معرفی
Ben Thomas is a Policy Research Fellow at the University of Southampton conducting qualitative policy research for the Software Sustainability Institute, focusing on digital skills, critical software, and non-traditional academic careers. He actively contributes to the Work Futures Research Centre and Southampton Research Software Group.
His academic credentials include a PhD from the University of Southampton exploring life-course inequalities in digital/creative industries, an MSc in Social Research Methods and Sociology from Southampton, and an MSc in Global Development Management from the Open University. Prior to academia, he spent a decade as a music teacher.
Dr. Thomas investigates how creative industry workers navigate career transitions amid structural challenges like childcare responsibilities, health issues, and aging. His research spans digital inequalities, diversity schemes in creative sectors, and innovative pedagogies for creative industries education, emphasizing practical policy solutions for workforce development.
His recent publications reveal a cohesive trajectory examining digital skills development through the Creative Futures Exchange initiative, with consistent emphasis on diversity, internationalization, and hybrid learning models across industry-academia contexts.
No scientific awards are documented in available materials.
While his profile indicates policy research engagement, specific details about student supervision or grant funding remain unlisted in the provided information.
He maintains active roles in the Work Futures Research Centre and Southampton Research Software Group, driving interdisciplinary work on software sustainability and future-of-work challenges in academic research ecosystems.
