Briefly, tell me about your background and career up to this point?

Born in Derbyshire, I was an undergraduate and postgraduate student in the UK and Belgium before joining UMDS (which later became part of Kings) on the Anatomy and Neuroscience PhD programme. After a post-doc with Professor Susan Standring at King’s, I swapped my lab and dissecting room coats for office wear when I joined City University to administer the Health Faculty’s four Research Assessment Exercise returns. Health at City was predominately Social Science based which introduced me to a totally different way of conducting research. After working for six Faculty Deans in five years at City, I joined the UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment and really enjoyed working with the some of the world’s leading architects and urban planners. Before re-joining KCL in February I was the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology manager for almost five years. I was heavily involved in the NIHR BRC and a major project to move the Institute and Moorfields Eye Hospital to a new building near St Pancras.

What is a typical day like for you?

I have only been here for a month, so no two days have been the same…

What would you like members of our school to most know about you?

I’m here to solve problems. How can I help? I want to enable great research that has impact and create fantastic education opportunities for our students.

What is your favourite part about your current role?

Variety – I enjoy the range of different challenges that come before a School Manager.

What do you do with your time outside of work?

I am currently trying to bounce radio signals off the moon.  I’m heavily involved in Scouting and I help run the Scouting science and technology programme at Gilwell Park. I would like young people to be able to hear the echoes of their voices over the half million-mile lunar return trip so we can talk about the science behind it. Designing and building the equipment to do this is a real challenge for me.

What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? 

If you keep working hard, it’s going to be OK.

Who do you look up to?

There is something to learn from everyone, but I was always inspired by Professor Gary Rubin who combines amazing research talent, humility and wicked humour whilst living with a terminal condition.

Any leaving remarks that you would like other members of our school to know about you?

My wife works for the King's Policy Institute, so if you need a policy route to Impact.…

QUICK-FIRE:

With two boys under 10 years old I don’t see or read much aimed at any other age group!

Favourite Movie: Any of the Monty Python films.

Favourite Book: What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson.

Favourite TV Show: When I am home alone the TV is never on!