Blog posts

Daniela Bultoc, Senior Organisational Development Consultant, People and Organisational Development

Daniela Bultoc

“My journey, from a tour guide in Transylvania to empowering individuals and universities, has been driven by a deep desire to make a positive difference.”

My fascination with human connection began at 14, guiding visitors through the historic birthplace of Dracula (yes, he was real!) in the heart of Transylvania in Romania. This sparked a passion for understanding and supporting diverse cultures, leading me to pursue a degree in social work and social policy followed by a Master’s in Human Rights.

However, it was in Higher Education that I truly found my calling: empowering individuals and teams to reach their full potential. Working in personal development for researchers and academics and supporting them in discovering their strengths and goals, ignited a deeper interest in how universities function as organisations. I fuelled this curiosity with a specialised MBA in Higher Education Management, further equipping myself to contribute to this unique sector and aiming to bridge the gap between the different areas and groups supporting a shared goal. (more…)

Aglaia Freccero, President’s PhD Scholar, Division of Psychiatry

Aglaia Freccero, President’s PhD Scholar, Division of Psychiatry

“Along with my studies, mental health activism has given me a sense of purpose as a means of personal and public empowerment.”

I am Aglaia, a first-year President’s Scholar in the Division of Psychiatry. I moved to London in 2017 to pursue my BSc at UCL. When my mental health started to decline, I had to interrupt my studies. In 2018, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but with the appropriate support, I eventually graduated. My mental health struggles fuelled my interest in psychiatry and public health. (more…)

Dana Whigan, Faculty of Medicine, Undergraduate

Dana Whigan

“Learning languages is something I have always liked to do on the side. Through British Sign Language Horizons modules, I have connected with the teaching staff and my fellow students and found a language I truly enjoy.”

I am currently in my second year of BSc Medical Biosciences and my second year of being the Student Rep for British Sign Language (BSL) Horizons modules. Within my role, I represent students that are learning British Sign Language Levels 1 and 2 and discuss their feedback to help shape how BSL is taught as part of the Horizons/I-Explore programme. (more…)

Aigun Gassanova, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

Aigun Gassanova, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

“Imperial has taught me that science is not just a subject; it’s a way of thinking.”

Approaching the final term of my Medical Biosciences course at Imperial, I reflect on the journey that brought me here and realise how Imperial has transformed my life.

I grew up in a culture where science was rarely discussed in daily life, and pursuing it out of curiosity was considered unconventional. My goal of studying at Imperial was deemed overly ambitious by everyone around me. However, in 2021, I joined Imperial as an international student, armed with a passion to grow beyond myself and a determination to learn. (more…)

Mateo Akel, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

Mateo Akel, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

“I believe technology has the potential to democratise healthcare, making it more accessible and effective for the wider population.”

My name is Mateo Akel, and I am in my third year studying BSc Medical Biosciences at Imperial. I’m originally from Lebanon. My journey to Imperial was fueled by two passions: a deep interest in the human body, and a keenness to explore how technology can transform our understanding and healthcare practices. This year for my third-year project, I seized an opportunity to work with the Medtech startup FundamentalVR, where I honed my skills in 3D VR modelling—a field that intrigued me, but I hadn’t explored before. This placement didn’t just broaden my grasp of VR’s potential in healthcare; it equipped me with valuable skills for my future endeavours. (more…)

Tianxu Hou, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

Tianxu Hou, Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine

“Imperial’s BSc Medical Bioscience programme focuses on developing students’ experimental skills, which I think is the most special thing about this course.“ 

Early in the last decade, Craig Venter coined the famous phrase, “If the 20th century was the century of physics, the 21st century will be the century of biology.”  

Maybe it was my curiosity about new technology, or maybe it was the hope that I could make a contribution to cure diseases like cancer which gradually led me to enter the field of oncology, as if it was my destiny.   (more…)

Dr Sanaz Talaifar, ‪Assistant Professor in Organisational Behaviour, Imperial College Business School

Dr Sanaz Talaifar, Assistant Professor in Organisational Behaviour

“It is always very gratifying when students tell me that what they have learned in my class is helping them directly in their lives and their careers.”

I received my PhD in Social and Personality Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Before graduate school, I had been a bit confused about what topic and career to pursue because I was interested in so many different things! I found that many of my interests (identity, personality, wellbeing, politics, technology) were being studied by social and personality psychologists in super fascinating ways, and so by becoming a social-personality psychologist I was able to pursue these diverse interests simultaneously.

