At Reading, we have a proud history of diversity and inclusion. We know that we can only achieve our vision of being a world-class, forward-looking and ambitious university by recruiting, supporting and developing staff from the widest variety of backgrounds. If you're already working at the University and are interested in joining our Faces of Reading initiative, please see our staff portal on taking part.

For further information, or to learn more the initiatives and activities currently underway at the University, visit our diversity and inclusion pages.

What I like most about the Built Environment team is our diversity. For me, diversity is our biggest strength so far. We have Malaysians from various ethnicities and backgrounds, as well as international staff from Iran, Sudan and the UK.

For my research, I am exploring emerging digital technology. The construction industry is now embracing digitalisation. I've always been attracted to new technology and how it will revolutionise and change the future.

University of Reading Malaysia is leading the way in terms of ensuring our students are well equipped to face the job market in the twenty-first century when they graduate.

Recently, the University of Reading's Vice-Chancellor came over for the inaugural graduation ceremony, as a global university, and that was something I really admired.

Students come from a range of countries, including Kazakhstan, China and Thailand, as well as Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

I enjoy the contact with students, trying to find out what will help them the most and what kind of teaching accelerates their learning, discovering more about their countries and generally supporting them.

Ancillary to that is learning about my own profession. I could retire, but every time I go to a conference, I appreciate that I have so much still to learn and that's fantastic. That energises me and motivates me to keep going.

When I first came to Reading in 1998, my role was in teaching students, but over the years it has evolved to working with teachers too - I'm School Coordinator of Teacher Development.

I'm from Belfast in Northern Ireland, and in my particular school, the International Study and Language Institute, we've got quite a few people from Ireland, Poland and different countries. Very few of us are natives of Reading; it's got a very international feel.

During my time here at the University, I've had a fantastic boss, who has inspired me and offered opportunities and encouragement, and that's been a really important part of my work.

My research blended my business and real estate backgrounds and, over the last 25 years, there were probably three or four of us around the world who created Corporate Real Estate Management as its own sub-field.

I also had a passion for teaching and learning and, having designed and led programmes, became one of the first Faculty Directors of Teaching and Learning in 2002. This was a start-up role and very wide ranging, and I realised that I loved to fix or recreate something.

The role of Deputy Dean at Henley Business School was another chance to make a real impact. Over the last seven years, we have recreated a truly world-class business school - more than doubling its size and re-establishing its profile.

Being at Reading has given me so many opportunities to do new and different roles and projects - from starting the Henley Women in Leadership Forum to leading the review of Senate.

The Forum was set up to address issues facing women, who make up a significant proportion of our 70,000 alumni across the world. The events we run consider how organisations can develop a more inclusive environment, from tackling unconscious bias to implementing effective flexible working practices.

My advice to anyone is to grab opportunities as they come along - they will enrich your life.

It's brilliant when teaching and research merge, and Reading is a very good institution for marrying up these two elements. I'm interested in digital reconstruction and have been working on a 3D model of the entire city of ancient Rome.

It won a teaching award from the Guardian, has had national and local recognition, and gets lots of interest on Open Days.

I also take undergraduate study groups to Rome. We tend to go in early spring and stay at the British School of Rome, where I've done a lot of research work; it's good to share that experience with students.

In addition, I'm the University's Director of Open Online Courses and have been running our massive open online courses (MOOCs) programme for two years. We've made 15 courses, which have been accessed by over 800,000 people worldwide - which is fantastic. It's a really exciting programme to run, and it's been a very positive experience for me.

We've made an online course, Rome: a Virtual Tour of the Ancient City, which has just gone out to 13,000 people. Knowing it reached 190 countries around the world (including people in Rome!) is really satisfying. Public outreach and impact work is important to our department.

I’m deaf so I also work with my hearing dog, Rowan. She looks after me and protects me – if there’s a fire alarm, she’ll tap me on the leg to let me know, and she always lets me know when there are other people around.

I also have a disability, Addison’s disease, which means I get very tired, but I keep calm, ask for help when I need it, and keep going – that’s just my nature and my attitude.

I am the person who takes charge of mooting in the Law School. This is similar to a mock trial where students play the part of a lawyer, and lecturers or practising barristers play the part of judges. It is very popular.

