Josie Gill

Dr Josie Gill is an Associate Professor in Black British Writing within the Department of English at the University of Bristol, holding a PhD from the University of Cambridge. Her interdisciplinary research bridges literature, science, and race studies, with leadership roles in the Centre for Black Humanities and Migration Mobilities Bristol initiatives.

Her educational background includes:

• BA, University of Sheffield
• MA, University of Nottingham
• PhD, University of Cambridge

Gill's scholarship focuses on contemporary Black British, Caribbean, and African American writing, examining intersections with genetics, epigenetics, and racial science. She explores how literature intervenes in scientific debates about race while addressing decolonization's impact on interdisciplinary collaboration. Her work extends to historical fiction and postcolonial theory, particularly regarding enslaved experiences through archaeological-literary dialogues.

Recent publications reveal a consistent interdisciplinary trajectory, merging literary analysis with scientific inquiry to critique racial narratives in genetics and medicine. Her award-winning book *Biofictions* exemplifies this approach, while newer projects tackle antiracism in humanities-science collaborations and decolonizing academic structures.

Key accolades include:

• British Society for Literature and Science Book Prize (2020) for *Biofictions*
• Shortlisted for European Society for the Study of English First Book Award (2022)
• Philip Leverhulme Prize (2022) for *Black Lecturer* project

Gill actively supervises doctoral research in Black British writing and literature-science intersections. Her funded projects demonstrate significant grant leadership:

• AHRC: 'Literary Archaeology' (Principal Investigator, 2016-2017)
• Wellcome Trust: 'Black Health and the Humanities' (Principal Investigator, 2020-2022)
• Philip Leverhulme Prize (2022) for *Black Lecturer* development

As a core member of Bristol's Centre for Black Humanities, she co-develops initiatives exploring race, health, and migration. Her work with the Centre for Humanities, Health and Science and Migration Mobilities Bristol fosters cross-disciplinary networks addressing historical trauma and contemporary racial justice through collaborative scholarship.