In the latest instalment of our Staff Profile series, we spoke to Geoff Rideout, Divisional Manager who has recently joined the department. Here, he tells us about his career so far and what keeps him occupied outside of work.
Introduce yourself – who are you and what do you do?
I’m Geoff and I’m a Divisional Manager in the Department of Infectious Disease working with three sections: Adult Infectious Disease, Immunology of Infection and Virology.
Tell us about your career so far – when did you join the college, and where were you working/studying before this?
I started at Imperial in March of this year, moving from the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, a joint Birkbeck/UCL research institute. Prior to that I worked at UCL in Mechanical Engineering and actually began my university career at Imperial over 20 years ago.
What are your first impressions of the College and the Department?
Revisiting South Kensington felt familiar after a 20-year break, but I could also see how much the college has developed over the years. I’m currently based at St Mary’s so I’m enjoying getting to know Paddington as it’s an area I didn’t previously know and I’m looking forward to returning to South Kensington in 2024. Everyone in the department has been very welcoming and have supported me while I settle into my new role.
What aspect of your new role are you most excited about?
I’m excited about working with new colleagues and discovering more about the diverse range of funders and partners that we work with.
When you’re not working, what are your main passions and hobbies?
I’m a longstanding AFC Wimbledon and before that Wimbledon FC season ticket holder so watch a lot of football and enjoy the weekly catch up with friends for a moan about how rubbish the football is. I’m also a big music fan and enjoy live gigs whenever I can. I have an ever-expanding record collection that takes up far too much space and money!
What book would you recommend everyone to read and why?
A bit niche I appreciate but I would say Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984 by Simon Reynolds. It’s a great book by a great music writer on, push comes to shove, my favourite music genre.