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Faith in the Faculty with Lloyd Naylor
By b.isibor, on 17 March 2024
Our Faculty’s Religion and Beliefs Equity Lead, Annouchka Sterling, has created a blog called ‘Faith in the Faculty’ where she asks staff members interesting questions about their personal relationship with their religion and beliefs, and how it influences their roles at UCL.
Lloyd Naylor, Customer Operations Director, ISD (& Mohammed’s line manager)
- Who is Lloyd Naylor? Three words to best describe you…
Curious, optimistic, consistent
- What life lesson have you learnt since the pandemic?
The more diverse the groups of people you talk and work with, the better formed and informed your decisions will be, you’ll have more impact as a collective.
- How would you explain your work to a young person?
To my kids, “lot’s of meetings on how we can make UCL better through tech”.
To people I meet “I work for UCL”. It’s the first time in my career that I felt an organisation did so much good that working there was enough description.
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?
I love looking after bonsai trees, it’s restful, fulfilling and provides respite from looking after the kids.
Someone I told this to a few years back interrupted with “You even have to control what happens to trees” – very insulted!
- What’s your faith background, if you have one? How did you grow up?
My mother was a Christian, she didn’t go to Church very often, but did hold a strong belief. Surprisingly, she didn’t want to indoctrinate her 4 children, so didn’t have my brother and sisters christened, preferring to let them decide for themselves later in life. I’d have been in the same position as my siblings if it weren’t for a serious early childhood illness, the doctors told my mother there was a high chance of death, so she had me christened.
Though I was christened, I’ve turned out like my siblings, not aligned to any religion. All four of us put great value in doing the right things for other people and society, which is an aspect I see in most religions. I do spend time meditating, which helps me reflect, creates tranquillity, and helps me process things clearly.
- How do your values and/or faith impact your citizenship of UCL?
I try really hard to conduct myself with a high level of empathy, I genuinely want to know others’ opinions, thoughts and how they feel. This provides a real human connection which is valuable for me, and hopefully for them too. The phrase “walk a mile in their shoes” goes through my head often.
- What is your highest aspiration for interfaith cooperation at UCL?
For individuals that want to discuss their beliefs to have a forum and/or place where they feel able to do so with likeminded, caring and curious people for the betterment of everyone involved.
This doesn’t sound very aspirational, but I’ve struggled to do this, probably through some of my own nervousness, so small steps, right?!
- Tell us how being open to/open about faith and spirituality with your colleague/line manager has impacted your working relationship?
I’ve learnt lots about not only my colleagues’ faith, but also other faiths, as our conversations have tweaked both of our curiosities. I feel we can discuss many subjects, not only faith, at a far less superficial level as we have got the biggie under our belts already.
There’s a weight off my shoulders, as I don’t feel like I need to skirt around the subject of faith due to unfounded concerns about how he would respond or making him uncomfortable. I hope this makes me a better manager.
IWD 2024: Inclusion and Community-Engaged Projects at UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences.
By b.isibor, on 4 March 2024
The theme of International Women’s Day 2024 is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. With that in mind, this blog celebrates the work of brilliant colleagues at UCL in developing a new module ‘Exploring Power, Inclusion and Exclusion with Local Communities’. They are: Stefanie Anyadi (Team Manager, Teaching & Learning, Psychology & Language Sciences), Anne Laybourne (Head of Volunteering, UCL), Sophie Scott (Director for EDI, Psychology & Language Sciences), Victoria Showunmi (Associate Professor of Education, Practice & Society, Institute of Education), and Marie Xypaki (now Head of Teaching and Learning Enhancement, SOAS).
This Masters-level module is attached to the Division of Psychology and Language sciences but it is truly interdisciplinary, bringing together students from across UCL with community partners to work on a project. The current module convener is Vincent Walsh.
How did the module come about?
The module came about because through my work with staff on implicit bias and EDI related issues, it became apparent that there was a gap for UCL students interested in this area: there were no modules available for them to study issues of exclusion, privilege and power and their current, local impact. Marie Xypaki, who was then working at UCL Arena, was a keen collaborator in developing a module proposal under the umbrella of the UCL East modules. These are a suite of elective modules designed to be interdisciplinary and focusing, where possible, on working with several boroughs in East London. We soon linked up with Sophie Scott and Victoria Showunmi, who designed the content of the module and ran its first presentation in 2022/23.
