Black History Month 2026 Spotlight: John Isaacs
This Black History Month, we're "Honouring our Communities" by celebrating the people that make RGU such a diverse and welcoming place to study and work.
In this spotlight, Dr John Isaacs, Dean of the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology (SoCET), shares how experiences of travel, learning and connecting with people from different backgrounds have shaped his perspective, and why listening, curiosity and allyship are essential to building inclusive communities.
What does "Honouring Our Communities" mean to you?
The whole purpose of a university is to learn, and we can only learn by listening. For me, honouring our communities means listening to our students, our staff, and the communities we work with.
Black History Month is a chance to do that deliberately, to hear the experiences and perspectives of colleagues and students. It’s vital we listen to those perspectives, those experiences and we learn from them.
Maya Angelou wrote that “diversity makes a rich tapestry, and that all its threads are equal in value no matter what their colour”. I think that's a lovely way of putting it.
In the same way, it’s important that we listen to the voices within our communities that can be overlooked or not heard and that those voices feel that they are not just able, but are supported and encouraged to speak out and see the impact they can have.
Listening, and learning, is how we make sure every one of those threads is seen.
Why do you think Black History Month is important?
I think it’s important that we highlight and celebrate the rich heritage that Black people have brought to the world. The diverse culture, sport, art, music, social and scientific impact that has often been achieved through adversity and struggle.
The month gives us the opportunity to share the music of artists like Fela Kuti and Nina Simone (and if you've never listened to Fela Kuti, October is a great time to start) and the activism of Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman, but also to explore stories that are less well known or often overlooked.
People like Andrew Watson, who captained Scotland in the 1880s and was the world's first Black international footballer. Athletes like Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who paid a heavy price for their protest in 1968. And the scientists and engineers like Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan, whose work at NASA went unrecognised for decades.
How has learning about different communities influenced your perspective?
Growing up in Belfast in the 80s, my own community was not particularly diverse, and I saw at first hand how communities can be divided. So whenever I had the opportunity to speak to people from other cultures and communities, I took it, right from an early age.
Travel has been one of the most important things in my life, and I've been lucky enough to go all over the world through work. It changes you, because you get to see and learn about different communities, people and cultures.
Oh, and food. As a child I wouldn't eat anything, now I've gained a reputation as someone who will happily eat anything, especially jollof rice and suya.
Learning about different communities has taught me to be far more open-minded and to consider the experiences of the people I meet, and how they may differ from or relate to my own. I try to treat each person as an individual, while recognising that their background and experiences shape who they are.
And I've learned you don't need to travel to do that, some of the most valuable conversations I have are with students and colleagues here at RGU.
What does allyship look like in your day-to-day life?
Like I said above, listening and learning is important to me. As Dean, I'm in a position where I can help make sure people are heard, so I try to use that. It means making space in meetings for people who don't always get the chance to speak, asking for perspectives I might not otherwise hear, and taking what people tell me seriously enough to act on it.
It also means speaking up when something isn't right, even when it's uncomfortable, rather than leaving it to the people affected to always be the ones raising concerns. It also means accepting that I won't always get it right. When someone tells me that, the best thing I can do is listen, learn, and do better next time.
For the past four years, I've fasted during Ramadan alongside colleagues and students who observe it. It's a small thing, but it's given me a much better understanding of what they're balancing during that month, and it's led to some great conversations and some even better meals at iftar. Last Eid, one of our staff even gave me Eidi, which I took as a sign I'd been fully adopted.
What can we all do to help create a culture where everyone feels valued and included?
I think it starts with seeing diversity as a strength, not just something to be managed. In SoCET, we have students and staff from all over the world, and that brings different ways of thinking, different experiences and different approaches to solving problems. That makes us better at what we do, whether that's teaching, research or working with industry. So the first thing we can all do is value that, and make sure everyone feels their perspective is not just heard but wanted.
The second is to keep listening to each other, and to take the time to get to know the people we work and study with. That doesn't always have to be formal. Some of the best moments come from simply sharing something of ourselves.
A good example is our World Food Day, where everyone brings in food from their own community. Imagine a buffet with dishes from Ireland, Nigeria, Palestine, Canada, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Malta, Scotland and many more places. It's a great way to learn about each other, start conversations that might not otherwise happen, and celebrate what makes each of us different. I can confirm we eat very well in SoCET.
What message would you like to share with the RGU community during Black History Month?
The most simple message is to join in. Seek out the stories you haven't heard before. Look up Andrew Watson, listen to some Fela Kuti, or watch a film about someone you have never heard of before (Sarah’s Oil, released recently is very good!).
It’s Black History Month, a celebration of Black culture and heritage, but it’s there for everyone to celebrate and join in.
