Outreach

On this page:

Public Engagement

26 Jul 2024, Presented at the 5th Annual Future MD's in STEM Summer Program hosted by MedSTEMPowered (virtual)

12 Mar 2024, Participated as a "Living Book" (neuroscience expert) for Brain Awareness Week Public Engagement, Jubilee Library, Brighton

16 Apr 2023, Presented a seminar to young people interested in neuroscience careers hosted by Medicine4Youth (virtual)

28 Jun 2022, Explained my research to University of Sussex alumni

8 Jun 2022, A celebration of Sussex Neuroscience Research, University of Sussex

14 Oct 2021, Explained my research to members of the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), East Sussex Branch

7 Oct 2021, Explained my research to University of Sussex alumni

1 Oct 2020, Explained my research to sixth-form students at East Sussex College, Lewes (virtual)

Leadership & Service

Neuroscience Postgraduate Student Representative

Oct 2019 – Sept 2020, University of Sussex Students' Union

Responsibilities:

• Represented all Neuroscience PhD students, collecting and presenting feedback to university staff.
• Addressed student-related issues such as study spaces, assessments, deadlines, and other academic experience factors.
• Participated in the Periodic Review for Life Sciences panel to review the quality and standards of the School’s educational provision.
• Organised the Life Sciences PhD Symposium 2020 in collaboration with other student representatives.
• Served as a panel member on various university and school-level committees.

Notable Achievements:

• Elected by peers for representation, demonstrating trust and confidence in my leadership.
• Received the Student Rep Bronze Award for my engagement and commitment.
• Successfully organised a significant academic event, the Life Sciences PhD Symposium 2020, in collaboration with others.
• Contributed to the improvement of the educational provision's quality and standards through strategic reviews.

Founder and President of the Glasgow University Organ Donation Society

Jan 2016 – Jun 2017, Glasgow University Students' Representative Council

Responsibilities:

• Established the society with affiliation to the university's Student Representative Council.
• Formed a crucial partnership with the Scottish Government’s National Health Service (NHS).
• Aided NHS in enhancing donations to their Blood and Transplant Department by spreading awareness about the need for more organ donors.

Notable Achievements:

• Successfully established a society focused on a critical social cause.
• Contributed to an increase in organ donations through targeted awareness campaigns.
• Built a strong partnership with a key government health service.

Living Support Assistant

Sep 2015 - Jun 2018, Residential Services, University of Glasgow

As a Living Support Assistant (and later promoted to Senior Living Support Assistant), I played an integral role in fostering an orderly and supportive environment within university accommodation. This role allowed me to build relationships with students, and provide them with advice and assistance on the nuances of independent living.

Responsibilities:

• Served as an on-call support for students, responding to a variety of issues that arose, ranging from interpersonal conflicts to maintenance issues.
• Acted as a bridge between students and more senior staff, facilitating effective communication and swift resolution of any problems.
• Participated in regular meetings with the Warden and Senior Living Support Staff, ensuring that all relevant information was efficiently circulated and distributed to residents.
• Managed a variety of administrative duties, such as maintaining necessary paperwork, responding to emails in a timely manner, and assisting with key handouts and information distribution.

Notable Achievements:

• Consistently provided a quick response to emergencies and unexpected issues, using my knowledge, experience, and judgement to make appropriate decisions.
• Successfully maintained discipline within the residence according to the University Policies and Disciplinary Code.
• Actively participated in training to acquire additional skills, including becoming a Qualified First Aider.
• Supported new students during their initial weeks, facilitating talks to provide advice and guidance on adapting to their new environment.

Life Sciences Undergraduate Student Representative

Sep 2014 – May 2015, Glasgow University Students' Representative Council

• Elected by my peers to represent all second-year life sciences students.
• Represented student voices at staff-student liaison committee meetings and other smaller gatherings.
• Facilitated constructive communication between students and staff, providing feedback for course improvement.

Volunteering

Letters to a Pre-scientist Pen-Pal Program

Nov 2023 - Present

• Engage in regular correspondence with a pre-scientist student at an urban high school primarily serving low-income, diverse, and disadvantaged youth, including a significant number of English Language Learners and students with learning disabilities.
• Actively contribute to fostering interest in STEM among youth facing socioeconomic and educational barriers, promoting STEM education and literacy in a community marked by limited resources and academic opportunities.

Research Mentor and Project Supervisor

Jun 2023 - Aug 2023, Medicine4Youth Organisation

• Provided expert consultation to 33 teams of high school and undergraduate students on best practices in STEM research and academic writing.
• Advised on the development and execution of research methodologies tailored to review articles, ensuring robust academic rigour.
• Served as the principal advisor in overseeing the end-to-end process of research article creation, from conceptualisation to final submission.

STEM Ambassador

Feb 2017 - Dec 2020, STEM Learning UK

• Led workshops and hands-on activities, and shared my professional experiences, with the ultimate goal of breaking down the barriers that often deter students from pursuing STEM fields.
• Organised and facilitated engaging STEM workshops for over 500 students.
• Collaborated with teachers to develop curriculum-aligned STEM activities.

Student Ambassador

Feb 2017 - Jun 2018, Marketing and Recruitment Office at the University of Glasgow

• Provided campus tours and addressed queries of prospective students and parents.
• Assisted in organising and executing university open days and other marketing events.

Retail and Customer Service Volunteer

Sep 2014 - Dec 2014, Barnardo's Charity, Glasgow

Handled multiple roles from managing the retail store front, sorting and organising donations, to interacting with customers and ensuring their satisfaction.