UGS Talks Returns with Inspiring Alumni Talks
UGS Talks returned with alumni talks and postgraduate networking for its fourth iteration on 26th January 2023, as part of UoBe Festival Week.
‘UGS Talks: Inspiration from Our Postgraduate Alumni’ invited back two UoB postgrads to discuss the journeys of their careers: the highs and lows, the vital skills they learnt as postgraduates, and their advice to those graduating in the coming years.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education Professor Deborah Longworth opened our event, discussing the history of the UoBe Festival, and creating an outstanding postgraduate experience at UoB with projects such as the PGT Kep, PGT Hub and PGR Information Pages. Professor Michael Hand, University Director of Postgraduates (PGRs), told us more about the UGS Talks series and its sister event UGS Discussions, set to return to the Postgraduate Research Festival this summer.
Our first alumni speaker was Dr. Sandeep Sandhu, Head of Stakeholder Relationships at Innovate UK KTN. Having completed her PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Birmingham in 2014, Sandeep was familiar with the challenges of postgraduate study, discussing how she overcame self promotion, imposter syndrome, making mistakes and developing confidence, and the importance of finding a mentor. Sandeep also recognised the valuable transferable skills she learnt as a PGR, such as intellectual curiosity, project management, communication to non-specialists and confidence influencing a field, and how she was able to use these to build her specialist knowledge on research and innovation.
Our second speaker was Alethea Fuller, Deputy Chief Executive to the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner. Alethea completed a part-time Masters in Management and Leadership at UoB in 2017 while working in her previous role with West Midlands Police: thinking strategically and working under pressure were the lessons Alethea took from her time as a PGT student, and her enthusiasm has even lead to her colleagues studying on the same course. Alethea inspired us with her commitment to making a positive change in the lives of people she works with.
Dr. Graham Timmins, University Director of Postgraduates (PGT), led our audience Q&A with both speakers. Audience questions stimulated a conversation around women in leadership, finding direction and mentorship in your career, inclusivity, diversity, and the importance of networking. Attendees got to put our speakers’ networking advice into practice afterwards, where speakers and postgraduates joined a drinks reception in the Bramall Rotunda.
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