Meet Dr Viki Male
What course do you teach on and what is your role
I am Deputy course lead and Deputy lead for Module 3 for the MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Biology.
How has your career led you to teaching?
I have always enjoyed teaching and was lucky enough to do my PhD at a University where I had the opportunity to teach students in small groups for three hours a week. During this time I became an Associate of the Higher Education Academy. When I first came to Imperial as a post-doctoral researcher, I started to give lectures on immunology to Life Sciences undergraduates. I left Imperial to start my own lab at UCL, but I returned every year to continue giving lectures. In 2019, I returned to Imperial and now run a busy research lab in Reproductive Immunology, which I combine with additional teaching and tutorial responsibilities for students on the MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Biology, and medical students doing the iBSc.
What aspect of the course do you enjoy teaching the most?
I teach using a mixture of lectures and workshops, and I have to say I enjoy the workshops the most. I love the opportunity they give me to have detailed discussions with the students in more of a small group setting, and to see their thinking develop.
What do you hope your students will go on to achieve on completion of this course?
Students from this course go on to an exciting mixture of destinations. As a research scientist myself, I am happy to see many of them go on to PhDs and academia, and many also go on to work in fertility clinics. But probably my favourites are the ones who go on to use the skills they develop during the course in a way that surprises even them. For example, one of my students discovered a real talent for graphic design and science communication through assessments, and she went on to become a medical illustrator.
What is your favourite part about teaching at Imperial College London?
I love the diversity of our students, both in terms of their backgrounds and their interests. This means that I learn new things from the students all the time, which in turn improves my teaching.