Mary Beard is a British classicist, historian, and broadcaster. She is a professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Newnham College. She is best known for her television appearances, including the BBC series Meet the Romans and the BBC Two series Front Row. Beard has written extensively on the classical world, including books such as Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town, The Parthenon, and SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. She has also written for The Times Literary Supplement, The London Review of Books, and The New York Review of Books. Beard is a passionate advocate for the study of Classics and has been a vocal critic of the lack of diversity in the field. She has also been a vocal critic of the British government's cuts to the arts and humanities. Beard is a frequent guest on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and has appeared on BBC Two's Newsnight and BBC One's Question Time. She has also been a guest on the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show and The One Show. Beard is an outspoken feminist and has been a vocal critic of sexism in the media. She has also been a vocal critic of the lack of diversity in the media.