Louise Archer

Professor Louise Archer is the Karl Mannheim Chair of Sociology of Education at University College London's Institute of Education (IOE), within the Faculty of Education and Society's Department of Education, Practice & Society. She leads major national research projects, including the ASPIRES longitudinal study and the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach initiative. She co-chairs the Centre for Sociology of Education and Equity and previously held a professorship at King's College London.

Her educational background includes a BA (Hons) in Social Psychology from the University of Kent (1994) and a PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Greenwich (1998).

Her research focuses on educational inequalities, particularly in STEM participation, social class, gender, and race/ethnicity. She developed the concept of 'science capital' and tools like the Equity Compass to promote equity in education. Her work emphasizes participatory approaches with teachers and young people to inform equitable policies and practices.

Awards include Fellowships from the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences, as well as the Royal Society Prize (2022), ESRC Prize (2020), and a British Educational Research Association Award (2019).

While specific grants and advisees are not detailed, her research has significantly impacted STEM education equity, with findings shaping practices in schools and informal learning environments like museums.

She collaborates through the Centre for Sociology of Education and Equity and leads teams on projects such as Making Spaces and Youth Equity & STEM.