I am a senior lecturer/health care professional (SHS) and Academic Lead for Staff Development within FBMH, currently leading the Pedagogy Development and LEAP programmes for staff across the Faculty. I am also Programme Director of the PGCert in Medical and Health Education (SMS).

After joining the university in 2003, the various successful leadership roles I’ve had at UG/PG/staff development levels have centred around my passion for leadership, teaching and enhancing student learning experience by improving the quality of teaching provision.

I will bring to the committee that extensive experience and expertise including my deep knowledge of the factors that support or inhibit excellent teaching practice with an aim to promote inclusivity and development opportunities for all.

I am a member of the School of Health Sciences (SHS) in the Division of Psychology, Communication, and Human Neuroscience. I engage in both lab-based discovery research and clinical translational work. As Senior PGR Tutor and a supervisor on various PG programmes, I am closely involved with postgraduate teaching, research and welfare. Through my involvement with the School PGR committee I contribute to the running of PGR programmes at SHS School level. 

I joined the Faculty Committee in 2021. In my position I provide a link of communication between those who are responsible for planning and rolling out initiatives across FBMH and the staff on the ground. Recently these developments have included the work contribution model, discussions about introducing apprenticeship programmes, the roll-out of the student experience programme and the five-year. As an elected member of the Faculty Committee, I strive to inform colleagues about the latest developments on faculty level, for instance by attending staff meetings in different Divisions. I also aim to elicit feedback from staff on how well these initiatives are implemented and what issues might have arisen. As group of elected members we meet regularly to see where similar challenges exist across Divisions and Schools and combine and coordinate efforts to bring concerns and challenges to the attention of the Faculty Leadership Team. 

I have greatly benefitted from joining the Faculty Committee. Not only have I developed a closer rapport with the colleagues in my Division as someone who informs them about faculty-wide developments and takes their concerns to the FLT, but I have also developed much closer relationships with colleagues, both academic and non-academic, across other Divisions and Schools in FBMH. Moreover, I feel much better informed about the strategic considerations behind developments at School and Faculty level.

In summary, this position allows me to work with colleagues across a range of subject areas and job families, on issues that affect staff across FBMH.

Being a member of the BMH Faculty Committee enables me to raise and highlight matters of interest and concern to staff and students to the Faculty Senior Leadership Team. Working with other elected members of the Faculty Committee, we endeavour to influence and effect positive change. The role also gives me a broader perspective and understanding of matters of operational and strategic importance to the Faculty, including future planning, and the constraints within which we operate. Our discussions relate to people, finance, and performance across FBMH teaching and learning, research and social responsibility, including across organisational structures.

I am Reader in Complex Human Genetics/Genomics (T&R) in the School of Health Sciences. I bring to the committee my extensive experience of postgraduate teaching, as a Programme Director and Unit Lead, and experience from previous roles as a Centre Lead and an elected member of Senate. Through my research, I have successfully mentored and supported the career development of junior staff and students.

I am a Professor of Nephrology and combine basic science research with my clinical role as a Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist. I lead a research team of 12 focussing on basement membrane biology linking to my clinical role where I manage patients with defects in basement membrane genes. I am also the Director of the Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research and co-Director of a Wellcome 4-year PhD programme.

During my tenure as an elected Faculty Committee member, I have valued the great opportunity to work with colleagues across academic and professional support roles and to bring forward issues for discussion. Our work on improving career structures across professional groups was one issue that is now progressing with wider University involvement.

Rachel’s research profile

I am a historian of biomedical science, based at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, which is part of the Division of Medical Education in the School of Medical Sciences. My first training was in biochemistry, followed by a PhD in History of Science, Technology and Medicine. I have worked at the University for two decades, initially for ten years as a postdoctoral researcher funded by the Wellcome Trust on a series of fixed-term contracts, and since 2011 as a Lecturer and later Senior Lecturer. 

I teach undergraduate and postgraduate units in History of Biology, Medical Humanities, and History of Mental Illness. In my research in recent years I have focused mainly on the history of cancer research and cancer therapy. My most recent book was a history of the oncology drugs developed by the multinational pharmaceutical company Hoffmann La-Roche and its subsidiaries. 

I have worked with many colleagues in different contexts: as Course Unit Coordinator for an SBS undergraduate unit, Programme Co-Director for the MSc in Medical Humanities, standing in as Divisional PGR Tutor and ESRC DTP Pathway Lead, and as Academic Lead for the Museum of Medicine and Health within the Social Responsibility team. I am a member of the University and College Union (UCU).

I was a member of Senate from 2004 to 2010.

My reasons for joining the Faculty Committee were to find mechanisms for solving issues that are causing staff problems, by liaising with the Faculty Leadership Team. The two statements I hate are “it can’t be done” and “we’ve always done it this way”.

In terms of what I have got out of it, I have enjoyed the camaraderie of the Elected members who meet once a month on Zoom. Our meetings are efficient as we don’t have a lot of time but members are willing to take on challenges. There are always good ideas on how we can present our cases to Faculty committee. The meetings we have with the Senior Leadership Team are always constructive and we are usually able to decide on a process to follow up on the problems and try to solve them. Sadly, changes in staff and other Faculty priorities have stopped or delayed some of the items we have pursued which is frustrating.

As Professor of Endocrine Sciences, my area of research is stress hormones, diagnosis of hormone secreting tumours and neuropeptide networks implicated in obesity. 

I am very committed to graduate education and as the first Associate Dean for Graduate Education in the Faculty of Medical & Human Sciences, I developed the structures for graduate support and training. I was subsequently University lead for the national professional doctorate for healthcare scientists. 

I have considerable experience collaborating with companies. I have developed and licensed monoclonal antibodies to diagnostic companies and previously held a Royal Society industry fellowship based at Astra Zeneca. This gave me experience which led to my role as Associate Dean for Business Engagement in the Faculty of Life Sciences where I have also had posts as Division Head and Section Head. 

As a previous member of Senate, I championed discussions in the Faculty and at Senate about the need for better communication. I am very committed to supportive organisational structures for staff success in all spheres of the Faculty.

I started my science career as a school leaver in the equivalent of an apprentice technician role, obtaining my degree and PhD part time whilst working in a UoM spinout company, Medeval Ltd. I have worked my way through the ranks and now run the Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility and provide leadership for Research Data Management. I am passionate about getting better representation and visibility for all levels of Technical Services from Technical Apprentices to Technical Experts.

Being part of the Faculty Committee is a great way to gain a greater understanding of the Faculty level decision making that impacts on all of us. Achieving change is difficult and understanding how the University works is critical. Being part of the Faculty Committee has allowed me to contribute to Faculty Leadership discussions on areas such as Technical Career Development, the Technical Review and implications of the Oracle upgrade.

If you care about your community and want to increase its visibility and representation then I strongly recommend you think about joining the Faculty Committee. It is a friendly and supportive environment and a great way to find your voice and develop the leadership aspect of your career.

The Faculty Committee has given me a much better understanding of the complexities and considerations involved in running such a large Faculty, and the wider University. It gives the opportunity for PS staff to engage with academic colleagues and student representatives to find out the concerns that are being raised across the Faculty as a whole. I've found it really interesting!

I believe the Committee is a valuable forum for two-way communication with the Faculty's Senior Leadership Team, and the issues the elected members raise are always seriously considered and valued by the full Committee.

Being on the Committee doesn't take up a lot of time. There's an elected members' meeting once a month for an hour, and the main Committee meeting each quarter for 1.5 hours.

As a Web Officer, I have a good overview of our Faculty and work with lots of researchers, Faculty teams and groups, and other networks across the University.