Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I joined King’s in April 2024 in the role of Entrepreneurial Skills Manager at King’s Entrepreneurship Institute. In this role, I look after entrepreneurial skills development across King’s. At the Entrepreneurship Institute, we believe that everyone can be entrepreneurial and I am very passionate about showcasing that entrepreneurship is for everyone and bringing entrepreneurial skills closer to students of different disciplines.
Before joining King’s, I was a lecturer at another university, teaching across areas of economics, innovation and entrepreneurship. I hold a PhD in Economics, and in my PhD, I explored firm-level innovation, productivity and exporting nexus, and the role and the effectiveness of public policies, especially R&D tax credits, in promoting firm-level innovation. I am also a Certified Management and Business Educator and hold a fellowship of HEA. Over the past few years, I have been volunteering for the Royal Economic Society’s Women’s Committee as eradicating gender imbalances in economics is one of the causes I am passionate about.
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
Recently, King’s Entrepreneurship Institute created the Entrepreneurship in Digital Health course. The course consists of three parts and looks at three skills that are part of King’s Entrepreneurship Institute’s 7 Skills of an Entrepreneurial Mindset framework that defines what we mean by an entrepreneurial mindset: disrupt, compel and commit to growth. The course is self-faced, free and includes various interactive activities, as well as an activity handbook. The course will help participants develop entrepreneurial skills and competencies, learn about frameworks and tools that they will be able to apply in their own work, and reflect on their own practice.
What is a typical day like for you?
There is no typical work day for me. I deliver lectures/tutorials/training sessions for various departments across King’s. However, part of my work is also more desk based and involves doing research, or planning new activities. I really enjoy the variety that my work brings.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Never stop being curious and learning, learn new skills, and explore the world. And relax. I love learning new skills and I really enjoyed my university degrees, from my undergraduate, through my postgraduate degrees. I was involved in a few extracurricular activities, but wish I did explore more extracurricular opportunities during the time of my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I enjoy spending time with my partner, family and friends, which is what I do most of the evenings or weekends. Also, I am quite an active person and enjoy going to the gym – especially swimming – and doing occasional hikes in the Peak District. I am quite a big reader and enjoy reading books, both the ones that are related to my work, but also, novels. Recently, I started enjoying doing arts and crafts: I started creating a scrapbook collecting all the memories of the important moments in my life and travels, making candles, and painting.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is completing my PhD. I enjoy doing research and completing the PhD was big milestone for me. Another personal big accomplishment was completing my first half-marathon. I signed up for a half-marathon, not fully believing that I would complete it, but it was such a fantastic feeling when I did.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
Collaborative spirit across King’s! My team at the Entrepreneurship Institute has been incredibly friendly and supportive since I joined, and I am thoroughly enjoying working with the team. Also, I have worked with many colleagues from other departments, and there has always been appreciation for collaboration. If you are interested in entrepreneurship and/or entrepreneurial skills development, do get in touch!
Quick-fire round:
Favourite season: Spring. Mild temperatures, no rain – perfect weather for me.
Favourite book: My favourite book as a child was Harry Potter. I must have re-read the books over a dozen times. As English is not my first language and it would take a while for the books to get translated – especially the final parts of Harry Potter series – I used to read Harry Potter books in English (with a dictionary on the side), and this has helped me learn English much faster than I probably otherwise would!
Coffee order: Vanilla oat latte. But I do enjoy the Christmas season and trying all the new flavours that coffeeshops bring this time of the year.
Describe yourself in three words: Curious, organised and hardworking.