I also share responsibilities for the Erasmus programme in the Law Department. We are looking to expand the reach of the programme to beyond Europe, creating as many high-quality partnerships around the world as we can.

I have always enjoyed teaching law. It's an amazing thing to have fresh minds come at things you have been teaching and studying for decades. You just never know what a student will say or think, and that's very exciting.

In the last few years, I have set aside a couple of hours each week for informal coffee and questions in a University cafe. Students come along and chat about anything they find interesting or do not understand. I find that this can often be more productive time than formal seminars and lectures.

My research is unusual as I do mathematical modelling of biological systems. I work alongside biologists, trying to use their data in novel ways.

I'm working with Moscow State University, which is the only other group in the world using mathematics to try to understand platelet activation.

I came to Reading in 2011 and have just done the first year of another three-year postdoctorate, which is funded by the British Heart Foundation.

I took up this change of career in later life. I was in the IT industry for a long time and did a degree with The Open University. I just loved studying mathematics so much, I decided to give up my career to do a PhD.

I live in Derbyshire, which makes life slightly complicated, but I work at home sometimes to alleviate some of the travelling. Mathematics is one of those lovely things you can do anywhere; on a train or at home. When I was offered the job, I mentioned the travel, and the University was really open to trying it and seeing how we got on; they've been great about it.

I would like to go on and get a permanent position, but I'm happy with what I'm doing; it's such a fascinating job.

My role is now "teaching intensive", which means research is only a minor part of what I do.

As an 18-year-old student, the last thing I thought I would be doing was standing up in front of people giving talks. Showing off my project to prospective students gave me the confidence to do it. I get a buzz out of it now, the different ways of teaching things, thinking about technology and what we can use.

I was made Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2014. I have been Head of Department, Director of Teaching and Learning and Senior Tutor and am now School Director of Technology Enhanced Learning in the School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences.

How we do things has changed considerably. We used to have mobile robots to promote our courses, which were part of our outreach activities, now we use massive open online courses (MOOCs). You get people of all ages all over the world doing them. I’m the lead educator for the MOOCs Begin Robotics and Begin Programming; the latter teaches you how to write a game on your mobile phone.

It's great to be in an exciting subject area where there's constant innovation and new technology, and where things are continuing to develop.

As well as my two regular clubs, I teach a group of pupils with learning disabilities once a month.

I started training in martial arts when I was 15 and really enjoyed it; I'm now a black belt, 3rd Dan. I found it beneficial to me physically, because I have cerebral palsy, and it helped with socialising as well.

I was lucky enough to be taught by a very good instructor, he is now the other instructor at the club and still trains me.

I'm in a wheelchair occasionally, but at work I'm sat down behind the desk most of the time with supportive staff around me. If I'm struggling a bit, there's always a way round it. Everyone is helpful and friendly, which always makes things easier.

I'm looking to put on a martial arts demonstration at the University, around Welcome Week, as well as a seminar to bring other martial arts to the area. I want to show what I'm doing and encourage everybody to give it a try.

My job is really varied. One day I could be making preparations for a public event, another day I could be taking 360-degree photographs for virtual reality.

I don't have the background of a degree or an education based within museum studies, so it was quite a new field for me to enter, but it's been such a great opportunity that has enabled me to gain so much training and understanding.

I've been working at the University since January 2017 and relocated to Reading from Yorkshire. Moving to a new town was quite a challenge, but I've immersed myself in the job and community and made friends.

I have supportive people around me who have helped me to settle into life in Reading. I work with a really nice team. I have a set of colleagues at the Museum of English Rural Life and colleagues at Reading Museum as well.

I'm fortunate to work within a unique and exciting environment - the museum has a beautiful garden that is particularly lovely in summer time. The University is a trusted organisation within the community and it's a privilege to be a part of it.

I completed my PhD in 2009 and am continuing my snake venom research, as well as research in cardiovascular science.

We're developing a diagnostic tool and improved therapeutic strategies for snakebites, because they cause lots of problems in countries like India. Antivenoms are sometimes administered even if it's not a venomous snakebite and that can be dangerous. In addition to teaching pharmacy, I also teach about snake venoms and bites in an optional module for biological sciences students, which I'm really pleased about. Last year, I won a Research Inspired Teaching Excellence Award.

