Workshop
AI is transforming how students learn, but who gets to benefit? In this workshop, we explore a critical question: as AI tools become embedded in bioscience education, are we opening new pathways to success or introducing new barriers for some learners? Building on the BAG Network’s successful AI for All event and its vision of inclusive AI adoption, this session moves from principles to practical action. Participants will consider how differences in AI literacy, confidence, and access may exacerbate existing inequalities in bioscience education and work together on strategies to ensure that AI tools act as equalisers rather than amplifiers of disadvantage. The interactive workshop includes hands-on engagement with AI tools and collaborative activities where participants co-create ‘AI onboarding’ resources tailored to their own teaching contexts.
Dr Amara Anyogu is a Senior Academic Mentor in the School of Human Sciences at London Metropolitan University, where she works to ensure students from all backgrounds can thrive in higher education. A London Met alumna herself, Amara brings both personal experience and scholarly expertise to her work on widening participation, learning development, and inclusive pedagogy.
Amara serves as Chair of the Programme Committee for MLS Future Forum 2026 and is a member of the Royal Society of Biology's Bioscience Awarding Gap Network Steering Committee, where she contributes to sector-wide efforts to understand and address differential outcomes in bioscience education. Her current interests include equitable approaches to AI integration in teaching and learning, ensuring that emerging technologies create pathways to success rather than new barriers for underrepresented students.
Amara holds a PhD in Food Microbiology and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Dr Prachi Stafford is a Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences and the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead for the School of Biosciences and Chemistry at Sheffield Hallam University. Her research primarily focuses on the interactions between oral pathogens and host cells, particularly their implications for systemic health and diseases, including cardiovascular conditions.
In addition to her academic and research responsibilities, Dr Stafford is a passionate advocate for promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion within academia. She has previously served on the Early Career Lecturers’ Forum of the Heads of University Biosciences (HUBS), a special interest group of the Royal Society of Biology. Currently, she is a member of the steering group for the Bioscience Awarding Gap Network. Dr Stafford is actively involved in hosting and participating in workshops aimed at reducing the awarding gap in higher education, addressing systemic inequalities, and implementing strategies to create a more inclusive learning environment. She is also committed to diversifying the curriculum to ensure it represents diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
