Join a panel of alumni researchers from different backgrounds and specialisations, as they discuss the different career pathways into research and what it means to be a good innovator.
The speakers will also cover topics such as:
- Demystifying careers in research and defining what it means to be innovative
- Insights on how you can start a career as a researcher, and where and for whom researchers work
- How to find professional opportunities as a researcher
- Turning research into entrepreneurial ventures e.g. consultancies, charities, licences etc...
- Representation gaps in research
The panel will also answer your questions during the Q&A session following the talk.
This event is organised in partnership with the Westminster Enterprise Network (WeNetwork).
This event is free, but you must register your place in advance.
About the speakers
Panel chair: Professor Sarah Main, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering
Professor Sarah Main is the Executive Director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, and represents the interests of CaSE members in the media and in high-level discussions with Government Ministers, Parliamentary Committees, Chief Scientific Advisors and senior civil servants.
Sarah trained as a molecular biologist and became an independent researcher, working with Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council in London and Cambridge, where she held the Charles and Katherine Darwin Research Fellowship at Darwin College, University of Cambridge. She later worked in strategy and funding at the Medical Research Council, and in Government on leverage of investment from public funding of science and research for a Treasury review of public spending.
Sarah is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, a Trustee of the British Science Association and of the Foundation for Science and Technology, as well as being an Honorary Professor at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy at University College London.
Penny Clark, Co-founder of Conscious Coliving
Penny is an advocate for and researcher of shared living – a type of living in which people share spaces, resources and social time. She is a co-founder of Conscious Coliving, a start-up which supports impact-driven shared living businesses and communities to embed social, environmental and financial value through research-based content, education and consulting. As a collective of researchers, urbanists, international development experts and real estate professionals, Conscious Coliving empowers the people and businesses driving innovation in the global coliving movement.
Penny is currently completing a PhD at Westminster, which measures and explores environmental sustainability in shared living communities. Her research offers quantitative evidence that forms of shared living have significantly lower domestic emissions than the average household, and also explores why and how social networks can be utilised to spread and maintain sustainable practices and infrastructures. Prior to this,
Penny completed an MSc in social research methods, giving her a grounding in research skills and methodologies. Penny also holds voluntary positions, which include being a member of the editorial board of Diggers & Dreamers, an independent publisher specialising in intentional communities; and a research role at Co-Liv, the world's largest coliving non-profit.
In all of her work, Penny aims to explore, share and advocate for living which is environmentally sustainable, and fosters authentic social connections. She believes passionately in conducting responsible research that will have a positive impact.
Natalia Sali (Health and Social Care Management Pg Dip, 2009), Engagement Manager, Healthwatch Lambeth
Natalia Sali works full time as Engagement Manager in Healthwatch Lambeth, a voluntary organisation championing the voice of residents in health and social care. In her role, she conducts small research studies and recommends how people can have better experience of care.
Natalia is a doctoral candidate in health and social care; her thesis is: ‘the impact of migration on Filipino migrants’ mental health and emotional wellbeing’. In her spare time, she manages an award-winning local environmental group One Child, One Tree which she founded in 2017 in the Philippines.
According to Natalia: “All it takes to achieve our life goals is perseverance. In the current pandemic, we need to be resilient, and this does not happen overnight. It takes a bit of creativity, discipline, and support from our family and friends. If you have the passion to make a difference in the community and in people’s lives, the challenges along the way are just tools to make you stronger.”
Dr Lem Ngongalah (International Public Health Nutrition MSc, 2015), Research Associate, Newcastle University
Dr Lem Ngongalah is a researcher with a background in Population Health and Nutrition. She has a PhD in Public Health and a Masters degree in Public Health Nutrition. Dr Ngongalah currently works at the Population Health Sciences Institute at Newcastle University, where she conducts research on multiple projects related to obesity and maternal and child health. Her role also involves supervising academic research, both at Undergraduate and Postgraduate level.
Lem is also a founder of CORE Africa, a research organisation that aims to increase awareness on the importance of research in Africa. Her work at CORE Africa involves developing research capacity building programmes for students in Africa, delivering research training workshops and webinars, and engaging with stakeholders in various countries to understand the ¬¬challenges students face with academic research and identify potential solutions.
