Blog posts

Monika Kojak: Women at Imperial Week

Monika Kojak“I went to a conference where I met many female project managers from the construction sector, and I realised that there are a lot of us now.”

Building a career

Monika is a Capital Projects Programme Manager in Imperial’s Property Division. “I look at how our spaces at Imperial adapt and reflect our Science for Humanity and academic strategies. I focus on the benefits, interdependencies, and outcomes of  projects such as Carbon Net Zero, Silwood and the Great Environment.’

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From Pea moth to policy: a woman’s journey in Safety, Sustainability and Science

Sally Campbell

“I want to enable people to get their work done confidently and safely, rather than putting up barriers.”

Profile written by Anna Napolitano

Sally Campbell, Safety and Compliance Manager in Central Biomedical Services (CBS), has built a career defined by curiosity, creativity and genuine care for people. Today she plays a key role in ensuring Imperial’s animal research is carried out safely and responsibly, but her journey began in a very different place.

An unexpected call

Sally began her career in 1973 as a research assistant at what is now Rothamsted Research, focusing on pea moths. Just a year later, the UK’s Health & Safety at Work Act reshaped how research laboratories operated — and subtly redirected Sally’s own career. (more…)

Abby Sanderson – Women at Imperial Week

Abby Sanderson

“I grew up playing football, and back then there weren’t any role models you could watch in stadiums. So it’s nice to see how things have changed.”

A major sports fan, Abby has managed to turn her passion into a career. Being the Wellbeing Manager is all about how sport and physical activity support wellbeing. Abby works in the Move team, part of the Property Division, which encourages students and staff to get active. “My role is about encouraging people to increase their physical activity levels.”

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Julia Mitra – Celebrating student sustainability

Julia on holiday

“Bringing people together fosters creativity and helps to keep momentum in campaigning and constructively challenging the status quo.”

As Imperial College Union’s Ethics and Environment Officer, Julia Mitra is helping to shape the university’s sustainability landscape – from running policymaking workshops to green careers initiatives. All while juggling the role with her undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering.  

With Sustainability Month’s packed programme of events, workshops and fairs now upon us, Julia shares how she has brought her passion for sustainability to life. 

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Mhairi Finlayson: Reading the Sun’s magnetic story

Mhairi Finlayson wearing a dark blue collared shirt stands outdoors at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with green grass and shrubland behind them. Several tall launch structures and towers are visible in the distance under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

“I hope I’m contributing, even in a small way, to answering the big question of how the Sun works and how it influences Earth.”

Mhairi Finlayson is a Data Scientist working on the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), a spacecraft launched in September 2025. IMAP is a NASA mission and Imperial is leading on the probe’s magnetometer, one of ten scientific instruments on the probe. (more…)

Oana Filote: Supporting operational change

Oana Filote

“It’s rewarding to know that what I do helps make a positive difference to staff and, ultimately, the wider Imperial community.” 

Oana is the Training Coordinator for the Great Service Programme, a long-term project which will deliver a range of improvements across People, Procurement, Finance and Research Administration at Imperial. 

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Nan and Tommaso: Building community and visibility

Nan Fletcher-Lloyd and Tommaso Barba

“It’s important for students to see people like them further along the career path they’re aiming for” 

Within Imperial’s Department of Brain Sciences, the LGBTQ+ Allies Network has become a growing source of visibility, connection and support. Nan Fletcher-Lloyd, Research Associate, and Tommaso Barba, PhD student, both share how the network has influenced their journeys at Imperial and why creating this space for staff and students matters. (more…)

Emanuele Bacchelli: Bringing creativity to Imperial’s kitchens this Veganuary

Emanuele in his chef outfit in a kitchen

“I have colleagues from all around the world and we exchange experiences and recipes.”

Emanuele Bacchelli is Senior Sous Chef in the Sherfield Building of Imperial’s South Kensington Campus. Since joining Imperial in April 2024, Emanuele has been at the heart of the university’s culinary operations, ensuring fresh, high-quality options are available across campus every day. 

His role is fast-paced and dynamic, but that’s exactly what he loves about it. “We put a lot of effort into making the lunchtime here at Sherfield the best. The daily operation is really busy and really fun. I have colleagues from all around the world and we exchange experiences and recipes.” 

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Katy Ingleby: Creating an innovation ecosystem

Katy Ingleby

“One of the things I love about working at Imperial is the opportunity to learn new things and collaborate with different teams.”

Katy Ingleby is the Head of Public Affairs and part of the team responsible for managing the delivery of the WestTech London project, one strand of Imperial’s Science for Humanity strategy.

After completing her PhD in English Literature, Katy’s career began first at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh and then the Houses of Parliament in London. Following this, she held roles at several charities before joining the Medical Research Council and UKRI.

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Esma Koca: Research-led inclusive teaching

Esma Koca

“I admire how much students bring to the table with their perspectives and their creativity.”

Dr Esma Koca is a Principal Teaching Fellow at Imperial Business School and Deputy Academic Director for the Full-Time and Weekend MBA programmes. Alongside her leadership in teaching and programme design, she is an active researcher in analytics, operations and marketing. Her work examines how digitisation and AI transform decision-making and market outcomes across both commercial and societal domains, drawing on tools from game theory and data analytics. 

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