Stefanie Anyadi
We had a range of meeting over a period of 2 years. It was an exciting way to bring together different thoughts and disciplines to enable the students to deliver something for and with the community. Wonderful way to do Blue Sky Thinking with colleagues who wanted to make an impact with student voices.
Victoria Showunmi
What do students do and what is the role of the community partner?
The students have lectures and discussion sessions around – for example – disability, identity and difference, the point of public engagement and coproduction of research, and they also work on projects with community groups and associations.
Sophie Scott
Much of the thinking was based around Victoria’s work on ‘Who Are You?’ which engages students with critical reflectivity and thinking beyond one’s own individual boundaries. It was risking yet very powerful. Understanding themselves helps with understanding others. Sophie’s work on happiness was core to the work. Students selected roles which included leadership so this could be added to their portfolio. They needed to reflect on how there group worked as a team along with how they were including challenges and solutions.
Victoria Showunmi
Last year the students worked with the Black Women’s Kindness Initiative on organising a fashion event. They worked on many different aspects of the project, from designing posters and pamphlets, encouraging local businesses to donate items for goodie bags, helping with the logistics of the actual evening. They were so enthusiastic and engaged, it was fantastic.
Sophie Scott
It was an incredible aligning of the stars initially; I was meeting with Cherrill Hutchinson anyway, about students doing their dissertations on something that could be useful for Black Woman’s Kindness Initiative. Cherrill mentioned an event she was trying to pull of for IWD 2023, which was around 12 weeks away at the time. I had a lightbulb moment and joined the dots – Cherrill’s event and ideas are all around black women and empowerment and breaking down stereotypes about the strong black woman and needed support as a small community organisation. I had 10 amazing students on a module, who needed a real life, impactful community-based project.
Anne Laybourne
Further information can be found at https://studentsunionucl.org/articles/learning-through-volunteering
How did the participants react? Were there any positive impacts?
From the students’ reflections, it was clear that they really loved the opportunity to do community work, and many of them singled out Adam Rutherford’s lecture on racism in science as something that really made them think differently! From my perspective, it was a very positive experience and it was great to work with the students alongside Victoria and Anne.
Sophie Scott
Cherrill was fantastic and really embraced and understood the learning experience of the students. My favourite thing was Cherrill telling me she had recorded herself arriving at UCL for her Instagram as no one would believe she was turning up to the new gorgeous East campus to teach!! It was a powerful moment. I know Cherrill was nervous but she was incredible in the classroom and brought a totally different perspective and angle than any of us UCL ‘providers’! We are really grateful to Cherrill for putting her faith in our students last year and jumping into the unknown with me.
Anne Laybourne
Watching the students grow and think differently. More work needed to be done on the benefit of the critical reflective journal.
Victoria Showunmi
Do you have any thoughts on how inclusion and community involvement could be embedded within other parts of UCL?
Well it did occur to me that, although the course ran out of UCL East, we also have a local community here in Camden! I think the sky is the limit for this kind of work – it’s such a positive experience for students, as well as staff, and there is so much more we can do. In reality, the actual limit is Anne Laybourne’s time – she’s amazing and is fantastic with the community groups but she is just one human being and there are only so many hours in a day!
Sophie Scott
Having a panel of community members (something like dragons’ den) and a prize for the most effective group is something I wanted to do but ran out of time. would be great, I am so pleased that sister systems is now part of the programme.
Victoria Showunmi
This year has been quite the step up – it has been a very different experience, pulling together five projects, as the module has grown. I brought in Molly McCabe this year, who is currently managing the Community Research Initiative. Molly has done an amazing job, working up project ideas with our community partners – the offer being what can we do with and for you with a team of four student volunteers over 6-8 weeks? It hasn’t been easy as there a lot more moving parts! We’ve had our first ‘fail’, with illness and some inexperience plus miscommunication contributing factors. But this is also a success – it’s messy real life, right?! It is SUCH a strong element of this module that there is a reflective assessment. This means the students will always be rewarded. Our specialism is to hold and repair relationships with our community partners so that something is salvaged for them when things go ‘wrong’.
