Tia-Mae Surtees

Fulbright All Disciplines Postgraduate Award - University of Chicago

Tia-Mae graduated from the University of Bristol in 2021 with a degree in BSc Childhood Studies with Quantitative Research Methods. During her studies, she developed an interest in social inequality and its impacts on young people, focusing her dissertation on the impact of social disadvantage on youth transitions. She is committed to championing social mobility through volunteering, most recently serving on the upReach Alumni Advisory Board, supporting students from minority backgrounds.

Since graduating, Tia-Mae has worked as a researcher and statistician at the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Education. Her career in the UK Civil Service has focused on using data to understand and address social issues affecting diverse populations.

Her interest in social data led to a Fulbright Award to study on the Master of Arts Programme in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. She aims to explore the uses of linked administrative data on children and young people, exploring cross-cultural comparisons between the UK and the US to identify lessons that can be applied globally to improve data-driven decision-making.

Tia is excited to study in the US and learn in a multidisciplinary environment, exploring different sociological approaches to research. She is also keen to explore the arts sector in the US, particularly music and theatre in Chicago!