What is your current role and what does a typical week look like?

I joined SLS in March as the Research Strategy Development Officer. The role is really varied so it is hard to pin down a typical week, but the role generally falls into two parts. On the one hand I work with individual academics to help identify funding opportunities, develop research ideas and strengthen grant applications. I also have a departmental-level role to support the senior management team in developing and enacting the school’s research strategy, looking at our research themes and trends in research and funding, and helping to showcase the brilliant work that we do in the school.

Nationality: UK

Which part of your role do you enjoy the most, and what are the biggest challenges?
I love the interaction with the people around the school, which given the last 18 months has also been the biggest challenge. Starting a new role during a pandemic is a surreal experience when you don’t actually change the location you are going to! I am now enjoying the mix of being back on campus and seeing people again, along with having time at home to concentrate on the quieter aspects of my role.

Which skills help you most in being able to perform your role?
Being friendly, approachable, and being able to talk to people is really important in this role. I spend a lot of time talking to people to gather information about their research interests and plans, and the school’s strengths, facilities, expertise etc. This then means I am in a better position to advise individuals, and also help showcase the excellent research we do in the school. Being organised is another important skill – this role is vary varied and I am working with lots of people on a number of different activities, so the last thing I want to do is miss something or let someone down.

How has your education or roles previous to joining Life Sciences, informed your interests, and why did you choose this career direction?
I trained as a medicinal chemist, and whilst I loved being in the lab during my PhD and Post-doc, I knew that an academic career in the long run wasn’t for me. Instead, I looked for roles that supported research, and moved to the Wellcome Trust as a Grants Advisor. One of the great things about this role was being able to read the fantastic proposals and keep in touch with research. I also loved being able to advise and support applicants through the application process, especially the early career researchers at that critical career stage.

I moved to Warwick about 6 years ago and have been working in Research and Impact Services, supporting the WMS and also SLS in the early days. In this role I have been able to learn about the University processes and gain experience of applications to multiple funders. I was also able to share my experience of being at a funder to help my R&IS colleagues understand the funder priorities and support applicants with their proposals. I am now enjoying using these skills and experiences to support Life Sciences researchers in their research proposals. Whilst my background is chemistry/biomedical science, I am also enjoying learning about new areas of research within our environmental and plant/crop themes.

What is your favourite place on campus and why?
I love going for a walk in Tocil wood, normally at lunchtime, but also on a nice crisp morning. The hardest thing I found about moving to an office-based role was sitting down for so much for the day, so it is fantastic that we have such a beautiful environment to get some fresh air and stretch our legs!

What are your main interests or passions, outside of work?
We have recently undergone a building extension so most of my spare time seems to be spent decorating at the moment! Otherwise, I love spending time outdoors with my little boy, especially on our allotment. It brings a smile to my face seeing him chomping on a carrot he’s just pulled out of the ground, and you can’t beat home grown food for your dinner. During the winter months, I also love taking photos, knitting and sewing. I love the feeling of being able to create something for myself.

Interview date October 2021

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