What is your role and what does it involve?
I am a Communications Manager in The Bartlett, UCL’s Faculty of the Built Environment. My team looks after internal and external communications for three exciting departments - The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL Urban Laboratory and the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (also known as CASA). In my role, I write news stories about research projects and accomplishments by our staff, students and alumni. I also curate newsletters and support the team with the promotion and delivery of our flagship events including The Bartlett Summer Show and The Bartlett Autumn Show.Outside of my main role, I recently became a Co-Lead for the Internal Communications Community of Practice (CoP) which I am excited about. In this role, I am working with two other UCL colleagues - Abbie Scrimgeour and Shauna Scott - to ensure that the CoP is a supportive and inclusive space for colleagues working on internal communications and stakeholder engagement across UCL. We recently recruited additional core members to help us deliver on our vision across three pillars: lunch and learns, shared resources, and community building. Exciting things are coming! For anyone who is working within a large team or individually - and even those who are engaging with students, staff and other stakeholders daily without an official ’comms’ title - please join the community on Teams.
How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?
I have been at UCL since November 2023, but I had a brief stint a few years ago in 2019. Back then, I was at the Institute of Ophthalmology and worked closely with colleagues from Moorfields Eye Hospital. Before returning to UCL, I was a content designer working on public sector digital transformation projects.What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?
I love all my departments equally, but my secret favourite is UCL Urban Laboratory (Urban Lab), and I am always proud of the monthly newsletter we curate - ’Urban Circular’. I truly value our audience’s engagement with the department’s events, research and opportunities. It’s something I look forward to putting together every month and I very much enjoy exploring the groundbreaking urbanism work that our academics engage in.Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list
The Drupal 10 migration for The Bartlett - a behemoth task! I have spent the past two months working on reviewing web pages across our three departments in preparation for the migration. We are looking to go live before the April closure, so my priority is making sure that we are ready for this. There are so many pages across the three departments, so it has been equal parts challenging and rewarding. But the work is not over yet!What is your favourite album, film and novel?
I love Leonard Cohen’s Live in London album - I can always count on it to bring me peace amid chaos. My favourite film is The Sound of Music and I am hoping to visit Salzburg for the tour at some point this year. I can never pick a favourite novel, but I think the most fabulous book I read recently was The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaje, a historical novel set in colonial Nigeria. Having grown up in Lagos, it was fascinating to explore the city through the protagonist’s lens, and I could not put this book down.What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?
I am the worst person to ask about jokes because I know none! However, I recently heard this on my son’s Toniebox and thought it was fantastic."How do you organise a space party?"
"You planet." Just brilliant.
Who would be your dream dinner guests?
I would love to have dinner with Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and I think Alice Walker. Their work inspired so much of my development as a creative and their writing has been a gift to me in several ways throughout my life.What advice would you give your younger self?
"Don’t be in such a hurry! Everything will work out in interesting ways."What would it surprise people to know about you?
I was on a TV competition recently! My family runs a dessert business, and we were invited to pitch our product for a chance to be stocked in one of the UK’s largest supermarkets. It was an interesting experience, but I thoroughly enjoyed doing it with one of my sisters.What is your favourite place?
I loved Amsterdam when I visited and considered moving there. It’s a wonderful city.- University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (0) 20 7679 2000
