Webinar: Introducing the Inclusive Employability Toolkit and Launching the EPC’s DEI Community of Special Interest

The Royal Academy of Engineering

The Royal Academy of Engineering

Dr Irina Lazar is an Associate Professor in Engineering and Public Policy, and Director of Undergraduate Education at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London, where she is also the programme lead for the BSc Science and Engineering for Social Change. Before joining UCL, she was a Senior Lecturer in Dynamics and Control and the Faculty Education Director (Undergraduate) for Engineering at the University of Bristol, where she obtained her PhD in 2016 and worked at the interface between civil and mechanical engineering.

Through her engineering work, Irina become acutely aware of the gap between technological advancement and its implementation on a large scale in society, and of the sometimes-narrow solution we propose for addressing complex issues. This realisation led to her decision to study public policy at the LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) in 2021. Irina is involved in a multitude of research projects on designing an engineering curriculum that is fit for purpose in the 21st century. She works with partners from the GW4 Alliance and the Engineering Professors Council on embedding sustainability in engineering programmes.

She also leads a project on Inclusive Engineering Education, looking at the impact of exclusionary experiences on access and attainment in higher education and, throughout her career, has led the design and implementation of multiple outreach and widening participation programmes.

Professor Anne Nortcliffe is the Dean of Faculty of Arts, Computing and Engineering as member of the University Senior Leadership Team. Professor of Inclusive Engineering and Technology. Prior to Anne joining Wrexham University Anne was the Founding Head of Engineering, Technology and Design at Canterbury Christ Church University, a new equity, inclusive and diverse engineering higher education provision.

Anne has industry and academic experience over 30 years of experience in educating the next generation of engineering graduates across all fields of engineering. Anne is an experienced and internationally published researcher and developer of engineering education, passionately working with colleagues and students to develop good practice engineering and computing education to support student progression into professional roles.

Dr Chika Nweke is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London (UCL) and carries out the roles of Departmental Tutor (Director of Studies), Departmental Director for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and oversees the Design & Professional Skills course in the Centre for Engineering Education (CEE), UCL. She is also responsible for the Bioprocess Validation and Quality by Design (QbD) undergraduate, MSc, doctoral and industry training courses.

She completed her undergraduate and PhD degrees in the Department of Biochemical Engineering, UCL where her research focused on the mechanical performance of chromatographic adsorbents in collaboration with Eli Lilly & Co. In 2021 she obtained an MSc in Engineering Education, Institute of Education (IOE), UCL and since then has developed scholarship in the intersection of Engineering Education and EDI, publishing a number of papers in these areas.

As well as his role with the EPC, Johnny Rich is well known across the higher education sector as a high-profile commentator on policy issues as well as the chief executive of student advice and outreach organisation Push, as a consultant working in education and careers, and as an author. Before joining the EPC, Johnny has already worked on many issues of concern to our members. Over the past 25 years, he led Push’s research – such as on drop-out rates and student debt – which has had direct impacts on policy.

Johnny’s thought leadership, such as his papers for a graduate levy and a national access fund (2018) and on employability (2015) for the Higher Education Policy Institute, have been influential throughout the sector. Policy issues are also a significant part of his consultancy work, along with communications. His clients have included the European Commission, HEFCE, U-Multirank, as well as many universities, recruiters and charities.

He’s a regular speaker at conferences, awards and in schools. In 2013, his novel A Human Script was published.