Briefly, tell us about your background and career/studies up to this point?
I oversee staff and facilities across four sites (within James Black Centre, Hodgkin Building, St Thomas Hospital and Franklin-Wilkins Building). Following my degree at Imperial, I started my career as a researcher undertaking my PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research before completing a post-doctoral position at UCL. At this point (and like many post-docs), I had begun to consider where my future career-path was leading and so decided to explore pharma as a senior scientist at GSK, before settling into a mixed research / lab manager role at Cancer Research UK. Enjoying the management side of the role led me to the University of Bedfordshire where I became the Faculty Technical Manager with oversight of ~35 staff across three sites. Working within a smaller HEI provided opportunities to develop much broader skills and I’ve been involved in staff / School restructures, implementing organisational contracts (e.g. Amazon Business), overseeing compliance (liaising with government bodies) and contributing to the development and implementation of a number of new and refurbished specialist facilities – the most notable of which was the completion of a £40 million STEM building and decant / relocation into that building. This year I decided I would like a new challenge and would take my experience back into a larger university and now find myself at King's.
What is a typical day like for you?
As with all technical roles, there is no such thing as a typical day. While I and my diary have a clear plan of work for the day, and projects I wish to move forward, unexpected items are often escalated with the need to urgently address. But I find I enjoy this aspect of the job the most, working with people to identify solutions.
What do you think people in the School would find most surprising about you?
I’m not sure what someone would find surprising about me. Maybe that I have played the trombone since I was 8 years old and used to tour around Europe in a Jazz and Swing band every summer during my teens… Or that I used to be a caver and spent a summer mapping cave systems in the Alps. Or that I sit on a board of trustees for a charity.
What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?
Believe in yourself and be confident in your own abilities – you are not alone in your uncertainties and insecurities (what is true for you is true for many people).
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
This is month two of the new job and I have spent that time learning about King's and my team; understanding what we do and how we do it; how my role fits into things and identifying what I can do to improve things. I’m developing a number of projects with the intention of making things easier and more efficient, so watch this space….
What do you do with your time outside academia/work?
I am an avid reader spending much of my free time immersed in Sci-Fi and fantasy books. I do not watch much television although admit to watching space documentaries and real-life murder/crime shows (not sure what that latter says about me). When not reading, I am a Treasurer for a charity.
What is your favourite thing about working at King’s?
The people! Everyone I have met so far has been friendly and so positive about their working experience here, and the duration of service of these individuals attests to that.
QUICK-FIRE:
Favourite season: Summer – I am pale and pasty and for a few short weeks I’m not. I also love the collective endorphin boost the summer season gives people. People seem to smile and be happier which makes for what feels like a more positive world.
Favourite book: Impossible to answer! It’s like asking who your favourite child is.
Favourite cuisine: Depends on many different factors, from how I’m feeling through to the time of year. General rule of thumb is that if its unhealthy and/or fattening I will love it.
Coffee order: Full fat Latte (obviously).
One thing you could not go a day without: Chocolate