Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I have only ever worked in universities. After my undergraduate degree, I started a research assistant post at UCL, then my PhD, then a couple of fellowships (one in Melbourne, which was the best time!) and then I was lucky enough to get a permanent research position.
My research focuses on understanding ethnic and social inequalities in health, although more recently I have also led a couple of intervention studies aimed at addressing ethnic inequalities in educational outcomes.
Several years ago, I took on equality and diversity leadership positions alongside my research. I love the variety of this work, being able to introduce initiatives that aim to make a difference to staff and students’ experiences.
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
On the education side, I am working with the new Inclusive Education Leads for MBBS and Bioscience Education (Fleur Cantle and Mandeep Sagoo Gill) to establish the Faculty inclusive education strategic priorities. I am really excited about progressing our inclusive education provision and the impact this will have on student experience, the quality of our education, and for patient outcomes in the future.
On the research side, Mauro Giacca and colleagues from Oxford and Edinburgh have recently worked on an MRC grant application to establish a Centre of Research Excellence for advanced therapies in cardiac repair and regeneration and I was asked to lead the Research Culture and EDI aspect of this work. I would be responsible for developing and overseeing implementation of the Centre’s EDI culture strategy. I haven’t worked on a cross-institution Centre like this before; it would be a big challenge to embed positive culture change across multiple institutions, but one I would love to get my teeth into.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Worry less and trust yourself more…you (largely) make good decisions.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I’d like to be in FoLSM doing my current role. People and Culture work can be slow progress and so, if in five years, we have made some real progress on our priority areas, such as reducing awarding gaps and increasing staff diversity, and if people across the faculty at all levels are feeling the positive benefits of our efforts, I would feel that we are doing a great job!
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I love watching my children play sport. I used to be sporty and am quite competitive, so now I channel this sporting enthusiasm through my daughters.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
An extended family trip to Tuscany. I can’t wait!
Who inspires you most and why?
Michelle Obama because of her intelligence (emotional and cognitive), passion, warmth and her sense of fun. She seems to find an excuse to dance wherever she goes, I love her!
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Besides my children, starting a professorial role at King’s in a position I feel passionately about… I’m pretty proud of that!
QUICK-FIRE:
Favourite season: Spring (I love the blossom and promise of warmer weather and my birthday is in Spring!)
Favourite London restaurant: Ooh tough one, I don’t love very formal places, so I appreciate restaurants with a relaxed atmosphere. There is a fantastic bao bun place in Borough market, which is one of my new local favourites!
Favourite book: Half a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Favourite scientist: Adam Rutherford; he’s a geneticist at UCL, a fantastic science communicator and his book, How to Argue with a Racist, is brilliant.
Streaming recommendation: Maid (story of a young mum trying to build a better life), Fisk (silly comedy about a lawyer, reminds me of living in Melbourne), Catastrophe (funny romance), One Day (didn’t love the book, but loved Ambika Mod in this!)
While I’m on a roll, Amazon Prime recommendation is This Is Us series (I weep all the way through), Disney recommendation is The Bear (the two main characters are so wonderful).
Most-used emoji: The mind-blown emoji to show my frustration with something! 🤯