Self Assessment Team

Current members

Rob Bell

I started at the College as an intern working on Athena SWAN in 2010. Since then I have worked on numerous department-level applications and am now on my third College Athena application. I have seen Athena SWAN embed and develop across College, and recently have noticed more and more conversations about other aspects of EDI. I was pleased to be asked to join the REC SAT and hope the College uses REC as a positive opportunity to address structural and systematic inequalities. As a core element of the College EDI Strategy, I think REC is important to furthering work at Imperial and proactively tackling our issues.

Hugh Brady

Hugh is Professor of Immunology in the Department of Life Sciences and has been at Imperial College for 11 years. He also acts as Admissions Tutor for Life Sciences and in that role has sought to broaden and diversify the intake of undergraduate students. He is particularly interested in identifying and dismantling structural barriers to allow more Black British students to enter and prosper in Imperial’s world class educational environment.

Judith Cherni

Judith is Advanced Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy where she has undertaken research and has worked as part-time lecturer, post-graduate supervisor, and supported the department for 23 years. Her research on renewable energy technology and sustainability has progressed from studies of international development and environment; these have expanded from a strong focus on Latin America to include all disadvantaged regions. The core of this research is to promote low carbon technologies, as well as equity and justice for the developing world. She realizes to foster similar principles in Imperial and other UK universities is also necessary. Imperial has huge potential to become a real equal opportunities institution and cherish racial, national and cultural diversity in campus. The REC-SAT represents a first, but important, step in this direction. Becoming a member of and contributing to the REC-SAT has been an exceptionally stimulating opportunity to both learn about minority ethnic issues and revealing some of SAT’s members own experience of institutional barriers.

Alex Dawes

I’m the first point of contact for any questions or comments about the College’s REC work and I monitor the College’s progress towards the actions committed to in the 2021 Bronze REC submission. I have worked in a variety of roles across Imperial, and in other HEIs, from departmental management, planning, event coordination and programme administration. I believe it is essential to work towards removing institutional and cultural barriers that result in discrimination and inequalities, and the REC is a vital part of the College’s goal to achieve that.

Sarah Essilfie-Quaye

Sarah is currently a Project Manager in Research Strategy and the Project Director for the Faculty of Medicine Culture Initiatives Management Group. Sarah is also a Co-Chair for Imperial As One, the College's BAME Staff Network. She has been part of the Imperial community since 2002, starting as a Research Technician in the Asthma Lab, before progressing into a research career whilst also undertaking a part-time PhD.

After her PhD Sarah made the decision to step away from an academic career. “After a quick investigation I discovered there were no Black female academics at Imperial, I knew the path to Professor was a difficult one for anyone, but this made it feel almost impossible for me. I now regret that decision and wish instead I had felt I had enough support and encouragement to strive to be the first. This is the driving factor behind my involvement with REC SAT and Imperial As One. To create an environment at Imperial where everyone feels like they have the chance to make it to the top of their career, whatever their background.”

Peter Haynes

Peter is currently Vice-Provost (Education and Student Experience). He joined Imperial in 2007 as a joint appointment between the departments of Materials and Physics and was Head of the Department of Materials from 2015 until 2022. He participated in the College’s reverse mentoring scheme in 2022 which was an invaluable and eye-opening experience. He is particularly keen to use networks to support early career researchers and academics and is chair of the European Psi-k Network for first-principles computational simulations of materials and leads the EPSRC Network in Materials for Quantum Technologies.

Kani Kamara

Hi I’m Kani. I’ve worked for the College in several roles. I started as an HR Advisor, became an HR Manager for the Faculty of Natural Sciences and then move into the EDI team as an EDI Manager. I am currently Head of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre. I’m really pleased to be part of the team and help to identify and self-reflect on institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of minority ethnic staff and students.

Susan Littleson

I am an experienced strategic HR and OD professional, with 30 years’ experience helping people and organisations improve and develop. EDI has been at the centre of everything, and I have made organisations fairer places for staff and customers, whether or not they have wanted it! My first degree was in Sociology, at Goldsmiths, where my year long electives were Race and Ethnicity, and Sex and Gender respectively. My dissertation was on the social construction of LGB identity.

I am on the REC to make Imperial a fairer place. I want evidence to be seen and understood by decision makers. I want people to be open to adapting policies and procedures to change outcomes. I want people to look at how they think and behave to others. I want Imperial to be a place where everyone really does have the best chance to achieve their potential, without unnecessary barriers. My partner and in laws are BAME, so I have close experience of barriers and discrimination.

