Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
I’m from Atlanta, Georgia, US, have a dual BA in European History and Human Health, a Master of Public Health in Biostatistics, and worked as a microbiologist for four years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now I’m a third year PhD in Cancer Studies.
Looking back, what has the pandemic and resulting lockdowns taught you?
You can only plan so much…
What do you think people in the School would find most surprising about you?
I do not have a background in cell or cancer cell biology
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
There is nothing weak about feeling fear.
What do you do with your time outside academia?
Try to keep my plants alive (sometimes successfully), and test baking recipes on my friends.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Being an Ovarian Cancer survivor (yay six years!), and studying this disease for my PhD project.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
The investigatory freedom of my project
Can you please tell us a bit about the Race Equality Network and what it aims to achieve?
REN is a staff and PGR network at King’s created to drive racial equality. We aim to provide a safe place to identify and address cultural and diversity issues around university policies and practices by implementation of King’s Race Equality Action Plan. We strive to foster a community that celebrates transparency, knowledge, respect, and equality.
What motivated you to want to get involved with the Network?
I have always been interested in discussions of promoting racial equality and addressing areas of systemic and institutionalized racism. I sought a safe space for PGR POC when I started my PhD and realized this area was lacking. Alongside several others, I pushed for the creation of an inclusive network to acknowledge racial inequality at King’s. I was a core team member first and last year was asked to be co-chair.
What does your role involve day to day?
Strategizing with the other co-chair and core team members on events, collaborations, policy adjustments/initiatives, and meeting with faculty across departments. And sometimes hosting and interviewing people!