Paul Wakeling is a lecturer in the Department of Education at the University of York where he teaches the history and sociology of education and research methods. He is a sociologist by background with an interest in inequalities in access to education. His research focuses on access to postgraduate education, particularly inequalities on the basis of social class, ethnicity and gender, and he has published and presented research in these areas. Paul has also provided expert advice on these areas to various reviews of higher education and to policy-making bodies. With a colleague, he has recently completed a synthesis of research on widening participation from undergraduate to postgraduate research degrees for ESRC and NCCPE. His previous career was spent in a variety of roles in higher education administration.