Baroness Sue Black DBE FRS

Dame Sue Black is a chartered forensic anthropologist, an anatomist and past President of the Royal Anthropological Institute. She was also the Pro Vice Chancellor for Engagement at Lancaster University, and is now the President of St John's College, University of Oxford.


Dame Sue is a fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Anthropological Institute, the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) and the Royal Society of Biology. She has written several books including All That Remains: A Life in Death (2018) and Written in Bone (2020), in addition to contributing to several textbooks on body identification.


Dame Sue was awarded an OBE in 2001 for her services to forensic anthropology in Kosovo and a DBE in 2016 for her services to forensic anthropology and education.

Professional position

  • President, St. John's College, University of Oxford

Subject groups

  • Computer Sciences

    Systems, including networking

  • Patterns in Populations

    Biological Anthropology

  • Other

    Public engagement

Committees Participated Role
Public Engagement Committee January 2024 - December 2026 Member
Committee Advising Council on General Candidates November 2023 - October 2026 Member