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Queen Mary Alumni

Blog

Montage of alumni voices on our blog. Featured are the Singing Dentist, aka Dr Milad Shadrooh, Dilani Selvanathan, Siti Kasim and Matt Kay.

Our graduates have gone on to do a variety of interesting and exciting things throughout their careers and beyond.

Our blog shines a spotlight on the voices of our alumni and friends and on the transformative effect gifts of time and donations from alumni have had on our students and the wider University.

Headshot of alumna, Laila El azhary Alumni profile - Laila El azhary
9 February 2021

(Documentary Practice MA, 2020)

There are a lot of things I learned while making this film. I got to understand some of the struggles that Kurdish people face. I got to learn about their history which is not something we are taught in schools. I also learnt about the frequent misrepresentation of them as a community.

Photo of Dr Anthony James Alumni profile - Anthony James
10 February 2021

(Medicine MBBS, 2014)
The journey of self-discovery for LGBT+ people is often a stressful and scary time, but one benefit of all the soul searching that comes with this is the development of a deep understanding and self-awareness of out characters, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses.

Headshot of alumna Samerah Saeed Alumni profile - Samerah Saeed
9 February 2021

(Biochemistry BsC, 2008; Medicine MBBS, 2013)

Personally, I find the most exciting part of being a surgical trainee is learning how to operate. It is always a great feeling to have learnt or improved upon a skill. However, the most satisfying and humbling feeling is being able to contribute to a person’s wellbeing, or at least being able to support them in a time of difficulty. I am very honoured to have been able to work for the NHS throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Headshot of alumnus Navjot Sawhney Alumni Profile - Navjot Sawhney
31 January 2020

(Engineering  BEng, 2012; Aerospace Engineering MEng, 2013)

The humanitarian engineer who co-founded The Washing Machine Project, a social enterprise dedicated to designing and distributing a manual hand-cranked washing machine to displaced and low-income people around the world. "Engineers around the world have the power and responsibility to bring about change; small scale inventions will truly transform the lives of people in need."

Headshot of alumnus Helgi Johannsson Alumni profile - Helgi Johannsson
15 February 2021

(Clinical Medicine MBBS, 1996)

I think there is still a way to go for equality, and we cannot be complacent. What can we do to further it now?

Headshot of alumna, Zoe Adams Alumni profile - Zoe Adams
17 February 2021

(Linguistics MA, 2013)

As a Teaching Fellow, I prepare and deliver content for Language & Health Communication, as well as supervise the students’ final research projects. This was a module that I designed as a PhD candidate in 2016, so it’s great to return and be the course convenor!

Headshot of alumnus Sam Miles Alumni profile - Sam Miles
19 February 2021

(Geography PhD, 2017)

Although my PhD was about a specific thing: dating apps on mobile phones for gay men in London, the questions that it interrogates are much wider. The answers I pursued were about how we use technology for our everyday social and sexual lives and how we rationalise this technology use. 

Headshot of alumna, Beth Watton Alumni profile - Beth Watton
22 February 2021

(Theatre and Performance MA, 2018)

I am deeply passionate and committed to debunking both the myth and the reality, that the arts are an exclusive, elitist realm, accessible to and for a very white, privileged audience. My work gives me the perfect opportunity, space and platform to do this and that is what I enjoy most about it.

Headshot of alumnus, Mitch Harris Alumni profile - Mitch Harris
23 February 2021

(Film Studies BA, 2014)

It’s astonishing to look at the contribution LGBTQ+ people have made throughout history, and to know that many of them have only been acknowledged in recent years. I think we need to continue to find and highlight those people that have made extraordinary contributions that enable us to live as we do today.

Headshot of alumnus, Dr Ben Walters Alumni profile - Dr Ben Walters
16 February 2021

(Drama PhD, 2019)

There have been people in every society and every period of history whose experiences of gender identity and sexual desire aren’t contained by the fixed categories our culture thinks of as ‘straight’ and ‘cisgender’. Queerness is a normal, natural and consistent part of human life. Acknowledging, celebrating and learning from that would benefit everybody in society.

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