Staff Testimonials

We provide a student centred learning experience that provides the opportunity for students to realise their full potential as engineering leaders: people who will shape the future of the world we live in.

Dr Raja Toqeer,  Senior University Teacher

In 2022, I began in MEE (The Diamond), and I'm excited to be contributing my knowledge and experience to practical engineering education.  In my current role, as an academic lead, I spearhead the practical learning experience for undergraduate students in electrical and electronic engineering. This involves developing engaging and up-to-date practical activities, managing projects, and delivering high-quality lab experiments with effective assessment and feedback.

 

What truly excites is the multifaceted nature of the role. First and foremost, I find the chance to directly influence student learning in the dynamic field incredibly rewarding.  The ability to develop innovative and engaging practical activities keeps the work fresh and allows me to tap into my creative side. Beyond the teaching, the position offers a stimulating mix of responsibilities. I relish the opportunity to delve into strategic planning for MEE's practical engineering program, while also actively participating in departmental committees. This leadership aspect, coupled with the chance to collaborate with colleagues across the university and industry, fosters a strong sense of community and purpose. Furthermore, the role actively encourages continuous professional development. Engaging in educational research and scholarship, participating in conferences, as well as being an external examiner allows me to stay at the forefront of my field and contribute to its advancement.  Ultimately, the combination of impactful teaching, creative innovation, strategic leadership, and ongoing learning makes this position incredibly fulfilling.

 

What I truly appreciate about MEE is the supportive and collaborative environment.  It allows me to blend my passion for teaching with the opportunity to innovate and lead. The diverse range of tasks keeps things engaging, and the emphasis on professional development ensures I'm constantly learning and growing. It's a perfect fit for someone who thrives on impacting students from 150 different countries, helping to develop them into global citizens, and thus shaping the future of practical engineering education globally. 

 

MEE and the University offer a comprehensive benefits package to support your personal and professional growth. This includes access to training and development programs through the MyDevelopment portal, LinkedIn Learning, and Elevate to help hone your skills and stay current in your field. MEE also encourages participation in conferences and workshops, cultivating valuable connections and exposing you to new ideas. Additionally, the University provides a competitive pension scheme to ensure your long-term financial security. It's a rewarding place to work, offering the chance to make a real difference while investing in your own future.

Gemma Gibson, Graduate Teaching Assistant Coordinator

My role is quite unusual (as our team is quite unusual!) - in order to successfully and safely deliver practical teaching at scale, we need to employ a very large number of GTAs (PhD students who undertake teaching). As we have over 240 throughout the year, it is my role to coordinate all aspects of their work allocation.  I love the challenges it brings - my role is the only one of its kind in the University, which means that if I have an idea or a problem I want to solve, there is rarely anywhere to turn where it’s been done before. This means I have to get creative and liaise with a lot of people which I really enjoy.  

 

In MEE you are really encouraged to use your own initiative and in my experience, you are treated as the expert in your own area and trusted to make decisions. Someone is always there to turn to if you want to discuss your ideas or get support, but overall you are generally encouraged to take the lead and make them happen. It is an incredibly friendly environment and there is a huge focus on wellbeing, with plenty of events to get the whole team together in a social setting. The management are all very friendly and approachable, you always feel you can go to them with any issues, as well as have a joke with them in the staff kitchen - it’s a really welcoming place to work. 

Laura Mason, Departmental Health and Safety Officer

I joined MEE in November 2021, coming from the School of Architecture where my role was Workshop Manager / Deputy Departmental Health and Safety officer, I had been with Architecture for 7 years. I work closely with academic and technical staff to ensure that the practical sessions we deliver are safe for everyone involved, and that the correct precautions and controls are in place

 

Working for the University is about the whole package. On top of the standard University benefits MEE offers great individualised opportunities for training and development. We run our own events and conferences and involvement is encouraged across the board.  The most challenging aspect of my role is also the one that makes it more enjoyable. I’m always working on a wide variety of projects and activities at once, which results in a lot of to-do lists and far too many tabs open on my computer!

