Author: Beth Lloyd

Nikiaisha Thompson: championing inclusion, accessibility and the power of representation

Nikiaisha Thompson

“Black History Month reminds me that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us.”

Nikiaisha Thompson is a British Sign Language (BSL) Coordinator in the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication.  

Through her work at Imperial and her advocacy, Nikiaisha aims to raise awareness of the inequalities impacting Deaf communities and individuals, improve access and representation, and empower students to embed inclusivity in areas like medicine and engineering.  

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Anson To: Advocacy in action

Anson To, Deputy President (Welfare)

“It is important to me that the LGBTQ+ community is supported, especially trans+ communities and allies, given the current political climate.” 

As Deputy President (Welfare) at Imperial College Union (ICU), Anson To has spent the past year creating tangible change for students across Imperial. Inspired by their time as LGBTQ+ Officer, they were elected to the role in the summer of 2025 and have since graduated from their degree in Molecular Bioengineering.   

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Georgia Simmons: Shaping the student experience 

Georgia Simmons

“My involvement in StudentShapers helped me develop time management, project management and teamworking skills.”

Georgia Simmons is a postdoctoral researcher in cancer biology at Imperial. She completed her postgraduate studies at Imperial, including an MRes in Cancer Biology and an MRC-AstraZeneca funded PhD.

From Portsmouth to Imperial   

Georgia’s academic path began with a BSc in Biomedical Science at the University of Portsmouth, where a three-month ERASMUS placement at the Nencki Institute in Warsaw first sparked her interest in cancer biology and influenced her decision to pursue a career in cancer biology. 

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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…)

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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Peter Bryan: Connecting Black researchers

“The Black Doctoral Network is a space where PhD students can socialise, network and get advice”

Peter Bryan

Peter Bryan is a fourth-year postgraduate research student in the Department of Bioengineering and co-chair of the Black Doctoral Network.

He is also one of the first recipients of the James West scholarship which aims to address the under-representation of Black and mixed Black Heritage PhD students within the department.

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Ayo Oluyemi: Supporting Black students

“I’m really excited about creating spaces for Black students at Imperial.”

Ayo Oluyemi

Ayo Oluyemi is the Education Projects Coordinator in the Education Office and is leading a project to improve the experience of Black students at Imperial. After running successful pilot activities last year supported by the Education Office Innovation Fund, they have secured further funding for the Black @ Imperial programme to run a series of events across the 2025-26 academic year, with the first event taking place later this month.  

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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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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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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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