Anne Laybourne
For more information about the UCL Community Research Initiative, and how to get involved in community-engaged projects, see https://studentsunionucl.org/volunteering/cris/ or contact the UCL Community Research Initiative Manager Molly McCabe.
Many thanks to the contributors to this blog for their generous help!
Mental Health Career Workshop for Black Students
By b.isibor, on 4 March 2024
This blog was authored by the Race Equity & Ethnic Diversity (REED) Group at DoP: Jane Han, Lauren Harding-Brown, Borbala Vagh, Nafiso Ahmed, and Rachel Royston.
There is a lack of Black representation in mental health careers. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, around 1% of professors came from Black backgrounds in the UK. In terms of clinical practice, only 9.6% of qualified clinical psychologists were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds according to the NHS Workforce Statistics. Black voices in mental health careers matters because it contributes to culturally competent research and clinical practice.
In order to reduce this inequity, it is important that young Black students interested in mental health are able to start their career in academia and clinical practice. Therefore, the Black History Month committee based in the UCL Division of Psychiatry hosted a mental health career workshop for Black undergraduate students on November 29th. The aims of the workshop were to equip students with the proper tools to navigate the early stages of their career after their undergraduate qualification.
The workshop had a plethora of speakers from academic and clinical backgrounds, who shared wonderful, inspiring stories about their career trajectories. Many have presented the multiple challenges that came along with establishing a career in mental health and the practical guidance on how to overcome these challenges. Committee members delivered insight and resources into applying for careers in mental health. The workshop ended with a 1:1 mentoring session from staff from the Division of Psychiatry.
Students overall reported that they found the workshop incredibly helpful. One student said that the most important thing gained in the workshop was “that there is space in academia for someone like [them].” Another student reported that they found the workshop “really helpful and encouraging”, and they “definitely left feeling confident and hopeful.” Another student commented that they were “considering UCL for their MSc next year.”
We would like to thank everyone who attended and supported the workshop. We hope that the workshop contributes to the series of concerted efforts to promote equity within mental health careers.
Faith in the Faculty with Mohammed Aufogul
By b.isibor, on 5 February 2024
Our Faculty’s Religion and Beliefs Equity Lead, Annouchka Sterling, has created a blog called ‘Faith in the Faculty’ where she asks staff members interesting questions about their personal relationship with their religion and beliefs, and how it influences their roles at UCL.
Mohammed Aufogul, Head of Technical Design and Delivery, ISD:
- Who is Mohammed Aufogul? Three words to best describe you…
I am a 1st generation UK born Mauritian Muslim, so I do say I am English as I was born in the UK, three words to best describe me, Happy, Optimistic & Pragmatic
- What life lesson have you learnt since the pandemic?
How important in-person, face to face interaction is and what a difference it makes. I had a personal experience with a close member of my family who was living alone, and I experienced 1st hand what a negative effect not having real, in-person human interaction could have. I also feel coming into work is so much more productive for me due to those interactions I have that I don’t get when you work from home.
- How would you explain your work to a young person?
I always start by saying I work for UCL where I enable world leading research and teaching to happen, it’s how I truly feel, and I am so proud to be part of it. I sometimes give examples of some of the innovations & research UCL has been at the centre of.
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us?
I once owned a Pizza Delivery Franchise.
- What’s your faith background, if you have one? How did you grow up?
I am Muslim and I grew up in a Muslim household. When I was young my parents were not practising but I was sent to an Islamic Saturday school. It was more of a social for me TBH where I could hang out with other Muslim kids most of whom were from a Mauritian background which gave me a sense of belonging. When I was 18 and at college, I got more curious about religion and found it to be very comforting for me as a young Asian person growing up in the UK. It gave me a sense of identity.
- How do your values and/or faith impact your citizenship of UCL?
In a very positive way and natural way, both for me go hand in hand. I never have to make an apology for who I am, and I believe that tolerance and understanding are very important. I strongly believe that if I make an effort to understand and listen as well as educate myself it gives me a better understanding and therefore better relationships and interactions with others.
