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Rebecca/Richard Harris, Associate Professor

I remember when I was about 10 I discovered there were places called universities and I automatically assumed that was where the ‘clever kids’ went, so that wasn’t an option for me! Having been the first member of my family to get any academic qualifications I am still pleasantly surprised that I now able to work at a university.

I joined the Institute of Education (based on the original and beautiful university campus on London Road) at Reading in 2011, having previously worked at the University of Southampton for 10 years, and prior to that I spent 16 years teaching history in secondary schools.

Whilst at Reading I have developed in so many different ways. At a professional level when I arrived I was in charge of the secondary history teacher training course, but was soon asked to take responsibility for the MA in Teaching and Learning, and shortly after that I became programme director for the MA in Education programme. More recently I have become School Director of Teaching and Learning (SDTL) – this is a very varied role, but the main focus is on ensuring all of our students have a really positive academic experience with us. I am involved in leading initiatives within the Institute of Education to enhance the quality of our teaching and learning provision, monitoring the quality of our programmes, as well as supporting the implementation of university wide projects. As SDTL I also sit on the senior management group for the Institute of Education and line manage a number of staff. My role therefore involves working with lots of colleagues within Education and across the university. I have been able to pursue my research interests and have been involved with many interesting national and international projects, most notably the Council of Europe’s ‘Pestalozzi’ teacher training programme.

On a personal level I joined Reading at a point where I was coming out as transgendered. My colleagues have been tremendously supportive and I work in an environment where I am accepted and respected for who I am. My colleagues are very used to me presenting whichever way I feel comfortable.

Working at Reading is very much about people – the staff are truly committed to their students and the university is committed to developing and supporting both staff and students.

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Calvin Smith, Lecturer

I joined the University in 2008 in a teaching intensive role in mathematics. Since this time I have held a number of roles in teaching and learning including Admissions Tutor, School Senior Tutor, Internal Examiner and Programme Director.These days I am most frequently found sharing my love of mathematics with students in lecture theatres and seminar rooms across the campus.

When not up to my elbows in sums I am involved in various projects to make the experience of studying and working at Reading as inclusive as it can be. As a visible “out” gay man I endeavour to provide an authentic voice for inclusion and diversity for my colleagues and our students.

Reading prides itself on being a research intensive university and rightly so but this certainly does not mean it does not value teaching or its teaching intensive staff. I have been able to benefit from extensive development opportunities at Reading, led by our wonderful CQSD team, which has enabled me to contribute to enhancing teaching and learning in my School, as well as more broadly across the University and externally.

One of the things I value most about Reading is the ability to work with and learn from a diverse range of individuals (both staff and students)! I’m regularly able to escape my School bubble to collaborate with colleagues in Study Advice, Counselling & Wellbeing and the Disability Advisory Service. I value this enormously and have learned so much as a result.

I am proud to be involved in various diversity and inclusion initiatives at Reading including participating in University and School level Athena SWAN submissions. I’ve also been involved in supporting the University’s continued commitment to LGBT+ inclusion having previously co-chaired the LGBT Plus staff network and contributed to the University’s ongoing submissions to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. It’s fantastic to be able to work at an institution which values inclusion for all and to be able to actively contribute to this! I’m extremely proud to have been part of taking the University to Pride for the first time, starting the annual Wolfenden lecture series (named for the former Reading VC who authored the report which paved the way for partial decriminalisation of homosexuality) and generally queering the campus through the production of rainbow lanyards and postcards.

In 2014 I became a father to two amazing little scamps through adoption. The University has been fantastically supportive throughout this. When I first told my Head of Department that we were planning an adoption the response was overwhelmingly supportive – and included lots of conversations about leave, and how my workload could be adjusted to enable me to retain some responsibilities while lightening my load in other areas. Our adoption was also celebrated in the same way as other new family arrivals in the Department.

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Charlene Marriott, Museum Diversity Trainee

I work for the University's Museums and Special Collections Services and I'm on a traineeship. It's an 18-month collaborative project between the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) and Reading Museum and one of the main aims is to reach out to, and engage, a more diverse audience.

The MERL has recently had a large refurbishment - it covers rural life and the story of people who live in the countryside. There are all sorts of artefacts.

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.

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Colin Campbell, Associate Professor

I work with international students before they start their undergraduate or master's degrees. Alongside my colleagues, my job is to prepare them in terms of language and academic skills, so that they are ready for their studies.

I also teach on a master's degree in English Language Teaching (ELT) and train international teachers, many from China. I have been invited to write different books on ELT, from stories for students to course books for an international market, to handbooks for teachers - it's been a thrill!

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.

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Jessica Del Rio in the microbiology laboratory

Jessica Del Rio, Technical Manager

In my current role of Technical Manager, I have a small team and together we run all the undergraduate classes for food microbiology and support research in the Food Biosciences building.

I've been at Reading since I graduated in 2001. I worked in heart disease research for four years and then I moved to microbiology in 2005.

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.

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king wong, it business partner

Whether you’re at home or at work, relationships are undeniably important. As an IT Business Partner, my focus is on business relationship management so I can ensure IT delivers the service that the University’s departments and schools are expecting.

I enjoy my career and my work, but I also have a bigger role – I’m a father to my children and a husband to my wife. That’s why I was grateful for the opportunity to take Shared Parental Leave (SPL) following the birth of my son, Luke.

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.

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Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects U-Z

Subjects A-C

Subjects D-G

Subjects H-P

Subjects Q-Z

Rebecca/Richard Harris, Associate Professor

Calvin Smith, Lecturer

Charlene Marriott, Museum Diversity Trainee

Colin Campbell, Associate Professor

Jessica Del Rio, Technical Manager

king wong, it business partner

Rebecca/Richard Harris, Associate Professor

Calvin Smith, Lecturer

Charlene Marriott, Museum Diversity Trainee

Colin Campbell, Associate Professor

Jessica Del Rio, Technical Manager

king wong, it business partner

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