Blog posts

Satpal Sangha: Making design concepts a reality

Satpal Singha

“At Imperial there are lots of opportunities to be creative.”

Satpal Sangha is a Research Design and Manufacturing Manager in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has worked at Imperial since 2012.

Consultant for all mechanical engineering design projects

Satpal has been in his current role since 2023, managing a team of seven technicians at a workshop in the City and Guilds Building. The team supports a wide range of academics and researchers, playing a vital role in making their projects a reality. (more…)

Jennifer Quint: Championing early career researchers

Jennifer Quint

“Early career researchers are fundamental to the future of research and essential to Imperial. Our role is to keep them, enthuse them, and help train them for success.”

Jennifer Quint is one of two Deputy Directors (Academic) for the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) and a Clinical Professor of Respiratory Epidemiology.

She leads the Respiratory Electronic Health Record group in the School of Public Health, alongside national roles including the Associate Director for the Respiratory Data Science Catalyst.

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Farwa Abbas: Making the most of the Imperial experience

Farwa Abbas

“I want young people, especially girls, to feel like they belong in science, like it’s something they can own.”

Farwa Abbas is a final year PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.  

It was always her dream to study at Imperial and as the first in her family to pursue higher education abroad and earn a PhD, Farwa has made the most of all the opportunities on offer during her time here as a postgraduate research student.  

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Student Mental Health Advice team: Creating a safe space to talk

Left to right: Iain Boyd, Danielle Peiris and Joe McCoy

“The most rewarding thing about our work is seeing students grow in confidence and self-assuredness.”

Senior Student Mental Health Advisor Iain Boyd and Advisors Danielle Peiris and Joe McCoy work to support students with ongoing complex mental health issues. These can include symptoms including depression or anxiety, or conditions such as psychosis, bipolar or eating disorders.

The team offers ongoing support to students over multiple sessions, enabling the team to really get to know their students and build strong therapeutic relationships. They can also support students to navigate other support systems, such as GPs and the NHS, to enable them to get the help they need. (more…)

Graduation volunteers: Making Commemoration special

Darren Ng and Lilia Morales

Lilia and Darren volunteered at Commemoration Day in October 2024, which saw 3500 graduands awarded their degrees. Volunteers are essential to the successful running of the event and take on roles including crowd management around the South Kensington Campus, supporting on the information desks, ticket scanning at the receptions, and stewarding the livestream screening. Details of how to get involved at the 2025 ceremonies can be found at the end of the article. 

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Christine Larbie: Over 40 years of supporting science

Christine Larbie

“I have always felt part of a family at Imperial” 

Christine Larbie, Support Technician in Central Biomedical Services, joined Imperial in 1979 when she was 21 years old.  

In 1985 Christine moved to the animal unit, where she was trained as an animal technician. She has worked at the South Kensington Campus ever since, in roles ranging from animal tech to support services and housekeeping roles.   

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Jack Leyshon-Richards: Improving the recruitment journey

Jack Leyshon-Richards

“I’m excited to learn more about Imperial and help find the best candidates that meet the organisation’s needs.”  

What if finding your next brilliant colleague was easier and quicker? That’s the question Jack Leyshon-Richards, Imperial’s new Head of Recruitment, is working towards. Jack joined Imperial in January 2025 with almost 10 years’ experience in HR, most recently working with King’s College London as Head of Recruitment. 

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EDI volunteers: supporting an inclusive workplace

Harassment Support Contacts (HSCs), Neurodiversity Champions (ND Champions), and Staff Supporters are colleagues from across the organisation who volunteer their time to support an inclusive workplace culture.

They are available for informal, confidential conversations on a range of topics and are available to all employees, including line managers.

Each volunteer group has its own network which provides opportunities to get to know colleagues from across Imperial.

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Amaya and Amy: Creating space for women in physics  

Women at Imperial: Know no bounds

Amaya Calvo Sanchez and Amy Thornton

“This society gives me a sense of belonging where people value me and my work” 

To mark Women at Imperial Week, the co-Presidents of the Society for Women and Non-Binary Individuals in Physics shared the work they do to create inclusive spaces in the Department of Physics, how they are creating networking opportunities, and why it’s important to highlight underrepresentation in science.  

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