Role models and allies

Role models and allies are people who recognise and visibly demonstrate that everyone has an important contribution to make. Everyone has the right to feel valued and respected, the right to feel safe and that it's ok to be you.

Role models and allies make a difference in peoples' lives. They inspire and motivate by representing non-mainstream identities, showing they are part of our everyday lives.

What it means to be ally

An ally is someone who stands up for equal civil rights, uniting to ensure we live in an equitable society. Anyone can be an ally and it is important to be active in your support. We represent our diverse communities ‒normalising behaviours and language, creating an inclusive environment for all.

Student Networks

LGBT+ Network

Women's* Network

BME Network

Disabled Students Network

Staff Networks

LGBTQ+ Network

Women's Network

BAME Network

Disabled Staff Network

Chaplaincy

Our role models and allies

Leah Ridgway (they/them)

Associate Professor - EDI Co-Chair

I want everyone to have the support and encouragement to reach their full potential, no matter who they are or what challenges they face.

Mohamed Elmaghrbi stood in front of a bush

Mohamed Elmaghrbi (he/him)

Assistant Professor – Faculty Director for Student Recruitment

Unfortunately discrimination does present itself in different forms within our society. I am not naive to think that we will be successful in eliminating that 100%, but I am hopeful that we could make strides towards equality within my life time.

Sam Kingman (he/him)

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering - EDI Chair

I want Engineering at Nottingham to be a great place to work, a place where lives are changed through inspirational education and a place where inventions change the planet. Diversity is important as diverse teams produce better solutions. I want to be in a place where colleagues and students feel supported to achieve their best.

Poppy Howe at the RAF museum stood in front of an RAF plane.

Poppy Howe (she/her)

MEng Aerospace Engineering Student

I believe that engineering is driven by ingenuity and that having an inclusive and diverse workforce enhances ingenuity by bringing together people with different mindsets. This leads to more variety in ideas and ultimately a better engineering solution. It is important for role models to be visible to inspire our next generation of engineers.

Emma Hadfield-Hudson (she/her)

EDI Coordinator

Everyone deserves to be respected, supported and provided with opportunities to succeed and thrive. When we celebrate differences, listen to others and actively learn from one another, we all benefit.

Dr Tanvir Hussain (he/him)

Associate Professor in Materials Engineering and Deputy Director of EDI

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of everything that we do in our daily life. We can only solve grand challenges through diverse and inclusive teams. My dream is to build a workplace where everyone has a voice and an opportunity to reach their full potential.

Katy McKenzie in a yellow hard hat working in an engineering lab.

Katy J. McKenzie (she/her)

Senior Technical Manager in Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Deputy Director of EDI

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is important to me because I want to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities and the same, fair treatment. I want my colleagues and our students to feel supported and thrive in an environment where they can achieve their potential

Chris Sprange (he/him)

Strategic Intelligence Analyst and Deputy Director of EDI

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion means supporting and celebrating individuals and allowing everyone to thrive whilst being themselves.

Sobia Qazi (she/her)

Teaching Associate and BAME Champion

I love to see how determinedly the University is working towards increasing diversity. However, at the same time, there is a dire need to create awareness among the wider University on understanding how to treat people from diverse backgrounds, to make this University a better place for the BAME community to work and study.

Pearl Agyakwa (she/her)

Senior Research Fellow and BAME Champion

We appear to be witnessing a disturbing rise in the mainstreaming and normalisation of bigotries such as racism, ableism, homophobia and transphobia in particular. Now more than ever, I feel really strongly that I must not to be complicit through silence, but must actively listen, learn, and stand up and speak out in allyship and solidarity against this tide of hate wherever I see it.

Rachel Gomes wearing safety googles in a lab.

Rachel Gomes (she/her)

Professor of Water & Resource Processing and BAME Champion

I wish to work in an environment that truly sees itself as a community. Where each individual supports, challenges and celebrates the contributions from all members. Where we can listen and learn through curiosity, collaboration and cultural awareness.

Eva Roemer-Barnes (she/her)

Administrator/Receptionist

Equality, diversity and inclusion means celebrating difference and the belief that regardless of gender, ethnicity, class, ability, age, sexual orientation, religion or the way someone looks or dresses, opportunities should be available to each and every one of us. When we are all welcome, we all benefit.

Laura Walker (she/her)

Faculty of Engineering Wellbeing Activities Officer

When every individual is valued for who they are - no matter their background, identity, appearance, age, gender or ability it brings out the best in people. We can then draw on each other's strengths and work together to build a better world.

April Extall-Black (she/her)

Resource Officer

EDI means working with and celebrating the diversity of students and staff and ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to be the best version of themselves.

Louise Brown (she/her)

Senior Research Fellow

It's been shown that teams function better when they have a diverse makeup, so it's import ant for us to make sure that we give everyone the opportunity to follow their chosen career path and therefore create the pool of people needed to make up those great teams.

Faculty of Engineering

The University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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