Blog posts

Riad Yagoubi, Research Postgraduate, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction

Part of Shifting the Lens: A celebration of cultural diversity at Imperial

“When I was in primary school, I always felt different. A lot of other people thought I was weird because I knew Arabic/Algerian. There’s very much the stereotype in France that if you speak Arabic or Algerian Arabic you haven’t adapted enough to French society or can’t speak French very well. As a result, I felt quite alone a lot.

“In France, you are allocated a high school based on location, but I was able to choose my high school because I had good results. But I felt different as most of my fellow students were the sons of politicians and doctors, and my background was completely different. (more…)

Dr Nida Sajjad, Teaching Fellow, National Heart and Lung Institute

“I have always been passionate about engaging students through innovative digital learning technologies.” 

I am a medical doctor-turned-teacher with a research background in neuroscience. I studied medicine in Lahore, Pakistan, and after practising there I moved to Trento in Italy where I did an MSc in cognitive neuroscience. I really enjoyed working with patients and data and this led me into research, which ultimately paved the way for me to take on teaching roles at the Universities of Bristol and Birmingham. 

I joined Imperial as a Teaching Fellow in the National Heart and Lung Institute in September last year. It was difficult at the beginning as the whole interview process was online, and even now, I have only met people on Microsoft Teams!    (more…)

Emre Yavuz, Taught Postgraduate, Department of Brain Sciences

“Working with my peers to overcome the inevitable challenges we have faced during the pandemic has made my student experience the best it could be.”   

I recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in Neuroscience and started my Master’s degree in Translational Neuroscience in the autumn. I am fascinated by several areas of neuroscience, including psychedelics and dementia care, and technology. I hope to carry out my Master’s thesis in psychedelic research, and I aspire to continue my studies with a PhD in this field. One of my life goals is to combine science and technology to massively improve the quality of life of those suffering from debilitating neurological diseases.     (more…)

Josh Chana, Project Manager – Minor Works, Estates

“Our team works on a wide variety of projects for the College, from constructing new buildings at White City to renovating existing spaces at South Kensington.” 

Before joining Imperial in 2019, I was a sponsored undergraduate student, working for international property and construction company Lendlease while studying towards my undergraduate degree. However, upon moving to Imperial after my second year, I transferred to the University College of Estate Management (UCEM) to study my Construction Project Management degree part-time while working.  

I work as a Project Manager in the Projects Delivery team in the Estates Division. Our team works on a wide variety of projects for the College, from constructing new buildings at White City to renovating existing spaces at South Kensington. My role is focused on the management of some of our smaller projects, with values up to £1m. I work with clients and stakeholders from across Imperial to ensure that projects get completed on time, on budget and that they provide lasting value to Imperial. Some of my current projects include RFID upgrade works for Library Services, access control upgrade works for Residential Services, and fire prevention works for the Fire Office.   (more…)

Chris Bird, Mechanical Engineering Apprentice Technician, Human Resources

“I liked the idea of learning on the job while earning a wage and working towards qualifications.”

I am a mechanical engineering technician apprentice currently working in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. I work in each department on a six-month rotation, which allows me to work on different projects and learn from different people.

I really enjoy using different types of tools and machinery as they allow me to create parts from metal bar/round stock into something useable. One of the tools I use is a micrometer – this is a precise measuring instrument that ensures that a component is produced to the required size. (more…)

Leigh Sims, Transformation Programme Manager and Testing Lead for COVID-19 Asymptomatic Test and Trace project, College Headquarters

“Step-by-step we have built the COVID-19 testing service so that people can keep safe while continuing to study and research.” 

I started working on the COVID-19 Asymptomatic Test and Trace project in August last year. After a successful pilot, the College needed to scale up from 50 tests a day to mass testing of 500 staff and students every day by the start of term. Initially, I was just helping to plan the work, but this quickly turned into designing the testing process. 

Increasing our testing ten-fold in five weeks was a real challenge, but the speed at which the team came together was quite special. We broke the project down into workstreams and refined what we were doing day by day. We focused on building a booking system, sourcing testing venues across campus, recruiting and training a testing workforce, and liaising with the lab team as all our swab analysis would be done in-house.  (more…)

Leonardo Zea Reyes, Research Postgraduate, Centre for Environmental Policy

“I’m investigating how to better integrate climate policies into city planning with a focus on human health.” 

I’m an Environmental Policy Research PhD student at the Centre for Environmental Policy. My Master’s is in Urban Management and Development with a specialisation in Environment and Climate Change and studied Architecture. I have broadened my scope from a siloed area such as architecture to the urban and environmental dimensions. 

I’m investigating how to better integrate climate policies into city planning with a focus on human health using a systems-thinking approach – which means thinking about the greater picture. Additionally, I am a partner at Cónclave Consultora, a consultancy that helps people who want to construct a building through recommendations that consider the entire development as a whole. In the process, we conduct an environmental impact assessment – an application of my academic preparation at Imperial.  (more…)

Andrew Grieve, Senior Air Quality Analyst, School of Public Health

“I’ve been able to combine my twin passions of air quality and digital technology to design and develop several air quality apps over the years.” 

I suffered from asthma as a child and always had a Ventolin inhaler in my pocket from primary school, so I was always interested in lungs and breathing and what would trigger an attack.  

I studied Environmental then Computer Science at Stirling University and was keen to pursue a career in science but ended up in the School of Public Health’s Environmental Research Group (ERG) somewhat by accident after I saw a job advertised in the back pages of New Scientist – which I picked up by chance in Tesco on South Clerk St in Edinburgh. I never imagined I’d end up living and working in London, but I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to have landed in ERG.  (more…)

Shiya Li, Research Postgraduate, Dyson School of Design Engineering

“Within three months of starting, we launched Mensura Mask and started to provide free custom-fit mask CAD models to the public.” 

I am a final year PhD student at the Dyson School of Design Engineering, working to develop novel design methods to quickly and automatically create custom-fit Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models of facial wearable products. I started out looking at Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP) mask for sleep apnoea patients but later refocused to PPE respirator masks due to COVID-19. Prior to joining Imperial, I studied aerospace engineering and worked extensively on 3D printing.   (more…)

Dr Yilun Xu, Research Associate, Department of Materials

“One piece of advice I give to students is to try to separate your work and living spaces as much as possible.” 

I came to the UK to do my postgraduate study, choosing Imperial because it looked like some interesting things were being done here. I did my Master’s and PhD here and now I am conducting post-doctoral research within the Department of Materials. I also teach in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and am a postgraduate mentor to students in the department.  

Lockdown has affected both my teaching and research but in slightly different ways. Most of my research is computational based and to begin with, my colleagues and I had some issues carrying it out remotely. However, we have worked closely together and looked at new ways to collaborate remotely as well as new software we could use. We can now use our computers in the lab remotely from our homes so are able to continue our modelling work.   (more…)