As well as supporting lots of students here, I also support some in India. I run a small charity to help students who finish school but can't afford to go to university. I'm also a warden at Mackinder Hall and I'm really enjoying it. Reading is my home; I will continue to work hard in order to achieve my goals here.

I really enjoy building the relationships and seeing where they go, the different companies we talk to and how that affects students' careers.

The reputation of the University is great and really helps open doors. That is important for the work we do: trying to build new partnerships and reconnecting with employers to take on students for part-time summer internships, placements and graduate roles.

I was a postgraduate student at the University and did a careers guidance course 10 years ago. I came back to Reading in 2012 as Job Shop and Internship Manager; I was Acting Head of Service while we appointed a new Director of Careers, and I've now gone back to my previous role of Business Development and Employer Engagement Manager.

I have two children; my wife is Venezuelan and we're bringing them up bi-lingual. I do the school run in the morning and if I'm in half an hour after my normal start time, it's fine to add half an hour on at the end of the day. It's very family-friendly and paternity leave is good here as well.

It's been great for me, personally, to have had a chance to do three quite different roles and the training has been very good too.

For me, work is always about those you're alongside. A difficult task is made more do-able if the people around you are kind and supportive; a sense of humour helps too.

I am part of Technical Services. It's been great being linked up with technicians from all across campus through meetings, training and social events such as technicians' get-togethers with tea and cake.

Currently, I'm working as a job share. My managers have been really supportive; if I've needed to change my hours around or reduce my hours, it's always been fine. The University is very flexible in this way and I think an employer giving you that kind of freedom means you invest more in your work.

I've kept growing in my skill sets and was promoted last year, while working part time. There's a lot of investment in training, both centrally and through Technical Services. I've had some great management training and feel that I am pushed and supported to fulfil my potential.

I have a three-year-old daughter. I don't feel working part time and being a mum means I'm any less valued. No opportunities are held back from me. Everyone has been really supportive of parenting alongside working.

I speak several languages, so I know exactly what the main problems are with learning a new language and what students find most difficult. I try to encourage them to speak the language and overcome any difficulties on the way.

Everyone here has given me the opportunity to show my potential and challenge myself as a language teacher, but most of all to do what I love.

I'm an audiovisual translator and I study BSL. I believe that deaf and visually impaired people should have access to language learning too. My aim is to work as an interpreter in the future, and I am proud that BSL will be taught here at the University.

I'm a School Champion for Diversity and a member of the LGBT Plus staff scheme. I think it's important to promote diversity and inclusion.

At the University of Reading, our students come from all around the world and this makes their learning experience really interesting. I really like to build a relationship with my students, watching them grow as independent learners, helping them with their learning process, and making them feel part of a community.

I give a lot and receive a lot; it's beautiful. This is why I'm still teaching after 12 years.

Read more about the University's LGBT Plus Staff Network.

I'd been working for various NHS trusts for about six years and felt that I wanted a change from NHS research into university research. We're lucky because we get to see lots of fresh research that is coming through in the very early stages.

I work full time, but I work from home on Fridays. Managers are pretty good at giving us that flexibility.

I have Becker Muscular Dystrophy, and people have been very supportive without being patronising. Part of the reason for working from home is to help manage my fatigue. I live in Reading, I came here when I was 18 as a student and have more or less stayed here ever since. I had been commuting to Oxford - I was at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust before - which was getting a bit too tiring. It's better now I'm working a lot closer to home.

The team from Estates and Facilities also came in and created a kind of frame by my desk so I can get up easily, which has been really helpful. Everyone in the office will help out if I need anything too; it's been a positive experience.

Last year, I worked with the International Study and Language Institute for the first time. I taught BSL and its history, and had very positive feedback.

I'm originally from London and my parents were from the Middle East; my father was born in Egypt and my mother in Syria. I remember seeing Arabic, French and Hebrew being spoken, I knew a little, however I fully absorbed the Middle Eastern culture, particularly cooking.

I'm the only deaf person in my family - the cause of my deafness hasn't been confirmed. My family never learned any sign language, so I relied on lip reading. I've always been interested in drama. I taught various different workshops for different people, teaching them drama and sign language so they could express themselves. I've also done acting myself.

