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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 student Adiba Khan Future alumna mini profile - Adiba Khan
3 February 2020

(Biomedical Engineering BEng, 2021)

Following the publication of alumnus Navjot Sawhney's profile, humanitarian engineer and co-founder of The Washing Machine Project, we caught up with current BEng Biomedical Engineering student and part-time Design Engineer for Nav's project, Adiba Khan. Stay tuned for part two of Adiba's profile once she has graduated!

Headshot of alumna Dr Lochana Nanayakkara Alumni profile - Dr Lochana Nanayakkara
5 February 2020

(Dentistry BDS, 1992)

After completing specialty training, I came back to Barts as a Consultant and I have been here for the last sixteen years. I know every single person in this building really well and they know me, so being President of our dental alumni felt like it would be such an honour. It is also the first time we have had a Director of Dental Education for BartsHealth, so this is an exciting opportunity for me to raise the profile of the amazing education that goes on in the Dental Hospital.

Headshot of alumna Karen Chilver Alumni profile - Karen Chilver
10 February 2020

(French BA, 1980)

I would encourage current and future graduates to consider nursing as a career. It’s seen as low status and poorly paid, but we really need well-educated, compassionate nurses who can make a real difference. My life would be much poorer without nursing. People say “how can you do that, it must be so depressing”, but it’s the opposite. It has given me so much.

Headshot of alumnis Dr Milad Shadrooh, aka The Singing Dentist Alumni profile - Dr Milad Shadrooh, aka The Singing Dentist
19 February 2020

(Dentistry BDS, 2004)

My nurse got in touch with our local press and they came and did a piece on me, which then triggered The Metro, BBC news and ITV London news to feature me...Two weeks later Good Morning Britain asked me to cover a dental story...I’ve now done This Morning like 3 or 4 times, Good Morning Britain 3 times and Sky News.

Headshot of alumna Shamim Ara Alumni profile - Shamim Ara Chowdhury
17 February 2020

(Chemistry with Business Studies BSc, 1991)

For the past four and a half years I’ve been living in Istanbul and working as a foreign correspondent for the Turkish English-language news channel, TRT World. During this time I have reported from all over Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Some of the stories I’ve covered include the 2017 Rohingya refugee crisis from inside the camps in southern Bangladesh; the Syrian war, both from inside Syria and from the Turkish border; the fight against ISIS in Iraq; the rise of communal violence in Sri Lanka; Donald Trump’s first tour of Asia; the French yellow-vest protests, (when I got tear-gassed on the Champs Elysees!); The 2019 Spanish elections; the siege of Marawi by ISIS in the Philippines and much, much more.

Headshot of alumna Julie Fleck Alumni profile - Julie Fleck
27 February 2020

(Geography BA, 1978)

The work that I did to make London 2012 ‘the most accessible Olympic and Paralympic Games ever’ has definitely been the highlight of my career. The policies and planning guidance I had written for the London Plan were applied to the planning proposals for the Olympic venues and parkland so that all the designers were obliged to consider the needs of disabled people from the very beginning of the design process.

Headshot of alumna Jaspreet Kaur Alumni profile - Jaspreet Kaur, aka Behind the Netra
2 March 2020

(History BA, 2013)

Since 2015, I have been performing my spoken word on stages across the UK, aiming to tackle issues related to gender discrimination, mental health stigma, the postcolonial immigrant experience, taboo issues within the South Asian community and much more. I have met lots of inspirational women from a range of different industries and backgrounds. This network of inspirational women is continuing to grow and we all support and guide one another.

Headshot of alumna Diana Akanho Alumni profile - Diana Akanho
9 March 2020

(Mathematics and Statistics BSc, 2009)

I am a Committee Member for Women in Data UK. The vision of the organisation is to create gender parity within STEM subjects through presentations and talks. We like to talk about how ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ and to make women realise that there are women working in certain roles and careers that they may have thought were previously off limit to them. I will always act as an advocate for gender parity where possible so as to make a pathway for women in certain careers. 

Headshot of alumna Marissa Joseph Alumni profile - Marrisa Joseph
20 March 2020

(Business Management PhD, 2016)

When my work was commissioned by Palgrave Macmillan it was a touching moment. Much of my research is framed around understanding what the Macmillan brothers did back in the nineteenth century. Now I have become a Macmillan author, I feel like I have joined an illustrious club!

Headshot of alumna Fizza Ali Alumni profile - Fizza Ali
26 March 2020

(Commercial and Corporate Law LLM, 2019)

I am currently working as a corporate legal trainee lawyer for commercial and transactional practice in one of the biggest and renowned law firms in Pakistan. In the nearby future, I look forward to playing an active role in enhancing the quality and standard of legal practice in Pakistan!

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