- What is your highest aspiration for interfaith cooperation at UCL?
I would like us to aim for open conversations and understanding from all parties, believing that questions will come from a place of sincere curiosity and if we have a genuine two-way conversation, it will give us better understanding and help us embrace our shared humanity.
- Tell us how being open to/open about faith and spirituality with your colleague/line manager has impacted your working relationship?
The journey I have been on with my line manager has been amazing for me, I feel like I can come to work as my authentic self, and I don’t have to leave any part of me at the office entrance. We have such deep, honest, and respectful conversations and a lot of the time I have to take time to reflect and increase my knowledge. It allows me to see things from another perspective and it is always done with respect and understanding. In essence it has made me a happier and more complete employee with a sense of understanding.
Disability Equity: Captions on Campaign
By b.isibor, on 1 December 2023
- Accessibility is fundamental in science communication and benefits everyone
- Captioning is a simple and effective way to make a difference
- Embrace captions to enhance your communication and reach a broader audience
The Faculty of Brain Sciences Disability Equity Committee and the Digital Accessibility Team are on a mission to foster a more inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. This includes people with a hearing impairment or are deaf. With approximately 12 million adults in the UK affected by some form of hearing loss, we believe it’s crucial to address this issue and enhance accessibility within our academic and professional community.
Make the change today!
We are asking everyone to switch on their captions when using digital platforms like MS Teams, Zoom and when creating PowerPoints to increase the accessibility of meetings, presentations, and lectures. Check out the Digital Accessibility Services website to find out just how easy it is to switch on caption in MS Teams, Zoom and PowerPoint. It takes seconds. Such a simple action will make such a big difference to everyone in our community.
Disability History Month: Spotlight on Long COVID
By b.isibor, on 1 December 2023
This blog is co-authored by Disability Equity Lead Dr Elise Crayton and Rikesh Rajani.
As part of Disability History Month this year, I thought it would be meaningful and interesting to shine a spotlight on a newer long-term condition: Long COVID. I am sure, given the media storm that has surround Covid-19 for the past few years we have all heard the term Long COVID but really do any of us know what Long COVID is and what Long COVID can look like and the challenges it presents for those living with it.
long Covid syndrome and coronavirus pandemic symptoms that persist as a burden concept or being tied trapped as a hauler of a virus infection with 3D illustration elements.
What is Long COVID?
Whilst most people who contract COVID-19 recovery fully within a few days or up to 12 weeks later, some do not with symptoms that linger and last much longer. For these individuals, we would consider them to have Long COVID, sometimes described as post COVID-19 syndrome. However, as this condition is new, we are still working to understand it and there are lots of different strands of reach taking place to do this.
If you are looking for more information, the best first resource to access will be the NHS website.
What impact does long COVID have on the UCL community?
There will be many students and staff across campus who are living with Long COVID, whether this is diagnosed or suspected. The symptom profiles from person to person also greatly vary. The most common symptoms include (according to the NHS):
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Loss of smell
- Muscle aches
However, many people report experiencing other symptoms like: brain fog (issues with memory and concentration), pain or tightening in the chest, heart palpitations, dizziness, insomnia, depression, and anxiety among others. Many people also find that their symptoms get much worse following even small amounts of mental, physical or emotional activity (known as post exertional malaise/post exertional symptom exacerbation).
Therefore, those living with the condition may find usual daily activities on campus challenging such as walking across campus or concentrating in meetings or lectures. Some with Long COVID may also be more susceptible to infection, or feel less confident about mixing in large groups as we did before COVID-19 struck, making many of the vibrant and exciting activities that take place on campus and within academia difficult to engage with.
What can we be doing to support those living with this condition?
There are always positive and easily implementable things we can think of doing to support our colleagues and students with Long COVID. Often these types of changes will not only benefit those with Long COVID but many if not all of the community here at UCL. I do think we need more data and evidence to more robustly understand the types of strategies or interventions we could recommend to help, but I do have a few suggestions that I will present below that I think could have small, but meaningful impact on those with this condition.
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- Utilise the Reasonable Adjustments/Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA) schemes within UCL.
a) Line managers and supervisors or personal tutors can support their students and staff to identify some of the person centered approaches to supporting them to study and work successfully on campus via these schemes.
