As a black, female academic geographer, Carol Ann Dixon is acutely aware of blazing a trail for others in a field almost exclusively occupied by white men.

Now a post-doctoral researcher, affiliated to Sheffield University, Carol (Geography and Philosophical Aesthetics,1988, Grizedale) recounts how Lancaster opened an unexpected window into an undreamt-of career dedicated to exploring how the cultures of minority ethnic groups are represented in museums and galleries. She also reflects on whether enough has changed for black students.

What brought you to Lancaster in the first place?

"I was brought up in Sheffield, had always enjoyed geography at school and thought then that I would like to be a geography teacher. So, when I was looking at the various universities, my eye was caught by one outstanding figure at Lancaster - the late Professor Robin Flowerdew - because of his interest in geographical education. Another factor was that Lancaster is a campus university, which I thought would be secure and protected because of issues of race, which I had already encountered. The sheer aesthetics of the space also drew me and it felt welcoming."

What were your first impressions of university?

"The journey that first day from Sheffield to Lancaster with my parents is engraved in my memory because my time there was so pivotal. I was greeted by two students who helped me carry my bags to my room in Grizedale College and I met all the other girls on my floor. I was the only person of colour in that group, some of whom had been to public schools, but nobody made me feel different in any way. I very quickly felt at home and made friends for life. Coming from a Christian household, I joined the Christian Union, which allowed me to extend my circle outside my college. Geography is all about examining space and place on a variety of scales, which encouraged me to take a world view and the tutors were young and enthusiastic - all this really excited me."

How did you spend your free time as an undergraduate?

"I volunteered with the International Student Wives group. Several were women whose partners were doing PhDs, with some experiencing isolation either because they had childcare commitments or spoke English as an additional language. I sought out this community of fellow women of colour at Lancaster, at a time when we were very few there. I also enjoyed field trips into the Lake District with other geographers.

Describe the work you do now?

"I’m a human geographer with interests in African and Caribbean diaspora histories, cultural geographies, museology, curating and contemporary visual arts. I am also a female British academic of colour (with African-Caribbean heritage), working in UK Higher Education in a subject discipline that remains almost exclusively white and male-dominated. As a research associate in the Geography Department at the University of Sheffield, I research topics related to the PhD I completed there in 2016 on how cultural objects with African provenance are represented in western museum spaces. Additionally I'm an education consultant who writes and lectures on diversity, inclusion, decoloniality and accessibility, and the resurgent Black Lives Matter movement has ensured that issues of race, racism and racial justice are high on the museum agenda."

What was it like to be a Black student at Lancaster in the 1980s?

"I’m a pioneer for my family in the UK, in going to university. Throughout my entire first degree, I was the the only black woman on the Geography programme. It was the same some years later when I did my Masters at Goldsmiths and as the only British-born black doctoral candidate during my PhD at Sheffield. It’s part of why I teach, in order to encourage more people of colour to study Geography. At Lancaster I seldom had issues. However during my second year I had a problem with one of my lecturers for my subsidiary subject which unexpectedly changed the course of my life, and opened the door on what I do today. He regularly behaved in a racist manner towards me. After enduring it for several weeks, I reported his behaviour to my personal tutor and made the switch to a new programme that had a space to take me mid-way through the term. This happened to be Philosophical Aesthetics - and the rest is history!"

Do you think university is easier for young black students now than it was in your day?

"In many ways yes, because there are greater numbers of students from minority ethnic backgrounds, so it is less easy to be treated as an interloper. However some things have remained unchanged. There are still woefully low expectations of people from under-represented backgrounds. Black students are routinely not awarded highest grades, particularly in STEM subjects, and they experience unconscious bias because there is not enough blind marking in the assessment process. That’s why I want to be part of the academic space, in order to help to make things better."

Would your younger self be surprised at where you are now?

"No, I have never doubted where I was heading since I was introduced to philosophical aesthetics at Lancaster. So there was always going to be a return to academia. It was a good fit too as I am very political. My mother - a nurse, from a non-academic background - always had faith in my ability to go far. Others, however had lower expectations of me because I was black and a woman."

How else did Lancaster shape your journey?

"It gave me a precious friendship group - two of which became friends for life and have offered me support and watched my back throughout my life journey."

What would you say to the younger Carol, if you could be there at her graduation?

"I would say: 'Keep your eyes on the prize. There may be barriers in the way, but you will get there.' "