JasonArday, the former University of Cambridge professor who made headlines as the institution’s youngest-ever #Blackprofessor, has been found dead at his home in #Battersea, south #London. He was 41.What HappenedArday was found unresponsive at his address in Battersea on Friday afternoon.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers were called to the scene by the London Ambulance Service at 3:12pm. A police spokesperson said the 41-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, & that his next-of-kin have been informed & are being supported by officers.At this stage, police are treating the death as unexpected but are not treating it as suspicious.
A🗂️ is being prepared for the coroner, & the case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police’s Central South Command Unit.A Turbulent Few WeeksArday’s death comes just over a week after he resigned from his position as Professor of Sociology of Education at Cambridge & his fellowship at Jesus College Cambridge, stepping down on August 5. His resignation followed weeks of #mounting #pressscrutiny over allegations that he had plagiarised sections of his PhD thesis, completed at Liverpool John Moores University, as well as parts of other published research.The controversy also raised questions about other claims Arday had made publicly, including reports about a long-distance running achievement & a large sum he said he had helped raise for charity. The University of Glasgow, where Arday briefly worked between January 2022 & March 2023 before joining #Cambridge, opened its own review into his appointment there.Cambridge had initially stood by Arday, pushing back on the allegations in June, describing them as part of a campaign to damage his reputation & stating that concerns about his thesis & journal publications had already been examined & dismissed by the relevant bodies. That position shifted in the weeks that followed as #scrutiny #intensified, #culminating in his #resignation.
A Groundbreaking CareerBorn in #southLondon to #Ghanaian🇬🇭parents, Arday’s personal story had long been held up as a remarkable one. He did not🗣️until he was 1️⃣1️⃣ & did not learn to📖or✍🏾until he was 1️⃣8️⃣He went on to🏚️an academic🎓career spanning the University of Roehampton, Durham University, the University of Glasgow, & finally Cambridge, where in 2021 he was appointed the university’s #youngesteverBlackprofessor — a milestone that drew international attention & made him a #prominentvoice on #race & #equity in #UKHigherEducation.What Comes NextWith the death now in the hands of the #coroner, further details are expected in the coming days. Nigeria Magazine will continue to follow this developing story as more information become available.