I've had some fantastic students; most aren't deaf, but have a passion for drama and a passion for teaching and learning sign language.

A lot of students have become teachers, usually in special needs education. Others have become interpreters, actors and drama therapists. I'd like to think I've played a small part in their career choices.

The two disorders demonstrate intriguing differences in music, language, emotion, pitch, memory and cognitive processing that may provide us with a unique opportunity for examining the underlying mechanisms of normal music and language functioning.

I'll be delivering a Year 3 optional module on "Music, language and the brain", engaging students with cutting-edge research and encouraging them to design new experiments.

I have a lot of support at Reading. My Head of School and colleagues are all very supportive and helpful. I can ask them for help and advice whenever needed.

I'm originally from China and did my PhD at the University of Chicago, where I studied the differences and similarities in speech prosody between Mandarin and English.

I then worked at Goldsmiths, University of London, Stanford University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and University College London as a postdoctoral researcher and at the University of Essex as a lecturer, before coming to Reading.

I really enjoy living in different countries, being exposed to different things and getting to know different people from different backgrounds. This has helped me develop both as a person and as a scientist.

I predominantly look after the advisory side of HR, so that could be absence and leave, resolving problems at work, retirement, terms and conditions, reviews, settlements and secondments.

I've always been a real people person, and I love working with a diverse range of people. You don't know what's going to happen on a day-to-day basis; no two days are the same.

The work I do with this team is really interesting; there's a lot of scope for my role and what I do. I'm also a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and I'm studying for a master's in HR Management.

I've suffered with anxiety since I was about five years old, so I ensure that I manage my workload when I'm going through a period of feeling anxious.

My line managers are really supportive and I've managed to use my anxiety to my advantage, being able to support other people experiencing similar things. If you understand, you can support others a bit better.

As an HR professional, it's stood me in quite good stead. Wellbeing is a hot topic with the University, so I do feel I have empathy and can appreciate what people are going through with work-life balance.

We have different strengths and preferences, so we share the workload towards our strengths. I'm more experienced in collection management, which I really enjoy, whereas Claudia is more experienced in cataloguing than me, so that's helpful.

We were a 60/40 split, but we are changing to 50/50 now the job share is becoming permanent. It was nice to have that trial year to see how everything worked.

Claudia says: We both know about each other's childcare arrangements, so we came up with an idea that should fit the needs of both of us. My children are slightly older, five and 10, both at primary school, so it suited me to get more hours a week.

Training also takes place on Fridays. I'm always quite keen to attend some of the training sessions for self-development and the job share set-up is configured so I have the opportunity. It will be easier for me to have a more active role in the team.

There were a lot of new things for me to learn, but I have managed to become more familiar with the role and I'm happy with the arrangement, it works well.

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.

My previous job was in retail so it was quite unsociable and involved long hours. My department gives you flexibility, you have to be in for core hours but you can come in early and then you're off again, it's fantastic.

Following the Professional and Administrative Services (PAS) review, I got the job here as Programme Administrator in August 2016. I work with a good group of people - we all bounce off each other, dig in and help each other out.

There is definitely a focus on staff development - I've recently finished the Springboard Women's Development Programme. My manager gave me the time to go on that course because it was important to me and being part of that cohort was really fulfilling.

I'm also an LGBT Plus Ally. I've always considered myself a diversity and LGBT ally, mainly because I have a brother who is transgender, so it is something close to my heart. As soon as I heard about the Ally programme, I was very keen to be part of it.

I'm now Programme Director for the MSci Psychological Theory and Practice. I really enjoy the teaching element and liaising with the NHS and Mind charity – I set up placements for students and supervise their research.

I've been delivering sexual diversity awareness training at the Charlie Waller Institute since June 2011. It looks at people's understanding and awareness, particularly regarding the barriers and potential prejudice that lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals may face in everyday life and when seeking clinical support. It directly ties in with students on placements within the NHS.

There is homophobia and biphobia because people are misunderstood. From personal experience, if you're bisexual, people think you haven't made your mind up if you're straight or gay. They also still use "normal" instead of heterosexual – you're either normal or gay. Therefore, bisexuality is not too well understood, and that's a really important part for me when I'm doing the training.

