Speed Mentor Day | What's On | The University of Aberdeen

Speed Mentor Day

Event Host

Professor Ruth Taylor

Vice-Principal for Education, University of Aberdeen

Ruth is responsible for leading the effective delivery of the University’s strategic objectives for Education and is also responsible for leading the University’s work on the Race Equality Charter.

Ruth was previously Senior Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of a Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care, and Professor of Nurse Education, at Anglia Ruskin University from 2013. Prior to that she worked at The Robert Gordon University in a leadership role in the School of Nursing and Midwifery having had a career in clinical nursing practice for 15 years.

Mentors

Michelle Handforth

Chief Executive of Aberdeen Harbour Board

Mentoring Topic: Leadership

Michelle Handforth joined Aberdeen Harbour Board as CEO in 2018. The Harbour Board is currently completing a £350m expansion project. The project is one of the largest marine development projects in Europe. As a project of national strategic significance for the UK, Aberdeen Harbour is at the forefront of energy transition, the decarbonisation of future shipping and the sustainability of the marine environment. Michelle qualified as a Barrister and has held Board positions in the Aviation, Rail and Financial Services sectors, both nationally and internationally. Whilst working in India Michelle established an education and support programme for orphaned children based in Mumbai and during her time in Australia she established an education and mentoring programme for the aboriginal community in New South Wales.

Jamala Osman

Social Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker

Mentor Topic: Entrepreneurship & Leadership

Jamala Osman is a motivational speaker and former Bank Manager at Barclays plc. She was one of the youngest ever bank managers in the country and was tasked with running her first branch at the age of 21.

Having had a difficult start to life, her dramatic turnaround inspired her to create pathways and programmes for other struggling individuals struggling to help break down barriers. Winner of Great Britain and Irelands Young Citizen Award for 2018 and TEDx London Speaker; Jamala is on a mission to help bridge the gap between young talent and organisations.

Dr Alethea Madgett

Mentor Topic: Science

Postdoc, Biological Sciences/Environmental

Alethea Madgett is a Research Fellow at the National Decommissioning Centre studying tropical marine ecology. She is part of the Chevron Anchor Project which aims to better understand the the environmental effects of decommissioning. Prior to this, Alethea was an environmental consultant with 5 years experience of marine ecotoxicological research.

For her PhD, Alethea investigated how chemical pollution impacts organisms at all trophic levels in the marine food web including plankton, benthic invertebrates, fish, shark, and marine mammals. Her undergraduate degree was in a very different field - crime scene investigation! She did an honours degree in Forensic and Analytical Science for four years. Alethea has always been passionate about nature and the marine environment and aims to contribute to positive change to help protect our oceans.

Jessica Gomez-Banderas

Mentor Topic: Science

PhD student, Chemistry/Microbiology

Jessica is a PhD student at the National Decommissioning Centre, based at the University of Aberdeen, studying the discovery of natural products from marine invertebrates to prevent biofouling of oil and gas structures. Before starting her PhD, she worked as a Quality Control Laboratory Analyst for a pharmaceutical company in Malta and this was her first job after completing her undergraduate Master of Chemistry (MChem) degree at the University of Aberdeen. In her spare time she enjoys reading, exercising and exploring new places.

Pamela Cumming

Schools Engagement Officer, Business School

Mentor Topic: Wellbeing

Pam Cumming has worked at the University of Aberdeen for over 27 years, enjoying a number of different roles within various departments before settling in the Business School as Schools Engagement Officer. As well as being on the Board for Young Enterprise Grampian, Pam’s efforts have seen her become a finalist for a Northern Star award.

She delivers workshops to school pupils which increase awareness of the Business School at the University of Aberdeen as well as raising aspirations, allowing pupils the opportunity to identify and develop their employability skills. Pam will discuss wellbeing, confidence and resilience.