Published: 04 December 2023
St George’s has appointed Professor Deborah Baines as its first Associate Dean for Research Culture and Dr Mohani-Preet Dhillon as the Lead for Early Career Research Culture.
Together, they will spearhead a new programme of work to transform research culture at St George’s. Bringing their own unique expertise and perspectives to the roles, they aim to create a research culture strategy and tailored support packages addressing the key needs of the university’s research community.
St George’s is committed to creating an inclusive environment that actively supports positive research culture and researcher development. In the Strategic Vision 2030 and Research Strategy, St George’s aims to increase its research workforce and research volume, whilst driving an excellent and healthy research culture based around collaboration, innovation and equal opportunities.
“I am excited to utilise my experiences to bring about positive changes that support the research careers of our community and the production of excellent quality research. We’ll work with our diverse research community to define what a good research culture looks like at St George’s. We aim to identify what the expectations and needs are for different groups and how we can work together to provide the best support and outcomes in line with our strategic vision.”
- Professor Deborah Baines, Associate Dean for Research Culture and Professor of Molecular Physiology -
“Focusing on early career researchers is crucial as they represent the next generation of leaders in academia. They bring fresh new perspectives and innovative ideas that challenge the status-quo, leading to the continuous evolution of the scientific landscape. It’s important that their voice is heard. We must retain diverse talent within the pipeline and work towards creating a more representative and equitable research community. My vision is to foster an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative research environment that produces high quality science, and addresses societal challenges in a sustainable way.”
- Dr Mohani-Preet Dhillon, Lead for Early Career Research Culture and Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Education and Research -
Professor Jon Friedland, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, said: “We’re proud to have created a nurturing and friendly environment for researchers to thrive at St George’s, but there is so much more that can be done to strengthen our research culture. I’m looking forward to seeing what Deborah and Mohani achieve as they embark on these new roles for the university.”
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