Faces of Reading

For example, there are days when I work at home so I can pick up my five-year-old son from school. My electric car cuts down on carbon emissions but unfortunately not on travel time; I still have at least an hour-long commute each way, so being able to work from home on certain days really helps to fit everything in.

There’s a lot of support for doing things differently at the University, and from my mentor and manager. In addition to flexible working, I also benefit from interdisciplinary research interactions through my work with the Centre for Past Climate Change, and I’m co-chair of the Equality and Diversity Committee in the School of Mathematical, Physical, and Computational Science.

Read more about flexible working in the School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences.

I now live in London, and I have two children. My work schedule was set up to balance being a mother and a lecturer, so I was able to start early in the morning and work in Reading three days a week. I would creep out of the house quietly so as not to wake my children! Now the children are older and they don't need so much of my attention, I also work from home two days a week. This requires that I am very reactive on the days I'm not in Reading and also that I am flexible about the days I choose to work from home.

I also act as carer for my mother and mother-in-law. It would be fair to say that I've always had significant care responsibilities, but have always managed to balance them with my work because the University has been flexible. I never missed a parents’ evening and made it to most school events.

The tutors said I should think about going to university, so I applied to Reading and quit my job to do a sociology degree. I was 32, with children, and was surrounded by 18-year-olds. It was probably the hardest thing I did, trying to manage everything, but it was great.

I graduated in 2003, did a master's and went straight into a PhD. I got a scholarship, which meant my feed were paid in exchange for teaching. I got a job as a research assistant and then lecturer. I really didn't have a vision of where I was going, but every step of the way, I met people who encouraged me.

My current role is Associate Professor in the Institute of Education, and I have a number of leadership responsibilities. My research focuses on aspirations, gender and widening participation. I like to do work and research that's empowering.

The University is made up of lots of different people from different backgrounds and situations. If you want to come, you can and you can make a success of yourself.

Prior to working at the university, I had a number of roles in retail and hospitality. I graduated from Plymouth College of Art in 2015 with a BA(Hons) in Contemporary Craft, specialising in kiln cast glass. I am still a practicing artist, something that is very much encouraged within the department.  Working as a technician supporting the Institute of Education is great. I work alongside lecturers in a very collegiate way to inspire, support and guide the students with their artwork. Seeing the end exhibitions is one of my favourite part of the job- they never fail to impress me with their professional and skilled work. Despite having worked in a popular DIY chain for a few years, I have learned more practical DIY skills helping students to set up exhibitions than I did in said shop! 

The facilities are great and I’ve managed to up-skill myself in several areas such as printmaking and darkroom photography.  The support I have received from my line manager and the policies surrounding disabled staff at the university have made it possible for me to stay working in a job I love- and this is now the longest I have been employed at one place! Feeling comfortable sharing medical details and knowing that I won’t be judged or penalised for my disabilities is really empowering. 

I feel that working at the university has encouraged me to grow and eventually seek further education in an MA- all of which has been supported by colleagues and my manager.  I’ve had the opportunity to undertake many training courses, including, but not limited to: the Springboard Women’s Development Program, several programs of Teaching Skills for Technicians and many programs to support students with mental health issues or disabilities at the university. I have also achieved two types of professional registration, one with the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) and one with the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Both of these show my dedication to my role and were really good reflective tools to help me recognise my skills and were funded and supported by the university.  

All my friends tell me this is the perfect job for me and I definitely feel I am on a solid career path where I can use my degree and life experiences to help others pursue their dream career as an art teacher- and pursue a few of my own dreams at the same time!