I am an Admissions Administrator working for the postgraduate admissions team, helping students who are applying for master's degrees and PhDs. I also look after some pre-sessional English courses, which are aimed at students who need to improve their English proficiency.

It's fun, challenging and very busy, but I enjoy it. There's a lot of time management and working to tight deadlines, especially if students have to apply for visas and get their documents in on time. The majority of people I deal with as postgraduates are overseas applicants.

Knowing that everyone believes in the work I’m doing is great. Everyone has just been really welcoming and friendly, I feel like I can be myself.

I've got a little LGBT postcard on my desk, which I got when I started. I didn't want to call attention to myself, but being queer is something I am and feel very close to as a cause. It's something I believe in a lot, and I talk to a lot of people who have similar issues and identities.

Many colleagues have an LGBT postcard or lanyard and seeing everyone showing support is really wonderful.

 

It's particularly satisfying to make a custom piece of glassware for researchers and get involved in the design process, which can involve multiple iterations to achieve a successful result.

I've got a very friendly working environment. Diversity and inclusion is something the University wholeheartedly embraces, which is great.

I'm asexual and have been involved in visibility work for AVEN (the Asexual Visibility and Education Network), of which I'm a member. This has involved TV and radio appearances, and contributing to newspaper and magazine articles.

When the University was applying to become a Stonewall Diversity Champion, I went to meetings to raise awareness of the asexual community. This resulted in the Staff and RUSU LGBT Plus organisations holding an Asexual Awareness Week, to which I was happy to contribute.

Asexual people are thought to make up about 1% of the population, which means there could be somewhere between 30 and 40 asexual people working at the University, even more in the student population.

I think it's important there's visibility for asexual people, and those who think they may be asexual, in particular, to have someone to talk to who is asexual.

I teach a module on ancient education, which is my research speciality. Reading students are fun to teach and that’s something I really enjoy.

I also run the ancient schoolroom. Over a period of two weeks, we have up to 60 children a day coming in, and I’m responsible for providing all kinds of different activities, all related to ancient education.

I’ve written several books on how Greek speakers learned Latin and how Latin speakers learned Greek. I discovered some ancient Latin textbooks, edited them, and published Learning Latin The Ancient Way a year ago and now the whole world has got them.

I came to Reading in 2013. I had been the only linguist in a classics department for a really long time, but here there are three of us. That’s much better for my research.

I live in Oxford and work part time. It works well, as I don’t have to commute in five days a week.

I’m involved in the LGBT Plus group at Reading, but it’s not a place where, as a lesbian, you feel isolated. British universities are good places to be a lesbian; everybody is very welcoming. And it’s nice to have colleagues as LGBT Plus allies.

As part of the University's personal development opportunities, I was fortunate enough to enrol on the Springboard Women's Development Programme, a University-sponsored scheme for women in non-management roles. It was a fantastic learning experience and I've gained a brilliant and supportive network of people from it.

My role as PA in the Dean's Office means I support several senior members of the School, as well as providing wider departmental support. Our office serves as a point of contact - it's busy, dynamic and fast-paced - and I love being part of such a hub of activity. One of the aspects I particularly enjoy is that it requires a huge amount of interaction across the University which enables me to see, and feel part of, the 'bigger picture'.

Being part of this community and network led me to apply for the role of Member Nominated Trustee for the University of Reading Pension Scheme. It's wonderful to have the opportunity to be part of something that plays such an important role in the future of my colleagues and peers.

Our department is known for its research quality and size, meaning there is continual scope to collaborate with a wide range of colleagues on diverse projects. It's a very sociable and dynamic environment to work in; there's everything from sports clubs and summer barbecues to get involved with, though I leave most of the partying to the PhD students these days...

Working across an array of both short- and longer-term projects, I've had the chance to gain in-depth knowledge of wide-ranging subject matter and also pursue personal research interests. In particular, my Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship promoted independence, leadership and a degree of autonomy in my work which has been a valuable experience. I've also undertaken a variety of University-led career development courses which I've found to be beneficial.