 

I’ve held a variety of roles in different industries and locations. I am the happiest and most fulfilled that I have ever been. In part this is because I enjoy my role, I have a lot of autonomy, but I also have full support and backup whenever I need it. What I enjoy most about working in MEE though is the team. There is a great culture in the department and I am valued first as a person. We are diverse, inclusive and friendly. I know that a lot of time and effort has been put into creating this work environment and this makes MEE stand out within the University, as the best place to work.

Cecil Wilkinson, Engineering Technician

I started working in MEE back in January 2021 and I felt that I fitted into the team almost immediately.  I currently work within the busy Electronics & Control lab, as one of the members of the technical team. We manage the day-to-day setup and running of lab equipment and software for all our practical labs, as well as managing the health & safety of anyone working within the lab. 

I recently changed positions within MEE to working in our teaching cleanroom as the lead technician. The cleanroom is quite a unique space within the Diamond, and it’s one of the only dedicated teaching cleanrooms in the world. Here I set up and help teach undergraduate lab sessions, as well as prepping semiconductor samples to be used in teaching sessions. It’s often joked that the cleanroom in the Diamond should be renamed “Diodes R Us” with how many Schottky diodes we make! I’m not always stationed in the cleanroom, however, as I’m also involved in the robotics teaching sessions run by computer science. Another large session I’m involved in is MEE’s Bioreactor lab sessions, which I personally helped develop and teach the sessions alongside the academic staff - including giving a demo during one of their lectures. This is a particular love of mine, as it incorporates aspects of electronics and control engineering alongside biochemical engineering, so it’s really a multidisciplinary lab for the students.

Every day is different. A lot of people say that about their jobs, but this is truly the case here as the teaching sessions are different every day, and any kind of problem can show up - from simple hardware problems to something bigger and complex. It’s great constantly being challenged that way, and the ability to work on projects to contribute towards the teaching and running of the lab is a fantastic creative outlet as well. I’m constantly learning new things, and working with students is unbelievably rewarding in many ways. I’m currently into my third year working here, and seeing students that came into the lab in first year having moved through their degree and develop into fantastic engineers has been inspiring to see.

The entire department is extremely friendly and supportive. No one is difficult to work with, and if you need help people are always willing to give it. I’ve actually made some of my closest friends through working here in MEE, as so many people here have similar interests - what with deciding to work in higher education and teaching engineering. I also really appreciate working in a place I can just be myself in. I’m transgender, queer and very eccentric, and yet I’ve not once felt the need to limit myself or hide parts of myself to any of my colleagues in MEE, which is extremely rewarding and makes working here even better. An old colleague of mine in his handover notes wrote: “you are about to join the kindest and friendliest team of people in academia”, and I very much agree with the sentiment as I’ve never worked with such a kind and supportive group of people.

With working to the teaching schedule and timetable, some deadlines at work can be really tight as things need to be completed before a practical session is being run. Sometimes this can be really stressful, but with how helpful the department is there’s always some support you can call on. On a more personal note, it’s a little difficult to justify booking time off during the teaching semesters, which can sometimes be frustrating (my birthday is in November and I often struggle to book it off!) but then the long period of free time over the summer is great for booking much longer holidays, as well as not working bank holidays and having an extended period off around Christmas and New Years.

The staff development and training is fantastic here. I’ve been through an entire management course specifically tailored towards technicians stepping into management positions, and this was entirely paid for by the department and I was allowed time off to fully attend these sessions and make the most of them. In all honesty, the course I went on is likely a big part of what enabled me to change positions within the department! There’s also opportunities to attend conferences, again fully paid for by the department. My manager and I often attend the IST technical conference every year, which is hosted in different universities each time around. It’s been great to see how other universities run their departments, as well as meeting other technicians, and it’s just a really nice day out too. There are also courses and conferences we run here in MEE, such as the ASISST program and the PEE conference, so if you don’t want to travel you can still get involved in these locally.