Dr Billy Wong
Dr Billy Wong
Academic in Sociology of Education
Billy Wong is an Associate Professor in Widening Participation at the University of Reading, which he joined in 2017. He is currently the university's Director of Research and Evaluation (Access & Participation) and Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research Studies at the Institute of Education. He was previously a Lecturer in Education at the University of Roehampton (2013-2017) and a Research Associate at King’s College London (2012-2013), where he completed his doctorate (2009-2012) with an ESRC studentship as part of the award-winning ASPIRES project. He was a research consultant to Stanford University (2011-2012) and an NVivo instructor for several universities (2010-2020).
His areas of research are educational identities and inequalities, especially in the context of higher education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. He has published in sociology of education, higher education and science education journals. His publications have explored the changing views and experiences of university students and staff, as well as young people’s science and career aspirations, including through the notion of science capital.
Billy is the author of The Ideal Student: Deconstructing Expectations in Higher Education (2021, Open University Press) and Science Education, Career Aspirations and Minority Ethnic Students (2016, Palgrave) and has written over 50 articles, chapters and reports. See publications and research for more details.
His areas of research are educational identities and inequalities, especially in the context of higher education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. He has published in sociology of education, higher education and science education journals. His publications have explored the changing views and experiences of university students and staff, as well as young people’s science and career aspirations, including through the notion of science capital.
Billy is the author of The Ideal Student: Deconstructing Expectations in Higher Education (2021, Open University Press) and Science Education, Career Aspirations and Minority Ethnic Students (2016, Palgrave) and has written over 50 articles, chapters and reports. See publications and research for more details.
