Increasing
visibility
in science
#CelebratingEngagement
with Faysal Farah
"Visibility is essential in showing that science is nothing to be afraid of. I want to make sure people are not afraid of science and show that research is for everyone – we all work and pay the taxes that fund it!” Faysal Farah, student winner of the President’s Award for Excellence in Societal Engagement, is taking a break from his summer teaching job in Saudi Arabia (where he is also completing his thesis) to talk to me about what societal engagement means to him.
“I think creativity is hugely important in societal engagement and in the advancement of science,” he said, speaking about an activity he ran at a recent Imperial Lates event: “I wanted to demonstrate how nanoparticles can target different parts of the body by getting visitors to decorate their own polystyrene balls with, for example, magnets or Velcro. They then threw the balls at a ‘body’.”
“Depending on how the balls were decorated, they stuck to different areas of the anatomy, for example the liver was covered in Velcro. My own research is actually in the imaging rather than targeting of nanoparticles; I work on designing nanoparticles that can be used to improve imaging scans commonly used in hospitals.”
"Visibility is essential in showing that science is nothing to be afraid of. I want to make sure people are not afraid of science and show that research is for everyone – we all work and pay the taxes that fund it!” Faysal Farah, student winner of the President’s Award for Excellence in Societal Engagement, is taking a break from his summer teaching job in Saudi Arabia (where he is also completing his thesis) to talk to me about what societal engagement means to him.
“I think creativity is hugely important in societal engagement and in the advancement of science,” he said, speaking about an activity he ran at a recent Imperial Lates event: “I wanted to demonstrate how nanoparticles can target different parts of the body by getting visitors to decorate their own polystyrene balls with, for example, magnets or Velcro. They then threw the balls at a ‘body’.”
“Depending on how the balls were decorated, they stuck to different areas of the anatomy, for example the liver was covered in Velcro. My own research is actually in the imaging rather than targeting of nanoparticles; I work on designing nanoparticles that can be used to improve imaging scans commonly used in hospitals.”
Taking part in public-facing events is clearly important to Faysal, particularly because of how critical representation is in increasing opportunities and inclusivity within science: “events like Imperial Lates gave me a chance to present my research and to inspire people with my background – I can’t emphasise the importance of visibility enough. Did you know there is only one Black Chemistry professor in the whole of the UK?”
I didn’t, and it’s shocking to think that can still be true in 2023. Some of the initiatives Faysal has worked on are seeking to address that problem, which I ask him about:
“I wanted to improve the uptake of Black PhD students in the UK and thought it would be cool to see if I could target my Somali community in particular. One of the barriers to Black students going into academia is a lack of information tailored towards them.”
“I invited speakers who had done a PhD in the UK, and gone on to achieve amazing things, to deliver talks to students considering the same,” he tells me. “I then hosted information sessions which covered, importantly, the application process.” An approach that clearly had a positive impact, as a few attendees secured PhDs as a result of the event!
I want to make sure people are not afraid of science and show that research is for everyone – we all work and pay the taxes that fund it!”
It is Faysal’s commitment to both societal engagement activities and projects aimed at widening participation in science – like the co-founding of Somali Academics – that led his PhD supervisor, Professor James Wilton-Ely in the Department of Chemistry, to nominate him for this award.
When nominating Faysal, Professor Wilton-Ely remarked that in his 14 years at Imperial College London he had “yet to come across a student who has done as much as Faysal in engaging with the public, schools and under-represented groups in the community.”
What advice, I wonder, would Faysal have for people who are considering pursuing a PhD? “I did a PhD because I enjoy research and love Chemistry” he says, “but it’s also a great stepping stone to other sectors and the wider world.”
However, undertaking a PhD requires a great deal of commitment and isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly, he continues: “fortunately, there are many people like myself who are more than happy to discuss this in detail with prospective PhD students. Therefore, I would recommend [prospective students] reach out to those individuals (and organisations such as Somali Academics) to get a better understanding.”
It is Faysal’s commitment to both societal engagement activities and projects aimed at widening participation in science – like the co-founding of Somali Academics – that led his PhD supervisor, Professor James Wilton-Ely in the Department of Chemistry, to nominate him for this award.
When nominating Faysal, Professor Wilton-Ely remarked that in his 14 years at Imperial College London he had “yet to come across a student who has done as much as Faysal in engaging with the public, schools and under-represented groups in the community.”
What advice, I wonder, would Faysal have for people who are considering pursuing a PhD? “I did a PhD because I enjoy research and love Chemistry” he says, “but it’s also a great stepping stone to other sectors and the wider world.”
However, undertaking a PhD requires a great deal of commitment and isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly, he continues: “fortunately, there are many people like myself who are more than happy to discuss this in detail with prospective PhD students. Therefore, I would recommend [prospective students] reach out to those individuals (and organisations such as Somali Academics) to get a better understanding.”
Now that his PhD has come to an end, I’m curious about what’s next: “I have decided to hang up my lab coat and venture into the world of Patent Law where I am currently training to become a UK and European patent attorney.”
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