Alison (she/hers) is a qualitative information literacy researcher who also has the privilege of being the Programme Director of Library and Information Studies in the Department of Information Studies at UCL, the UK’s first school of librarianship. A librarian for ten years, Alison was introduced to critical librarianship work through her experiences as an international student and immigrant, which inspired her early research into the design of culturally responsive information literacy instruction. 

Since then, Dr Hicks’ research has become focused on informational risk, or how information literacy shapes the conceptualisation, construction, and experience of risk, particularly during times of uncertainty and transition. Alison is a committed advocate for the voices of students and new librarians of colour in the UK as well as critical LIS teaching.