Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?
Following my research masters at Imperial College London in 2011, I developed a real interest in grant management through a grant application exercise that was designed to allow students to appreciate the costs of a research project. I decided not to do a PhD and started volunteering for charities before eventually starting my career in grant management for Breast Cancer charities, where I worked with a large committee of researchers from all over the UK and Ireland. I also enjoyed being that support for the Breast Cancer scientific community in what is the stressful process of applying for grants, and liked the idea that we were also potentially supporting the careers of the next generation of researchers.
After about 6.5 years, I moved to the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership, where I got an all-round view of grant management to prepare me for a move into a professional services team at King’s, who I joined at the end of November 2021 after 8.5 years in the charity sector.
It is brilliant to be able to work with our researchers and get an even bigger picture view of grants management that I would not get working for a funder.
What is a typical day like for you?
I wake up at about 6am and get the early train at about 7am. I like to get to the office early so that I can take 30-60 minutes to an hour to mentally prepare for the day ahead, such as listening to a good podcast. I typically get home before 7pm and will either go to the gym, watch the football, or watch a film or series!
What is the best thing about the return to ‘normality’ we are now experiencing?
Naturally, this has been incredibly hard for lots of people. For me personally, I am new to King’s and want to be able to experience life on campus and the atmosphere that I have missed since my own time at university (albeit as a staff member this time!). It is also important that I am able to meet and get to know the researchers at the school face to face, and of course that they can meet me as well.
Do you have any current projects that you’d like to tell us about?
Myself. Mental and physical health is a lifelong project in itself. You have to continue to work at it constantly.
What do you do with your time outside work?
I am a huge film fan and go to see a couple of films a week at the cinema (on the same day!). I will go and see anything and everything! I go to the gym 3 times a week and love being out in nature, especially during the warmer weather, to help build resilience and improve mental health. I am also a big football fan and, before covid, often went up to Manchester to see my team, Manchester United, play. Before covid, I also played in a 5-a-side charity football league.
What are you most looking forward to this year?
A year of calm, a warmer and football free summer, a lot of films and, most importantly, settling into my new role at King’s!
Who inspires you most and why?
It was incredible watching the funding committees work to ensure that the research being funded was of the highest quality, but also then providing vital feedback for researchers to help Improve their future grant writing. Having volunteered and worked for charities, working with volunteers who have or had cancer and lung disease and/or fight for those who have or had has been an incredible experience. Taken together, these are the reasons I joined King’s: to continue to play my small part in supporting current and the next generation of scientists with their careers and research grants, in order for them to continue their vital work.