Faces of Reading

One of the things I really enjoy about Reading is the flexibility. For example, over the summer months I take advantage of flexible working hours – called compressed hours – so I work from 8:00 until 6:00, four days a week during the summer, and that’s something I really appreciate.

I’m also supported in continuing my professional development, and recently I received a Science Council CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Award because of my training and development achievements. I think if there’s something you’re interested in doing – and it’s relevant to your role – you should flag it, because there’s no harm in asking.

The thing I enjoy most about Reading is the School I work in, both the staff and the students. Everyone is supportive and friendly and will stop to have a chat. We do our work but we also do have time to catch-up as well. Because I’m the Programmes Director, I also get involved with the Reading University Construction Society (RUCS), as well as the University's Ghana Student Society.

I’ve been given the opportunity to grow in what I do, and I think Reading gives everyone that opportunity – you just have to be yourself, and take it. Regardless of where you come from, grasp the opportunity and go with it.

Progression has been a defining part of my journey here, and I’m passionate about helping others experience the same. Whether through mentoring colleagues or supporting my team via PDRs and regular 1-2-1s, I see career development as something we should all actively champion and a core element of my citizenship.

Beyond my main role, I’ve been involved as a volunteer with the Staff Forum since 2020, initially joining during the height of COVID – partly out of curiosity, partly to stay connected. In 2023, I stepped into the role of co-chair, and it’s become a space where I can advocate for colleagues and collaborate with other representatives to make a meaningful difference. I’ve had a genuinely positive experience working at the University, and I’m committed to helping others feel the same. I want to be part of solutions – however ambitious they might sound.

On a personal note, I became a dad for the first time in 2023, and that’s the role I cherish most. One of the things I value deeply about working at the University is the flexibility I’ve been given – particularly by my line manager through the Smart Working Policy – which allows me to be the parent I want to be for my son, while continuing to deliver in both my professional and volunteer roles. That balance is something I’m incredibly grateful for.

The University has given me a lot: opportunities to grow, a supportive network of colleagues, a brilliant team, and a (near-perfect) work-life balance – not to mention the view from my office over Greenlands and the River Thames, and the occasional free lunch! – I even look forward to (most) Mondays, and that’s a feeling I’d love for everyone here to share.

The tutors said I should think about going to university, so I applied to Reading and quit my job to do a sociology degree. I was 32, with children, and was surrounded by 18-year-olds. It was probably the hardest thing I did, trying to manage everything, but it was great.

I graduated in 2003, did a master's and went straight into a PhD. I got a scholarship, which meant my fees were paid in exchange for teaching. I got a job as a research assistant and then lecturer. I really didn't have a vision of where I was going, but every step of the way, I met people who encouraged me.

My current role is Professor in the Institute of Education, and I have a number of leadership responsibilities. My research focuses on aspirations, gender and widening participation. I like to do work and research that's empowering.

The University is made up of lots of different people from different backgrounds and situations. If you want to come, you can and you can make a success of yourself.