Wayne Mitchell

I’m Wayne, a Senior Teaching Fellow in Immunity and Inflammation. I’m also currently completing a MEd exploring the question, “What impact does being a ‘minority’ have on Black British student’s sense of identity, belonging and ability to achieve at Imperial College?” I have always had an interest in understanding the factors that promote effective learning, and how these influence a student’s ability to adapt to and transit through different learning environments. So, I’ve joined the REC-SAT to help to understand the impact that being a member of a minoritized groups at Imperial College has on their sense of belonging and identity as a BME students. What are the lived experiences of the students and what is being done and what more needs to be done to maximise all our students potential?

Onesmus Mwabonje

I am originally from Kenya and am currently working as a Research Fellow at the Centre for Environmental Policy (CEP). I joined CEP in March 2015 as a Research Assistant to work on a Climate KIC sponsored project code named “BioSuccInnovate”. This was after working for nearly 7 years in industry as a Business Consultant. Being part of the REC SAT does lend an opportunity to me to work as a part of a team to provide a voice that will create a sustainable impact on issues affecting BAME group at Imperial College London that require immediate attention and addressing.

Ines Perpetuo

Hello I’m Ines and I have been at Imperial and at the Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre (PFDC) since 2018, first as a Researcher Developer and since 2020 as a Consultant.  I am the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers lead at Imperial and Secretary to the 2 groups that coordinate it’s implementation: the Concordat Implementation and Planning Group and the Researcher Development Committee. This Concordat was convened in 2020 to support and promote Imperial's commitment to creating a positive research culture that values researchers and supports their professional and personal development at all career stages and that ensures a healthy working environment. What I love most about my role is enabling early career researchers to reach their full potential in whichever career they choose. I do this through my Concordat work, but also by delivering a range of tailored training workshops and retreats. I am honoured to be on the REC SAT so that I can better understand and support the researchers that I work with, as well as ensuring that their needs are addressed in future Imperial wide initiatives.

Desmond Samuel

Is it Des or Desmond? Often one of the first questions I get asked meeting someone for the first time. I’ve worked at Imperial for 14 years. My role is within the Faculty of Medicine, as Head of Digital Communications Services. I enjoy working with people, learning new skills and volunteering.

As a Co-Chair of Imperial As One, I help deliver a safe space for minoritised communities at Imperial. As a Values Champion, I play an active role in supporting College Values and Behaviours. I am proud of the self-assessment team for achieving the Race Equality Charter award. I am also an Advance HE, REC panel member. I work with other institutions taking their first steps toward achieving race equity.

I am excited to be a part of the implementation process at Imperial. My goal, ask questions, share knowledge and help deliver positive opportunities for change. Is it Des or Desmond? I use both.

Anique Varleigh

I have worked at Imperial College Business School for 6 years and have been fortunate enough to work on many College wide initiatives and projects. I feel honoured to have been asked to join the REC Self-Assessment Team. The REC members are all committed to making a difference and the most noticeable aspect of this is that people from the BAME have a voice and are being listened to. Personally, it has been humbling and a welcome to change, to sit in a room with people from a diverse ethnic background who all passionate about effecting change.

This feels like a golden opportunity to really make a difference to the BAME community not just for our existing students, faculty and members of staff at Imperial but beyond that to our future students and beyond the confines of Imperial.  Imperial are ready to lay themselves bear with where we are now and show how we are going to make a tangible difference (in the not too distant future) that will have a lasting legacy and set the foundations for future generations to come.

Simone Walker

Simone is a Senior Research Technician in the National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, where she manages a specialist technical service. Her role involves her interacting with staff and students at all levels along with external research partners and the general public, through outreach work. It is important to her that all of these stakeholders see and believe that Imperial is a positive space for diverse communities. Having joined the college in 2009, she has witnessed and engaged with many activities to enhance the culture so that it is a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. While seeing that strides have been taken in the right direction, she recognises that there is still work to do. Being part to the REC SAT represents a continuation of these endeavours at a level that allows for questioning, implementation and analysis and Simone welcomes the opportunity to be a part of the team that will scrutinise and hold the college to account in relation to these matters.  

Angela Williams

I am an experienced Learning and Development professional with a background working in both the public and private sectors ranging from Local Government, Charities, Education and Hospitality, to name a few.  What has been common across these sectors and throughout my career is the lack of BAME staff at senior management level. I am passionate about learning and career development, and have supported individuals to reach their full potential and achieve their goals. 

I joined Imperial in 2016, as the Learning and Development Officer working in Estates Operations. I reviewed and implemented policies to remove any barriers to learning to ensure it was fair, open and transparent for all staff.  I welcomed the opportunity to be part of the REC Group and work with my colleagues to bring about much needed change at Imperial for staff, students and the community.