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- Ask the question: Do all our meetings/social gatherings need to be in person?
a) There are of course many benefits to in person meetings and social gatherings. However, there may be some instances where meetings or social gatherings could take place in a hybrid format (to allow those who find accessing campus harder to stay at home) or even in a remote format, utilising MS Teams or Zoom.
b) To help people with Long COVID avoid reinfection, you could also consider holding social gatherings in a COVID safe manner, such as by having them outside or asking people to do a COVID test beforehand. This can also be helpful for other people living with conditions that increase their clinical vulnerability.
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- Where appropriate, record meetings, lectures and other presentations or use live captioning
a) Whether a meeting is taking place in person or online, having a meeting recording, captioning or a transcript of a meeting could be vitally important for those who are struggling with concentration or having memory issues. This can also be useful for others though, perhaps those who experience hearing loss and deafness, those with neurodivergence or any one of us who is working in a busy and chaotic environment.
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- Create and encourage a supportive environment within your team or course.
a) It sounds obvious, but if staff and students feel that they can easily approach others to ask for help if they are experiencing challenges from Long COVID, then it means they are more likely to get the help they need. We may also decrease the chances of students exiting their studies and staff leaving their roles.
b) You can take small, simple steps to do this like:
i) having fortnightly coffee mornings (remote or in person).
ii) having clear, structured processes describing who to contact if you need more support
iii) having clear, structured processes describing who to contact if you need more support
iv) editing your email signature to request that people let you know if they have any needs or adjustments (as it indicates you are open to having these discussions.
v) requesting informal feedback following meetings, lectures or other presentations to sense check whether the format is inclusive
Overall, there are lots of small, simple things we can be doing to ensure that UCL continues to grow and develop into an equitable and inclusive environment. This will have such an important, positive impact on those living with conditions like Long COVID, but in reality will greatly benefit all of us.
Black History Month
By b.isibor, on 3 October 2023
This blog written by Race Equity Lead, Bilal Malik.
Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in 1987 to honour and commemorate black history and the lives and experiences of the black diaspora living in the UK. It is, however, important to recognise the power and potential
of diversity and remember to challenge inequalities all year round.
Race is a social construct, and racism is a learned behaviour. As a child of South Asian heritage growing up in Britain, I wasn’t aware I was any different to my white peers until I was explicitly told so. The concept of colour was alien to an eight-year-old child. This behaviour is learned and can be changed, as can the situation where people who would rather stand than sit on the only empty seat on the bus, next to my brother and me going to school. Some may be applied, but this is nothing to what most black and other ethnic minorities endure. However, learned behaviour can be unlearnt, challenging situations, and education is key.
One way to honour Black History Month is by becoming a better ally. Therefore, questioning assumptions, attitudes, and beliefs and being aware of unconscious bias. It’s not enough to be “not being racist”; you must be anti-racist. So, not being a bystander when racism occurs and confronting discrimination makes us anti-racist. Race is a social construct distinguishable from ethnicity. Social constructs can be deconstructed and reconstructed. Consequently, we can transform race inequality.
The real challenge is structural and institutional racism embedded in the system. We need to understand the lack of opportunity that those from diverse ethnic heritage backgrounds still experience and an appreciation of intersectionality concepts and race as a social construct. There is evidence that racism is embedded in AI and algorithms and AI systems that can produce racist outcomes. We know to dismantle institutional racism, bias, and inequity, we need reforms across policing, criminal justice, healthcare, housing, education, employment, and economic systems. These reforms cannot work unless we all work together without perfunctory tokenistic gestures from those in power. I will leave you with a few words by Kendrick Lamar (the song became an anthem and rallying call for the Black Lives Matter movement and protests).
“Alright”
Song by Kendrick Lamar
“Alls my life I has to fight……..
Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt, been down before,
When our pride was low
Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go,?”
And we hate po-po
Wanna kill us dead in the street for sure,
I’m at the preacher’s door
My knees gettin’ weak and my gun might blow
But we gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
We gon’ be alright
Do you hear me, do you feel me? We gon’ be alright.
