معرفی
Dr Cara Molyneux is a Senior Research Associate at Lancaster University within the Department of Organisation, Work and Technology. She has held consecutive research posts since 2021, including roles in Health Research and the ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Leeds. Her doctoral training (2017–2021) was funded by an ESRC 1+3 Studentship and supervised by Professors Christopher Grover and Hannah Morgan.
Education:
- PhD in Sociology, Lancaster University, 2021 – thesis titled "Disabled People, Work and SMEs".
- MA in Social Research, Lancaster University, 2017.
- BA (Hons) in Disability Studies (Inclusive Practice), University Centre Blackburn College, 2016.
Research Interests:
Dr Molyneux’s scholarship sits at the intersection of Disability Studies, Organisational Studies, and Social Policy. She investigates how structural and relational barriers sustain the disability employment gap, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Her current projects explore the adoption of AI technologies in professional service firms and the cultural dynamics that create enabling or disabling work experiences for disabled people. She is also engaged in policy-oriented research on the unmet support needs of disabled entrepreneurs and the mental-health impacts faced by mortgage prisoners.
Scientific Awards & Fellowships:
- ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Leeds (2022–2023).
- ESRC 1+3 Studentship for doctoral studies (2016–2021).
Grants & Projects:
- TiPS: Accelerating Innovation Adoption in Next-Generation Professional Service Firms (Co-I; 2023–2026).
- Enabling Adoption of AI-Powered Digital Technology in Health and Social Care (Co-I; 2025–2026).
- Accessible Streets in Coventry City Council (PI; 2025).
- Hidden Voices: Growing Up as the Child of a Mortgage Prisoner (Co-I; 2020–2021).
- Improving Recruitment and Retention of Disabled Workers in SMEs (Senior RA; 2021–2022).
Advisory & Impact Roles:
Dr Molyneux regularly advises parliamentary committees, local authorities, and third-sector organisations. She has contributed evidence to POST notes on invisible disabilities, provided expert testimony on UK mortgage prisoners, and chaired streams at the British Sociological Association and EGOS conferences.