After graduating, I became a Postdoctoral Scholar in Organizational Behavior at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. My transition to a business school context made sense in many ways. I had done research during my PhD at Google and had worked in the private sector before graduate school. I also gravitated towards research that had real world implications and felt that many of society’s most pressing problems could not be solved without the involvement of business. (more…)

Travis Mager, Business School, Student Life Manager (Global)

Travis Mager
“Joining the Student Life team last year has been such a revelation for me – I’m very lucky to work with such passionate and respectful colleagues”

I studied History of Art at the University of Pennsylvania, where upon graduation, I promptly decided I wanted to pursue other professional avenues. I’ve worn a fair few hats over the years: from working in arts fundraising, to a political ad agency back in my native Washington DC. Most recently I was working as a PA, and in marketing postgraduate programmes, in the Faculty of Medicine. I’m now in the Business School, where I’ve worked for the last year as the Student Life Manager.

I manage incoming and outgoing exchanges for postgraduate Business School students, working with over 25 partner Business Schools around the world to provide students with as much global experience as possible. I also work on other memory-making activities in the Business School including developing our overseas modules, and trip leading. Annually, we take over 600 Business School students on overseas trips, which create opportunities for students to increase their cultural fluency in the real world by immersing them in a country’s business and cultural scenes. More broadly, the Student Life team is also responsible for community engagement and experiences in the Business School, including Welcome Day, the Winter Party and Summer Ball. (more…)

Xingchen Zhang, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Xingchen Zhang
“I enjoy doing research and seeing students improve through my teaching and supervision.”

My project Safety in Smart Vehicle-Pedestrian Interaction aims to develop novel algorithms for smart vehicles to understand the behavior and intention of pedestrians by leveraging deep learning and multimodal information. Employing multimodal information ensures that the developed algorithms are robust across varying lighting and weather conditions.

Beyond my research endeavours, I am passionately engaged in both teaching and supporting learning at Imperial. I’ve delivered multiple lectures on Deep Learning in my department, and I was also primary supervisor for an MSc project in Applied Machine Learning. This project was focused on the innovative development of pedestrian privacy protection systems in videos captured by vehicle cameras, resulting in two submissions to a journal and a conference. I am also a mentor on Imperial’s Activate Student Mentoring Programme, supporting students from ethnic minorities in their academic and professional development.

I was a team leader in the 2023 Great Exhibition Road Festival, an annual festival led by Imperial College London that celebrates science and the arts. Our exhibit, showcased the navigational capabilities of our autonomous robotic wheelchair, which includes the latest research on detecting pedestrians using thermal sensing. We managed to attract over 2,000 visitors throughout the weekend.

As part of the Faculty of Engineering’s Bring Your Child to Work initiative, I showcased the unusual cameras of our lab to children and their parents.

I am honoured to have spent over three years at Imperial, a place that has been excellent for conducting research, personal development, and assisting others. Looking forward, I plan to find a permanent faculty position. I enjoy doing research and seeing students improve through my teaching and supervision. As Mencius the philosopher said, attracting talented individuals from all over the world and educating them is one of the greatest joys in life.

Rasha Dabagh, Senior Manager, Internal Audit and Compliance, and University Council Member 

Rasha Dabagh

For Women at Imperial Week, we are profiling Rasha Dabagh and Liz Elvidge who are both members of the Council, Imperial’s governing body.

“Personally, I’ve felt empowered to voice my opinions at Imperial, regardless of my gender. The environment is welcoming and encourages diverse perspectives.”

I’m Rasha Dabagh, part of the Internal Audit and Corporate Compliance team with Imperial’s Central Secretariat department. Before joining Imperial, I spent a decade working in the City where I was involved in corporate and investment banking audits and compliance oversight.  

I have been impressed so far with the various initiatives Imperial has to support women throughout their careers. The Academic Women’s Association provides valuable development opportunities for female academics, and the Elsie Widdowson Fellowships empowers those returning from parental leave. Additionally, networks like Women in STEM offer peer support and career guidance. Personally, I’ve felt empowered to voice my opinions at Imperial, regardless of my gender. The environment is welcoming and encourages diverse perspectives.

Joining a new team as a hijabi woman can sometimes feel like an initial hurdle. It can take extra effort to build rapport and overcome potential biases before people truly see me for who I am. However, once we connect on a deeper level, the veil fades away, and meaningful relationships blossom. (more…)