Dr Clara Barker is a thin film material scientist, working as a Researcher and Laboratory Manager at the University of Oxford. She is also a powerful voice in the LGBTQ+ community and has been named a Stonewall Trans and School Role Model. Drawing from her unique position in the STEM industry, Clara is an influential diversity and inclusion speaker.
Starting her career in engineering, Clara has a degree in Electronic & Electrical Engineering from Manchester Metropolitan University and worked as a Development Engineer at General. After completing a PhD in material sciences, she worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Empa in Switzerland for over 3 years before becoming Laboratory Manager at the University of Oxford. Since joining the university, Clara has become Dean for Equality & Diversity at Linacre College and a Daphne Jackson Trust research fellow in thin film superconductors. She is also part of multiple diversity committees for organisations, including the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society.
Recognised for her impact on the LGBTQ+ community in STEM, Clara has received prestigious awards, including the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award, Oxford University’s first VC Diversity Role Model Award and a Pride in STEM Decadal Award. In her TED Talk, Why we need to build trust to create diversity in institutions, she discusses her professional journey as a transgender woman and why positive role models are key for diverse workplaces. Highlighting her influence as an LGBTQ+ scientist, Clara is featured in various children’s books, such as ‘Science People’ and ‘Engineers Making a Difference’.
An inspirational speaker, Clara has delivered talks at various events internationally, such as the Diversity in Academia conference by the Queer Cyprus Association, iScientist in Berlin and the GSK event for Transgender Day of Visibility. As well as speaking on LGBTQ+ topics, she also does public level talks about her scientific expertise in material science, superconductivity and quantum technologies. If you are looking for a unique STEM and LGBTQ+ speaker, hire Clara today for your next event.
Dr Clara Barker's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Life in STEM from the POV of being transgender, LGBTQI+ & neurodiverse
- EDI in STEM & Academia
- Material Science, Superconductivity & Quantum Technologies
Official Feedback From In-Person & Virtual Events:
"Thank you so much again for your brilliant insights during our History Month event- we absolutely loved having you there and are looking forward to continuing our collaboration for future initiatives!" - IBM
"Clara, I just wanted to say you are truly incredible and what an amazing and interesting journey and career you’ve had! Thank you so much for taking the time to come and speak to us today. I am not LGBT myself, but consider myself a proud ally, and I really appreciate these opportunities to stop and listen and learn more." - GSK
"I wanted to thank you for your amazing talk at the LBNL Transgender Day of Visibility event. The event was really well attended, and I hope you got to see all of the comments during the presentation. Your words and message really resonated with the audience and all of us. Thank you so very much! - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
"I wanted to thank you again for agreeing to do this! It was a fantastic seminar and extremely informative!" - Yale
"Just wanted to send a big THANK YOU for today Clara – I’ve already had some messages with some really positive feedback! We really value your time and honesty Clara – thank you for sharing your truth so openly." - Takeda, 2026
- 2025 – Received Pride in STEM Decadal Award
- 2023 – Representative to Council for Inclusion & Diversity at Institute of Physics
- 2022 – Research Fellow at University of Oxford
- 2020 – Dean for Equality & Diversity at Linacre College, Oxford University
- 2018 – Received Oxford University’s first VC Diversity Role Model Award
- 2017 – Won Points of Light Award from Prime Minister
- 2015 – Laboratory Manager at University of Oxford
- 2011 – Postdoctoral Researcher at Empa
- 2011 – Finished PhD studies at Manchester Metropolitan University
- 2007 – Graduated with Beng in Electronic & Electrical Engineering from Manchester Metropolitan University
- 2005 – Development Engineer at General
How to hire Dr Clara Barker
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Dr Clara Barker for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
