Imperial people

“My school governor role has given me a wealth of experience and has widened my remit within my role working here at the College.”

I have been working in the Division of Cancer for over twenty years in cancer research administration. I am a Unison steward and have previously served as Chair, and I am currently Treasurer for the Committee. Previously, I have taught adult education in ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), functional skills, family learning and have taught a range of fitness related classes from dance fitness to Pilates. I have also taught accredited fitness qualifications and have experience in assessment and internal verification.

The team I work with carries out research in a translational laboratory which focuses on detection of micrometastatic disease (cancer cells which have escaped from the original tumour and have spread to other parts of the body) and applies this to the treatment of breast cancer.

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Read Suzy Ford, PA and Administrator, Department of Surgery and Cancer in full

“My primary responsibility is to ensure the residents have a safe and secure environment in which to live.”

I am one of the Hall Supervisors at Wilson House and I have been at Imperial College London since 2011. Before that I worked in sanitation management for King’s College, the Royal Free Hospital and for Carilllion. I came to live in the UK in 1991 from Russia, then the Soviet Union, which led me to study Russian and German at the University of Westminster. I’ve worked in several different halls at Imperial over the past 12 years, including Pembridge, Beit and Silwood. My primary responsibility is to assist in the general management of the hall and ensure the residents have a safe and secure environment in which to live. Checks are carried out daily and any maintenance issues are logged in terms of priority.

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Read Abu Bakarr Bangura, Hall Supervisor, Campus Services in full

“As a Black woman working in education, I understand that there are many barriers to women of colour taking up leadership positions. I want to help dismantle not just race, but disability and gender-based biases, making NHLI’s working environment as inclusive as possible.”

When I graduated from Aston university with a degree in Management and Strategy in 2010, I didn’t have a clear vision of what my career would lead to. During that time, the economy was just recovering from a recession, it was a huge struggle to find graduate level jobs, and I felt overwhelmed and lost. I applied for a great number of jobs and eventually stumbled into the wonderful world of education.

I worked as a student support officer at an independent education provider and then I moved on to another role in a contemporary music college as a wellbeing adviser. I felt like I had finally found my feet, but three years later I was made redundant. I knew I wanted to stay in education as I really enjoyed helping students and working within a learning-focused environment.

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Read Jacyra Da Silva Baptista, Staffing and EDI Coordinator, National Lung and Heart Institute in full

“I am always looking to continue developing my professional skills and knowledge so that I can ensure the projects and processes I work on are as inclusive as possible to all students and staff in the College.” 

After graduating with an undergraduate degree in Law in 2016 and a Masters in 2017 I joined the NHS through a graduate scheme in Leicester, moving on to my first full operational management role in January 2020. In September 2020 I moved to London and continued to build on my operational management experience in the NHS.  

In late 2022 I came across the position of Senior Business Analyst with the Transformation Team in Registry at Imperial College London. I see my biggest responsibility as supporting people through change. My role focusses on digital improvement of the student and staff digital journey through the Student Lifecycle Administration Board (SLAB) with the College strategy and values in mind. SLAB focusses on ensuring continuous improvement to the student experience at Imperial. 

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Read Aabida Patel, Senior Business Analyst, Registry in full

“Bouncing from a Physics degree, to a journalism qualification, to an MSc in Science Communication at Imperial, I now do what I love most: telling stories about science.”

The ‘aha’ moment came to me during a summer internship, just before I entered the final year of my Physics degree, when I was sitting alone in an empty newsroom at midnight. I was exhausted but I had to wait copyeditors to finalise my article before I could go home. Yet, it was the happiest I had ever been.

I’m the Digital Communications Officer at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. I came into this role after I completed a Master’s degrees in Physics and Science Communication. When I first moved to the UK to pursue Physics, I spent my time outside of classes continuing with clubs that I did in high school, namely writing for the student newspaper.

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Read Jacklin Kwan, ‪Digital Communications Officer, Natural Sciences‬ in full

“I feel that I am contributing to the research community and science as a whole.” 

I am qualified in Animal Care (BTEC National Diploma) and started my career at Huntingdon Life Sciences as a Support Services Technician. I learned more about water quality and gained further expertise, including being involved in a study testing and collecting data on air quality machines. Following this experience, I moved to Imperial to work as Support Services Supervisor for Central Biomedical Services (CBS), Imperial’s animal care facility, at the South Kensington Campus.     

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Read Seth Jethwa, Support Services Supervisor, Central Biomedical Services   in full

“My apprenticeship journey at Imperial has been an enriching and transformative experience” 

I can vividly recall writing my first lines of code – the classic “Hello World”. Despite its simplicity, I was immediately captivated by the art of programming. Coding helps to fill my creative urges as it allows me to bring my ideas to life in a tangible way. With each project, I am presented with a new challenge that requires me to think critically and find innovative solutions to complex problems. As a software engineering apprentice, I have been exposed to a diverse range of technical and practical skills that have equipped me with the necessary knowledge to develop complex software systems. 

As a member of the products team in ICT, I have been building systems using programming languages such as JavaScript. The experience has allowed me to gain a better understanding of all sides of the product life cycle, from design to deployment. My current project involves building digital platforms that will improve the admissions process for both staff and prospective students. It’s rewarding to see end users benefiting from the products I’ve contributed to building and knowing that my work has enhanced people’s experience at Imperial.  (more…)

Read Joyce Kadibu, Software Developer Apprentice, Information and Communication Technologies in full

“It can sometimes be tricky to find spaces where I feel like I can be fully myself, but with the EDI Centre, I just knew that I belonged”

I studied Classics at the University of Oxford. As a university student I was already very involved in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) – amongst other things, I was on the Oxford University Student Union LGBTQ+ Campaign Committee, and I was the Black and Minority Ethnic Officer at my College. I organised LGBTQ+ film screenings and discussion groups, and dinners to celebrate festivals like Diwali and Lunar New Year. I didn’t imagine back then that EDI was a field I would work in professionally though – I didn’t realise it was an option! (more…)

Read Cynthia So, EDIC Coordinator, Human Resources Division in full

“The most rewarding part of my role is supporting my team to ensure we provide the best service for our students and staff.”

I joined Imperial College of Science & Technology (as it was then known) in 1988 as the Vacation Training Co-ordinator in the Careers Service. At the time I had no real plans to stay, but 34 years later I find myself still at Imperial having enjoyed the many diverse roles I have undertaken.

In 1988 technology was very limited, and I fondly remember the one afternoon slot the Careers Service received each week to access the single Registry computer. It was a very busy afternoon given the other option was to use the typewriter and make many carbon copies!
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Read Samantha Symmonds, Postgraduate Education Manager, Earth Science and Engineering in full

“It was incredibly rewarding to see our work make a difference.”

I studied BSc Medical Sciences at the University of Exeter which exposed me to a range of disease areas and therapeutics. After graduating, I took a position as a research administrator at Imperial in January 2019, working with the Ageing Epidemiology Unit at Charing Cross Hospital. My manager was very supportive of my career development and ignited my interest in clinical trials and research. I found it very fulfilling to contribute to research that can lead to improved treatments and outcomes for many people.
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Read Polly Fox, Clinical Project Manager, Department of Infectious Disease in full