I am highly physically disabled, but this is something I rarely bring up and, in the world of academia at least, has never been a barrier to a successful working and social life. Reading is a great place to work, and I hope to continue my research here.

The thing I enjoy most about Reading is the School I work in, both the staff and the students. Everyone is supportive and friendly and will stop to have a chat – and that includes the Head of School. We do our work but we also do have time to catch-up as well. And because I’m the Undergraduate Programmes Director, I get involved with RUCS (Reading University Construction Society) as well as the University's Ghana Student Society.

I’ve been given the opportunity to grow in what I do, and I think Reading gives everyone that opportunity – you just have to be yourself, and take it. Regardless of where you come from, grasp the opportunity and go with it.

The culture here is extremely student-facing - it's not a cliché, it's true. During a day in the Careers Centre, you never know who's going to walk in the door next. It allows me to engage with a wide variety of students from across the University. I've moved from working two days a week to four, which enables me to balance work with family commitments.

One of the best aspects of working here is the environment - the campus, the trees, being able to walk around the lake every day - it's wonderful. The people also make this a great place to work. The focus on professional development and training is excellent – I’ve taken opportunities to learn skills from negotiation and reflective practice, to technology and app software. I was also awarded Fellow status for the FLAIR scheme for my work in supporting learning.

As I’m visually-impaired, my Guide Dog, Molly, stays with me throughout the day. Her calm, self-contained temperament makes her the ideal match - a more excitable dog would have a hard time coping with all the students! She sleeps happily in my office during the day and runs around at lunchtime. The University gave me a private office, and so this way I don’t disturb my colleagues. Access to Work provides funding for necessary support: this includes JAWS screen reading software, braille capabilities, and sighted assistance for producing work and engaging with students.

I believe that good practice – what works for those with disabilities – is good for everybody. 

With the help of my supervisors and mentors, I was able to adopt a flexible approach to my work; I began to split my time between home and my office. I was also given a computer so I could continue with my work, and bursaries from the University to spend on childcare arrangements. This was extremely beneficial, and made what could have been a stressful time much easier. Having regular meetings with my supervisor was really, really helpful - they enabled me to remain in the loop while I wasn't in the office.

Thanks to this help from the University, family commitments haven't held me back - I was awarded PhD Researcher of the Year 2013 Faculty of Science winner. Now, I work as a Research Scientist in the Department of Meteorology. I've been given opportunities to pursue my personal interests, to lead on research projects, and to develop computer-based skills including data implementation, analysis and coding.

I'd recommend Reading - as a place to work and study - to anyone. I'm regularly contacted by students back home in Cameroon asking how they too can study for a PhD here. Since I first arrived, I've found it to be a very friendly, welcoming environment - something that hasn't changed during my time here. I now have two children, and am looking forward to returning from maternity leave to continue my work later this year.

The HR team was really helpful in going through my options with me, and my manager helped to make sure my responsibilities were split between the other Business Partners while I was on leave. Because of this, I was able to help my wife, Khrystyna, but I also had the opportunity to get to know my son.

What I found is that going to work is the easy part. At home, you have to dress and feed your child, bathe them and read to them, make sure they sleep and take part in activities. And just being there for them is integral. That time is very hard to achieve when you’re working: you come home, de-stress, and do all the basic necessities, but just spending time with your child is when you really bond with them and see what type of person they’re becoming. Thanks to the University’s flexibility, I got that time with Luke.

Read more about family leave at the University 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.

The best employers value diversity. Shared Parental Leave recognises that not all families are the same and there's no template for family life. As gay parents, we recognise this more than most. It’s a fantastic opportunity that would have made a huge difference to our lives.

Of course, there are elements of parenting that remain the same gay or straight and that is the deep embarrassment teenagers feel about their parents - not because we’re gay but because we are his parents. The last words on gay parents can go to my son, “I hope for a world where having gay parents is normal, just like I have normalised it".

Read more about the University's LGBT Plus Staff Network.

I have a sight condition called Stargardt's macular dystrophy. I don't use any recognisable visual aids, so it's not something that's immediately obvious.

The University has always offered me support if I've needed it, ever since my first interview for the role. People are aware and regularly check in to make sure that everything is OK. The main thing is that I am free to work in a way that's best for me. It's never felt like people are offering to help just to tick a box, and I think that's important.

