(Neuroscience BSc, 2020)
I work within the UK Vaccine Network in the International Directorate of the Department of Health and Social Care. I love my job and the real-world impact it has. Our programme funded the MERS vaccine technology which was repurposed with funding from others to develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Why did you study Neuroscience at Queen Mary? Did you have a particular career path in mind?
In terms of a career path, I didn’t really have one in mind, but I wanted to ensure that the degree I did provided a wide range of career opportunities. I have always had a keen interest in biology and wanted a degree that combined my love for the subject whilst also developing a broad range of skills. Before university, I completed the UCL Summer Challenge in Neuroscience which sparked my interest in the subject. However, when I ended up applying to university, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and my confidence was knocked a bit as my A-Level grades weren’t as expected. I ended up doing a foundation year at Queen Mary and this proved to be the best decision for me! It allowed me to develop and grow as a person and made me better equipped to start my degree.I was also able to learn more about the University and the different subjects they offered – I realised Neuroscience was the best subject for me as it balanced my love for science but also provided me with a broad range of career opportunities.Which modules did you most enjoy and did any academics have a strong influence on shaping your time and studies here?I really enjoyed all my Neuroscience modules such as perspectives on brain disorders, neuroanatomy and repair and regeneration of the nervous system. Completing a research project for my dissertation was definitely a highlight. Similarly, I enjoyed the broader biomedical modules such as physiology, tissue biology, psychopathology and molecular basis of disease.My academic advisor Greg Michael really deserves a special shout out as he went above and beyond for me in my final year. I was struggling a lot and he provided so much support. The whole neuroscience teaching faculty were amazing. I was course representative for the final two years of my degree and they provided so much support during this time.
I co-chair the race network in my department and I’m keen to ensure ethnic minorities in our department feel valued, connected and empowered and I seek to advance race equality, diversity and inclusion.
Do any special memories stand out from your student days?The friends I made! I was blessed to have found the most supportive, kind and lovely people whilst at university who are still in my life. I miss doing all-nighters at Mile End library and just being on campus.I also participated in the Global Future Leaders Programme and QIncubator whilst at university. The former is a programme which enables students to work and learn together and build the skills, mindset and cultural agility needed in a future global leader and the latter is an entrepreneur-led, 8-week programme which combines enterprise training, expert coaching and peer-learning to help students develop a business. Both these initiatives provided invaluable opportunities to develop my employability and enterprise skills.
Tell us about your current role as Programme Officer at Department of Health and Social Care. What are some of your daily responsibilities and what do you enjoy most about this job?I work as a Programme Officer within the UK Vaccine Network in the International Directorate of DHSC. The UK Vaccine Network was established in June 2015 to support the development of vaccines and vaccine technologies for diseases with epidemic potential in lower and middle income countries (LMICs). The research we fund is primarily early-stage discovery phase. I love my job and the real-world impact it has!For instance, our programme actually funded the MERS vaccine technology which was repurposed with funding from others to develop the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine has been distributed to 178 countries with over 1.3 billion doses deployed.My daily responsibilities involve a lot of programme management, financial management, communications and stakeholder engagement.
How is your degree relevant to this job?
I don’t think I would have been able to secure my current job role if it wasn’t for the opportunities I was exposed to at Queen Mary. For instance, during my interview I used examples from my time at QIncubator and from my dissertation.My role requires me to digest a lot of scientific material, communicate complex information and have leadership skills – all of which I developed during my degree. Having a broad understanding of disease and epidemiology also really helps.What are your future aspirations in terms of your career?The reason I joined the Civil Service was due to my interest in mental health policy, which is a policy area I want to get into. However, since joining the department my interests have since expanded to global health, pandemic preparedness, women’s health, and health inequality. I can see myself staying in the department for a bit, but I would also like to work in the charity sector and maybe even start my own mental health non-profit.In the immediate term, I have plans to start my masters this year in global health policy whilst continuing to work.
Science needs female leaders. In history women have played a crucial role from Mary Curie to Sarah Gilbert. My advice would be to seek out female mentors in the career/industry you aspire to be in and attend events targeted for women in science.
How diverse is the industry that you currently work in and why do you think that diversity and inclusion in the workplace is important?Diversity is something the Civil Service is keen to promote however, there is still a lot of progress to be made. I believe the Civil Service has a duty to be representative of the people we serve hence why having civil servants from diverse backgrounds is so important.I co-chair the race network in my department and I’m keen to ensure ethnic minorities in our department feel valued, connected and empowered and I seek to advance race equality, diversity and inclusion. This will help to ensure that the department is not only a better place to work, but that we also increase our effectiveness and help deliver better outcomes for the public.
What advice would you give to a prospective student considering studying Neuroscience at Queen Mary?Do it! I loved my time at Queen Mary and I cannot recommend it enough. In fact, a lot of my younger cousins are also now planning to apply too.
What advice would you give to women currently studying a STEM subject?Science needs female leaders. In history women have played a crucial role from Marie Curie to Sarah Gilbert. My advice would be to seek out female mentors in the career/industry you aspire to be in and attend events targeted for women in science. One event I remember attending whilst at university was run by London Interdisciplinary Biosciences Consortium (LIDo) and had the aim to increase the number of BME candidates making informed and well-prepared applications to high profile Doctoral Training Programmes. Events like these provide an opportunity for networking, learning about interview/application techniques and a chance to ask questions.Finally, what do you feel passionate about in life?I am passionate about helping people and have always wanted to ensure that whatever I do with my life has a beneficial impact to others and the world around me.
If you would like to get in touch with Surraya or engage them in your work, please contact the Alumni Engagement team at alumni@qmul.ac.uk.