Dr. Tanesha Allen
BSc., MPhil, DPhil, FLS, MRSB
Education
University of Oxford
Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), 2016-2020
Zoology
University of Cambridge
Master of Philosophy (MPhil), 2013-2014
Zoology
Washington State University
(Honors College)
Bachelor of Science (BSc.), 2009-2012
Animal Sciences
Experience
Royal Society Partnership Grants Allocating Panel Member
January 2021-Present
Assessed grant applications and contributed to the future direction of the scheme.
EDI Consultant,
University of Cambridge
January 2023-present
Advised on various EDI issues across the University of Cambridge with a focus on race equality.
EDI Advisor,
University of Oxford
December 2021-December 2024
Established EDI data monitoring protocols for the Department of Zoology.
EDI Data Specialist,
University of Kent
September 2021-January 2023
Analysed EDI-related data and made recommendations for the institution; assisted with the institution's first Race Equality Charter application.
Athena SWAN Data Analyst
and Coordinator,
University of Oxford
January 2021-September 2021
Analyzed data and helped to improve gender equality throughout departments in the MPLS Division.
Research Associate (Zoology), University of Oxford
January 2021-January 2022
Strategic Outreach Officer,
University of Oxford
September 2020-December 2020
Conducted surveys/interviews and analyzed data to improve access and equity for BAME and state school students in Biology.
STEM Partner,
Abingdon Science Partnership
September 2018-February 2020
Taught primary and secondary school students from 8 schools in Oxfordshire how to monitor local wildlife.
University of Oxford:
Biology's undergraduate strategic outreach report
5 May 2021We are aware that our undergraduate degree course does not embody as diverse a cohort of students as we’d like to see represented in our subject matter. As such, we worked with Dr Tanesha Allen (a recent DPhil student of ours) to conduct a strategic outreach report that delved into analysing the barriers faced by some in choosing to study biology at school and/or university. The aim of the report was to improve access and equity for our MBiol course for both BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) and state school students.Dr Allen analysed UK-wide data and spoke extensively to our current student body and local teachers in order to understand where barriers stood and how we could best counter them. A key finding of the report showed that a perceived lack of career opportunity prevented many candidates from applying to a biology degree course, and as such a strong recommendation from the report is that we work more closely with our alumni community to build career and mentorship opportunities.Since the publication of this report in December 2020, we are delighted to welcome Hannah Austyn to the Communications and Engagement team. A core focus of Hannah’s role is to work with our alumni community to work on implementing the suggested actions of the report. To get in touch with Hannah, please email: alumni@biology.ox.ac.uk.To read Dr Allen’s report, please click here, and find the appendix here.
Publications and Talks
Transatlantic DEI challenges within American and British universities: One woman's perspective
North Carolina State Government; Office of State Human Resources (March 2024)
Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 15 (2023)
Badger Butter and Cheap Cologne: How Smells Help Badgers and Humans Make Decisions
Natural History Museum London (Explorers Family Festival: Black Natural History 2023)
Scent-marking with metabolic by-products versus glandular secretions: A case study with European badgers (Meles meles)
Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 15 (2023)
Co-host, Royal Society Student Conference 2022
The Royal Society
The rules of effective advertising for European badgers (Meles meles)
Graduate Induction Special Symposium, October 2021, University of Oxford
Proceedings of the Royal Society B (2021)
The Abingdon School Wildlife Monitoring Project
The Association for Science Education Conference (2020)
How European badgers (Meles meles) respond to species-specific scents
UK Semiochemistry Network (2019)
How do badgers respond to species-specific scents?
The Royal Society Student Conference (2019)
Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 14 (2019)
The Wytham Badger Project: 1987-Present
The Badger Trust Symposium (2019)
Integrative techniques for assessing olfactory communication in European badgers (Meles meles)
UK Semiochemistry Network (2018)
How do badgers respond to species-specific scents?
The Royal Society Student Conference (2018)
Honest fitness advertisement in European badgers (Meles meles)
Chemical Signals in Vertebrates Conference (2017)
Press
BBC Radio 4, BBC Sounds
British Ecological Society
Consultancy
I've consulted on various projects related to Biology and EDI. Below are some highlights...
100 Things to Know About Music, Usborne Books
Animal consultant
Animals in Danger, Usborne Books
Animal consultant
Malacological Society of London
EDI consultant
Teaching and Learning Resources
I've had the privilege of being featured in a few teaching and learning resources from various organisations.
Pupil activity sheet for The Young People's Book Prize 2023. This activity sheet accompanies Ben Rothery's book Deadly and Dangerous Animals.
"A Scientist Just Like Me" introduces children to a diverse range of scientists and people who work in science-related jobs. More information can be found here.
"Life, As We Know It":
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
About the project
Beginning in 2018, the Life, as we know it redisplay project has involved the conservation of thousands of specimens and the development and installation of exciting new displays. Our Main Court is now home to twenty brand new exhibits housed in state-of-the-art showcases. The Life, as we know it redisplay project is set to continue with plans to open 16 new exhibits in Spring 2024.
Stay in Touch
Email
Twitter
Instagram
ResearchGate
LinkedIn