I like helping people. Someone once asked me how I judge my own value, and I realised that the most important thing to me is my impact on the people around me, and what I do for others. And the University has been very supportive of this. In 2011 when an elderly relative became ill, I was encouraged to work flexibly so I could be available for hospital appointments and general support.

This flexibility is extremely helpful in maintaining a work/life balance – and it impacts how you feel about your job. I feel valued and motivated, and have been able to take on new responsibilities, such as becoming a member of the University’s Staff Forum. These types of opportunities have a huge impact on my personal and professional development; for example, I’ve gained experience working within the wider University as well as with senior management, in addition to a good awareness that the University genuinely values the feedback of its employees.

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

I've always felt that I should be a good citizen. We all have our specific roles and job descriptions, but if you stick to just that, life becomes pretty boring. So I have many roles. I coordinate international collaboration and engagement in my Department, which gives me the opportunity to travel and meet people from all over the world, I'm the Warden of Windsor Hall, I'm a Harassment Advisor, and I also edit the Journal of Food Engineering. I always wanted to do more than just the 9-5.

My suggestion to colleagues would be to get involved. It's not just about teaching and research here. There's lots happening at the University, and you can have an enriching and fulfilling career with good social interaction as well. We have colleagues and students from all over the world, so you can meet all kinds of people, and the experience is very satisfying. This is an enlightened place to work.

Read more about the University's team of Harassment Advisors.

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 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 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. I now work from home two days a week but 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.

My research, meanwhile, focuses on sustainability and responsibility in investing. This is one of the reasons I joined Henley Business School’s Athena Swan committee. Henley is trying to go for the Athena Swan Bronze Award, which is a charter of proof from the Equality Challenge Unit that shows we’re able to provide all staff with opportunities to flourish, whether that’s getting the same opportunities for mentoring, or career progression, or remuneration.

This is important for universities as well as businesses – you need equality to succeed. And because of my own research in sustainable investment and corporate social responsibility, the Athena Swan work really struck a chord with me.

I actually commute from Manchester at the weekend. I work hard to maintain my work life balance, but I'm enjoying my job so much that it is absolutely worth it. When I wake up in the morning I look forward to work. I feel really excited all the time about the things I'm doing. I'm very busy but not stressed, so that's a good sign.

It's a place that offers you a lot of opportunities. I will do my PhD here next year and the University has been very supportive of this. There are never any obstacles to professional development; they always help you to find a way to make things work.

I thought I might just stay for a few years, but now I think I could stay here until I retire!

Read more about the Department of Modern Languages and European Studies.

My children are 20 and 22, so when we arrived in the UK they were at school. 

If I ever had to pick them up (if they were ill or something like that) I would always be able to. The University was always flexible and supportive.

I went on to work with global companies and European universities to win access to £340 million in funding for an EU Innovation programme that aims to change the way we eat, grow and distribute food. The flexibility of my role was essential to the success of this project.

Reading is working hard to ensure they get enough women into positions where they can go for senior jobs if they want to. I certainly received huge support from some of my senior male colleagues as mentors. Reading has an egalitarian environment; if you're the right person for the job and with good timing on your side – you can get right to the top.

One of the things I really enjoy about Reading is the flexibility. For example, over the summer months I take advantage of flexible working hours – called compressed hours – so I work from 8:00 until 6:00, four days a week during the summer, and that’s something I really appreciate.

I’m also supported in continuing my professional development, and recently I received a Science Council CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Award because of my training and development achievements. I think if there’s something you’re interested in doing – and it’s relevant to your role – you should flag it, because there’s no harm in asking.

I like the general atmosphere at the University - it's a very friendly place to work and a very supportive academic environment. I think it's the ethos at Reading: you feel welcomed, like you belong. I also work with a lot of women in my Department, and that's made working at Reading a different experience as well. There's greater attention paid to equality and diversity, and there are some excellent female role models - it's quite inspiring.

It's important, too. People shouldn't feel like they need to shoehorn themselves into other people's expectations. I'm finally reaching a point where I can embrace different values, behaviours and cultural practices, where I'm happy with who I am, and expect others to respect that.

Read more about the Department of Modern Languages and European Studies.