Profile

I live in Manchester with my boyfriend James and his Mum. We are currently buying our first house after eighteen months of hardcore saving, so we will hopefully have moved into our very own flat by the end of March. I also love to dance (particularly Tap and Contemporary) and go to the gym, and I volunteer with Science Grrl and my local community festival, Didsbury Festival. 

When I began to question science as a possible career option when I was in my teens, I found that the reputation I had over being “a person who loves the arts” had an impact on my inability to see myself as a “science person”. I loved dancing and musical theatre as well as science, as I still do today. No one ever told me that I couldn’t do science, but, equally, I had a sense of discouragement from within me, just because of who I was, and who I was perceived to be. I felt like “people like me” just didn’t do science, so I always worried whether I would actually fit in if I pursued scientific education.

After deciding to study neuroscience (science about the brain) at the University of Manchester (actually my second choice university option after I missed out on my B in Chemistry, and so didn’t get into my first choice university) I was unexpectedly surprised to find so many people studying science who also loved (and were incredible at) dancing – and they’re still my best friends to this very day. 👯‍♀️👯‍♂️You can be artsy and love science – and I am grateful to have found a career that satisfies both of those interests – working in science communication, whilst still spending many of my evenings in the studio with my dancers.

I hope by telling my story and taking part in I’m a Scientist! I can help improve the visibility of the diverse people who do science, so more can realise that it is, in fact, for people just like them 💘

When I studied Neuroscience at the University of Manchester I researched the links between our internal body clocks and breast cancer. During my undergraduate degree, I realised I preferred telling people about the wonder of science more than actually doing the science. So I started writing science news for my student newspaper and I hosted a neuroscience radio show with the student radio station which I LOVED. This then led me to study science communication at Imperial College London, during which I was lucky enough to do internships with Imperial’s communications team, the Guardian newspaper, Technicians Make it Happen and the public engagement team at the University of Manchester.

When I left education I started working at a science marketing agency, Notch Communications, and today I work at STFC in marketing, communications, and events! In my role I communicate about all the fantastic science and innovation happening at STFC, from space science to medical technology, and help organise and run science events.

Part of UK Research and Innovation, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science organisation, and its goal is to deliver economic, societal, scientific and international benefits to the UK and its people – and more broadly to the world.

As Impact and Engagement Officer I work with STFC to deliver its marketing strategy to promote its business and innovation activity. My role involves communicating with a range of audiences from technology start-ups to large international businesses and government, as well as building and strengthening working relationships with the media.

Duties include:
– developing and implementing marketing strategies for STFC’s Business and Innovation Directorate, including the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre UK (ESA BIC UK)
– planning and delivering creative social media campaigns to promote STFC’s business and innovation capabilities
– supporting the organisation and delivery of a large number of internal and external events
– working closely with entrepreneurs and start-ups to capture growth stories through written and digital media, demonstrating impact on regional and national development
– working with the media services team to create engaging marketing materials such as leaflets, posters, and social media graphics
– developing website content
– working with STFC’s central communications team on business and innovation stories and social media content
– producing equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I) guidelines for the directorate in collaboration with STFC’s Head of ED&I