Dominic Wiredu Boakye

Starting as a laboratory assistant and now a senior lecturer at the medical school, my academic journey has been unconventional to say the least. Along the way, my roles as a biology teacher at INTO and laboratory manger within technical services have provided me with a holistic view of our academic environment.

My extensive experience across academic and support roles provides me with insights into the daily realities of both sectors, enabling me to represent a wide range of perspectives in the senate.

One of my most rewarding moments in higher education was when a student, at the end of their final year laboratory project told me “I now know what I want to do after I graduate”—a testament to the positive impact a synergistic relationship between teaching-focussed, research-focussed academics and members of technical services can have on the student experience.

As a molecular biologist with a passion for education, I aim to leverage my experience to promote policies that enhance this synergy and improve the overall student experiences. I ask for your support to bring fresh, actionable insights to the University Senate.

Hope Gangata

I am a Senior Lecturer in Human Anatomy (E&S) and a Chartered Physiotherapist. I have a strong passion/interest in Anatomy and Neuroanatomy, and clinical anatomical education research.

I am an African trained scientist and regularly mentor African staff in the Faculty who periodically meet. I will bring my experiences of being a former international student. I am well aware of the big issues affecting current international students, and ever-changing UK worker and student visa regulations. I am an academic well embedded in EDI issues within the UK. I am the EDI Education Lead for the Anatomical Society of Great Britain, where I am promoting greater inclusion of diverse anatomical teaching within mainstream medical schools in the UK.

I will:

1. Be a voice for parts of our diverse students and staff university community.
2. Provide diversity input into the development of Senate university policies, and not make diversity issues a policy afterthought.
3. Advocate for policies that provide more support for Education and Research staff, enhance career stability/progression, and make our work more resilient and sustainable.
4. Represent concerns/interests of the Faculty members at Senate.
5. Offer periodic updates to the Faculty members and have an open-door policy for feedback/suggestions.

Katie Lunnon

I joined the University as a new Lecturer in 2013, moving to Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and then ultimately Professor in 2019. I currently am Director of Global Engagement for my department, and have other positions of leadership internally and externally. This includes being in the department leadership team, acting as a senior academic leader, chairing an external national grant funding board, and having senior roles in voluntary organisations, amongst others.

I would like to join the senate to represent my faculty as I would like to play an active part in shaping and supporting the vision and strategy for the University over the coming years, acting on behalf of my colleagues. As an academic, who has been at the University for 11 years, I feel I have a good understanding of our history, where we currently are, and where we want to be. I would also like to gain a better understanding of the governance at the University, whilst contributing actively towards this, in the best interests of my colleagues.

Genevieve Williams

I am here to maintain and develop the rigours and joys of academia within the ever-changing landscape of research and higher education. I am an early-to-mid career researcher with experience working at three institutions in the UK and two institutions in the USA. I lead my own research group in biomechanics and motor control, and work with interdisciplinary partners across our university and around the world. I am passionate about research-led teaching supporting our academic and student experience. In my department, I have championed ambition, diverse career pathways, and community by fostering supportive and interdisciplinary research groups.

As your representative on senate, I will take a people-centric approach, working to support policy and university structures that allow individuals and their teams to do their best work and thrive. This will mean considering and voicing the needs of diverse individuals and groups across career stages, and career pathways. I will passionately voice the importance of community, including the value of those individuals who support the ambitions of others. I will work to instil the importance of our leaders supporting our ambitions. I believe this will underpin our ongoing excellence as a UK leading, and towards a world leading, institution.