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Here are a few links to interesting talks and facts to celebrate the month:
https://www.ted.com/playlists/230/talks_to_celebrate_black_history_month
https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/
https://www.raceequalitymatters.com/black-history-month-2023/
Appointment: EDI Manager
By FBS.EDI, on 26 September 2023
The Faculty has recently appointed Avili Feese (IoO Athena SWAN Project Manager) to the role of EDI Manager, taking over from Ciara Wright, who is shortly leaving UCL.
Avili has worked within EDI in the Faculty since 2019, and has championed a number of EDI initiatives including career support for Professional Services and Technical Staff, and most notably as the driving force behind IoO’s recent Silver Athena SWAN Award.
The Faculty EDI Team looks forward to continuing to address inequalities and create an inclusive culture with Avili’s leadership and support in the coming academic year.
Supporting Inclusivity in Our Communications at FBS
By b.isibor, on 7 September 2023
Sharing pronouns is a small but powerful gesture that can greatly impact how we communicate with and support our colleagues, friends, and acquaintances. Recently, Microsoft Teams introduced a new option for adding pronouns, reflecting the growing awareness of the importance of this practice. Additionally, individuals now incorporate pronouns into their UCL email signatures and social media profiles.
What Does it Mean to Share Your Pronouns?
Sharing pronouns means openly communicating how you would like to be addressed and referred to regarding gender. It’s a simple way to let others know how you identify and how you wish to be recognised. Whether you identify as transgender, non-binary, or cisgender, sharing pronouns is an act of respect and acknowledging the diversity of gender identities.
Why Might Someone Choose to Share Pronouns?
Putting pronouns on our email signatures and social media accounts can have a number of benefits:
- Expressing Identity: Trans and non-binary individuals can use shared pronouns to express how they would like to be addressed, ensuring that their gender identity is respected.
- Support and Solidarity: People who feel that their gender identity is already clear to others can use pronouns to show support for trans and non-binary colleagues, promoting an inclusive and affirming environment.
- Clarification: For those whose names do not immediately indicate their gender identity, adding pronouns can help colleagues address them appropriately, reducing potential confusion.
How Should I Use Information About Other People’s Pronouns?
Respecting and using someone’s preferred pronouns is essential. It shows that you acknowledge and validate their identity. However, mistakes can happen, and that’s okay. Correcting these mistakes should be done respectfully. If you make a mistake, apologise briefly and correct yourself without making it a big deal. For example, if someone prefers “they/them” pronouns and you accidentally use “he,” simply say, “I’m sorry, they.”
Do I Have to Add My Own Pronouns?
No. There are also reasons why adding pronouns to our communications might not be appropriate for some colleagues – now or ever.
- Not Ready to Share: Some people might not be ready to disclose their true gender identity to colleagues, and that’s perfectly okay. Respecting their privacy is paramount.
- Undecided Preferences: Others may still be exploring their gender identity or may not have strong preferences. Forcing them to declare pronouns can be stressful and counterproductive.
To sum up, sharing pronouns is a simple yet impactful way to promote inclusivity and respect in our interactions. It allows individuals to express their gender identity, supports their trans and non-binary colleagues, and helps clarify ambiguous situations. Respect and understanding are at the core of this practice, and it’s perfectly acceptable if someone chooses not to share their pronouns for personal reasons. The key is to create an environment where everyone’s gender identity is acknowledged and respected.
Written by Prof Carolyn McGettigan, LGBTQ+ Equity Lead.
Research Funding Calls Are Now Open!
By b.isibor, on 5 September 2023
To achieve this goal, the fund will support original research work that uses data (new or existing; quantitative or qualitative) to inform hypotheses or wider considerations in the field of EDI work to publish. Projects should address equality, diversity, and inclusion topics related to disability and neurodivergence, LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, or religion and belief.
All funds must be spent by July 31, 2024, and projects are expected to begin on December 1, 2023. The deadline for applications is October 9, 2023. For further details, please see the attached application form. If you have any questions after reading these materials, please do not hesitate to contact Research Centre Director, Katerina Fotopoulou at a.fotopoulou@ucl.ac.uk.
Find out more about applying, eligibility and assessment criteria for proposals.