Is Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Reader in Information Resilience and Digital Inclusion in the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering at Loughborough University. She is a Chartered Construction Manager, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Institute of Healthcare Engineering and Estate Management (IHEEM), and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Her interdisciplinary research sits at the intersection of digital transformation, data resilience, inclusion and the built environment. She has worked extensively with universities, government departments, the NHS and industry partners, contributing to research and innovation in areas including digital twins, artificial intelligence, building information modelling, information resilience, data quality and digital inclusion. Her research has informed professional practice, policy and decision-making, with publications spanning construction management, digital technologies, resilience, sustainability and inclusion.

Dr Blay is also deeply committed to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion across academia and the built environment professions. She serves as Vice Chair of the CIOB EDI Advisory Panel and is a member of the IHEEM EDI Advisory Panel. She has also contributed to national and international EDI initiatives, including the WorldSkills UK EDI Advisory Board and Ghana’s Gender Equity and Affirmative Action Board. Her work includes research into digital approaches to improving the recruitment and retention of women in construction, reflecting her commitment to creating more inclusive and equitable professional environments.

Her international contribution includes serving as an external PhD examiner at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, collaborating with universities and research partners across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, and chairing the Education Committee of the European Council on Computing in Construction. She also chairs its Summer School and contributes to the Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM) Scientific Committee.

Beyond her academic leadership, Dr Blay is passionate about mentoring, knowledge exchange and creating opportunities for women and underrepresented groups in STEM and the built environment. As a STEM Ambassador and through her work with the Academic Woman Foundation, she advocates for greater representation, belonging and participation, with a particular focus on ensuring that the future of the built environment reflects and serves the diverse communities it impacts.