Queen Mary’s community is made up of people with diverse identities and experiences. We are proud of our diversity and recognise the importance of visibility.
Spotlight Profiles will be published throughout LGBTQIA+ History Month, so check back regularly to meet more of the LGBTQIA+ community across Queen Mary.
Thank you to colleagues who have provided their Spotlight Profiles. We hope you enjoy reading them.
Working for an organisation that takes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion seriously is incredibly important to me. Not only does it nurture a welcoming working environment, EDI underpins the University's commitment to supporting our students and guests, and until I worked in an organisation that took EDI seriously, I hadn’t realised what a positive impact it makes.
Pronouns: He/Him
Role/position: Outreach and Recruitment Officer
School/Directorate: School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS)
As a dyslexic adult I found the workplace a very challenging environment to negotiate, and coupled with hiding my sexuality most working environments were very isolating, as such I found myself bouncing around jobs.
My career in higher education started with a temporary position in a university admissions team. I immediately found the working environment to be much more accepting, and for the first time, I could see myself in several different professional roles.
When I decided to move to London I knew that I wanted to work in the HE sector, and accepted an Admissions job at London South Bank University. London South Bank was a very diverse environment compared to my previous jobs.
Because of my experience, firstly as a dyslexic student, and then adult, I decided that I would like to support young learners from underrepresented backgrounds who, like me, faced barriers to education, subsequently I joined the Outreach and Widening Participation Team at London South Bank University.
Whilst in this position had the opportunity to create enrichment opportunities for potential university applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.
When looking to progress my career, I knew that I wanted to be part of an inclusive institute that supports its students regardless of their background. I joined Queen Mary in 2021 as an Outreach and Recruitment Officer in the School of Engineering and Materials Science.
Since joining Queen Mary, I haven’t felt the need to ‘come out’ partly because I don’t feel the need to censor myself here, and I haven't faced any awkward questions about my personal life in the way that I had earlier in my career. Therefore, I feel like I can be myself at Queen Mary, and I don’t find myself tangled up in trying to hide parts of my life.
I want to continue developing my understanding of EDI and use it to apply best practices when organising and running outreach activities for prospective students.
My advice would be to keep an open mind. We are all different in our unique ways, and we get the best out of each other, professionally and socially, when we allow our colleagues to bring their whole self to work.
For me, LGBTQIA+ History Month is about raising awareness and learning about LGBTQIA+ people and history. We all need role models and there are so many people we are not aware of those who have contributed to society positively and are part of our community.
Pronouns: She/Her
Role/position: Technical Facilities Manager
My career began in the USA where I worked as a mechanical engineer. I worked in the private sector and while working full time, I also had opportunities to work with the University of Iowa, teaching STEM during summer to young students. This experience also provided me with opportunities to offer internship programs to university students. Looking back, I was very lucky to work for a company that was supportive of me to participate in those programs to engage with the community, encourage young students to consider STEM and be a mentor to young students.
When I moved to London, I looked for opportunities within the higher education sector. I was lucky to land a job at Imperial College London where I could do everything I enjoyed which was teaching, engaging with students, design and manufacturing, working in the lab, always having something interesting and challenging to work on and problem-solving. I worked for Imperial for almost 5 years before moving to QMUL.
One fact that attracted me to QMUL was that it is the best university for social mobility in the country. I wanted to be part of the institution that provides an opportunity to everyone irrespective of their background. I started my role in December 2022 as a technical facilities manager at School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS). So far, I have been sufficiently challenged and I have many great role models who I look up to and learn from at QMUL which has been great. I enjoy a role that gives me challenge and where every day is different. I think a role in Technical Services provides that as we have a lot to do to ensure health and safety, supporting teaching and research daily!
Bringing the whole self to work is still challenging for many people. It took me a very long time to find the confidence to share myself at work and even now, not in every situation I feel safe to share myself. For many LGBTQIA+ people, coming out on their terms is extremely important. They should always have control over who they come out to and how they do it.
At QMUL, I feel very lucky to work in an environment where I feel supported and safe most of the time. However, I must speak up that not every experience I had at work in the past was positive and I experienced microaggressions, stereotypes and biases towards my gender, race, and sexuality. Therefore, this is why EDI work is very important in any organization. There is still much work to do to raise awareness and create a safe and inclusive environment for all people.
An LGBTQIA+ staff network is hugely important in any workplace. It is a place where people can find support, voice their concerns comfortably, and also find a sense of belonging in the university.
For me, LGBTQIA+ History Month is about raising awareness and learning about LGBTQIA+ people and history. We all need role models and there are so many people we are not aware of those who have contributed to society positively and are part of our community. Inspiring stories of those individuals (both from the past and present) give hope and inspire people. Looking back at history is important to reflect on as we can look at challenges that we are still facing and plan what improvement needs to be made.
A quote I have seen that I would like to share is: “If you call yourself an ally to a group of people and you aren’t getting hit by the stones being thrown at them, then you aren’t standing close enough.”
Everyone has more power than they realize. Use your power to create inclusive and safe environments for all. Call out bad behaviour that does not align with QMUL values. Stand up and support people even if it makes you feel uncomfortable.
I am part of the LGBTQIA+ community but there is a lot for me to learn outside of LGBTQIA+ issues. Intersectionality should be at the centre of EDI work in the workplace. I would like to see more collective effort from different groups of the organization to come together to create an inclusive work environment.