Youngest Black professor at Cambridge who faced plagiarism claims is found dead, reports say

Jason Arday, who was Cambridge's youngest Black professor, died in London on Friday, the school said. Jason Arday's body was found in south London just a week after he resigned from the University of Cambridge. LONDON (AP) — A British sociologist who resigned last week from the University of Cambridge following accusations of plagiarism was found dead Friday, British media reported.

Jason Arday, who was 37 when he became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor in 2023, resigned after he came under intense media pressure, with weeks of allegations about plagiarism in his academic work and questions surrounding claims about his athletic and fundraising accomplishments. The Times and Telegraph newspapers, as well as Sky News, reported that Arday, 41, was found “unresponsive” inside a home in Battersea, south London, on Friday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police said only that a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead in Battersea, without naming the man, in accordance with its policy.

“At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious,” the police statement said. In resigning as professor of sociology of education, Arday wrote in a statement that “the relentless accusations, speculation and public commentary have taken a profound toll on me and on those I love.” Supporters, including more than two dozen academics and politicians, had described the plagiarism allegations as a “smear campaign” designed to undermine Arday and other Black people who hold “positions of influence.” Arday’s appointment at Cambridge highlighted his personal story of overcoming dyslexia, developmental delays and autism that he said left him non-verbal until the age of 11 and illiterate until his late teens. Questions about his qualifications were raised publicly last month by Nathan Cofnas, a one-time Cambridge philosophy researcher who left the university after his critique of diversity, equity and inclusion programs sparked widespread protests.

On July 24, the Times of London published an analysis of Arday’s 2015 Ph.D. thesis highlighting what it said were multiple examples of passages that were “identical or near-identical” to an earlier paper written by another researcher. The British media also raised questions about Arday’s claims that he had raised 5.5 million pounds ($7.4 million) for charity through feats such as running 30 marathons in 35 days and 600 miles in six days.

Cambridge initially stood by Arday, saying that the plagiarism allegations had been investigated by Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded Arday’s doctorate. The Metropolitan Police said a 41-year-old man was found unresponsive at an address in south London today. Jason Arday, the youngest ever Black professor at Cambridge, was found unresponsive at an address in London.

Arday had recently resigned in the midst of a plagiarism row. UK media is reporting that Jason Arday, the youngest ever black professor at Cambridge, was found unresponsive at an address in London. Jason Arday was found “unresponsive” at an address in south London, on Friday.