Faces of Reading

My previous job was in retail so it was quite unsociable and involved long hours. My department gives you flexibility, you have to be in for core hours but you can come in early and then you're off again, it's fantastic.

Following the Professional and Administrative Services (PAS) review, I got the job here as Programme Administrator in August 2016. I work with a good group of people - we all bounce off each other, dig in and help each other out.

There is definitely a focus on staff development - I've recently finished the Springboard Women's Development Programme. My manager gave me the time to go on that course because it was important to me and being part of that cohort was really fulfilling.

I'm also an LGBTQIA+ Ally. I've always considered myself a diversity and LGBTQIA+ ally, mainly because I have a brother who is transgender, so it is something close to my heart. As soon as I heard about the Ally programme, I was very keen to be part of it.

In February 2020, I became co-Chair of the LGBTQIA+ staff network. I identify as Gay and Jewish. I feel very fortunate to work in a welcoming space where my sexual orientation is something I can celebrate as opposed to something which is just tolerated: where I can be ‘out and proud’. The rainbow flag flies high on IDAHOBIT, and the university quite rightly celebrates each year the contribution of its then Chancellor, Lord Wolfenden, to the acceptance of gay people through his authorship of the famous Wolfenden Report. 

Shortly before the COVID-19 lockdown, I was fortunate to marry my husband (and now law school colleague), Professor David Bilchitz, in a progressive Jewish egalitarian Vegan gay wedding in South Africa. David and I wrote about our experiences in the Jewish Report.

I am passionate about advancing LGBTQIA+ rights in the UK and globally, especially in respect of ensuring asylum-seekers' access to protection for persecution and in working with Parliamentarians, civil society organisations, practitioners, and recognised refugees.   

When it comes to my Jewish identity, given its distressing prevalence, I feel blessed to have never experienced antisemitism on campus. Unlike other institutions, Reading does not hold lectures, seminars, or examinations on the Jewish Sabbath, and when I flagged up the challenge posed for prospective Jewish students with holding open and visit days only on Saturdays, additional dates were added. Hence, it strikes me that the question at – and for Reading – is not about willingness to accommodate, but about awareness and visibility: the public calendar which the University follows is centred around Christian holidays (notably Christmas and Easter) whereas festivals of minority faiths like Divali, Eid, or Yom Kippur are not publicly recognised. I know that this can and will change. 

I grew up in the rural countryside of Taiwan. Though Taiwan is known for its democracy and LGBTQ rights, Taiwan was more traditional 25 years ago. Since I was little, I was unfairly mistreated by my elementary school teachers due to my family background and personality traits. Seeing my teachers conduct themselves in this way made me want to become a teacher so that I could bring a better and positive energy towards my students. As a kid, I even told myself, one day, when I become a good teacher, I would replace a bad teacher, so this world can become a better place. 

In 2013, I embarked on my PhD journey in Finance at the Australian National University (ANU). Following this, I was appointed as a Lecturer in Real Estate Finance at Henley Business School. I am committed to continual improvement as a passionate educator and researcher at Henley Business School. One of my teaching philosophies is to ensure that we create a safe, happy, and inclusive environment for our students to study. I believe that each of our students has their potential and I aim to help them reach their potential.  has helped me reach my current role as Deputy Director of Studies for Real Estate and Planning. 

As an early career researcher, I have so many new things to learn. In additional to the academic support from my mentor, many of my colleagues provide me with helpful guidance and support to develop my research and teaching profiles.  

The University of Reading values diversity and inclusion. In my department, the members of staff are from around the globe including Argentina, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, US and more. I enjoy working in this diverse environment and being part of this community and network indeed gives me a chance to develop international collaboration. I highly recommend Reading for either study or work!

The HR team was really helpful in going through my options with me, and my manager helped to make sure my responsibilities were split between the other Business Partners while I was on leave. Because of this, I was able to help my wife, Khrystyna, but I also had the opportunity to get to know my son.

What I found is that going to work is the easy part. At home, you have to dress and feed your child, bathe them and read to them, make sure they sleep and take part in activities. And just being there for them is integral. That time is very hard to achieve when you’re working: you come home, de-stress, and do all the basic necessities, but just spending time with your child is when you really bond with them and see what type of person they’re becoming. Thanks to the University’s flexibility, I got that time with Luke.

Read more about family leave at the University of Reading.