Meet the People

I have been involved in Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) formally in the university since 2018 when I became the EDI Coordinator for the School of Chemistry, a role I held for 4 years. 

During that time I led a number of EDI-related projects including reviewing and improving our Christina Miller Fellowship for under-represented chemists, partnering with Hidden Disabilities to provide Sunflower lanyards to Chemistry staff and students, and Chemistry’s successful Silver Renewal for Athena SWAN.

The focus of my EDI work since then has been very much on an inclusive student experience – whether that’s improving community and sense of belonging for widening participation students, or improving support for disabled students

In 2025 I became an elected member of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion and Diversity Committee and in that capacity, I have been able to contribute my experience to their work on disability-inclusive labs and improving the experience for students from all socio-economic backgrounds

We still have a lot of work to do in EDI – now more than ever - but I am always heartened by the dedication of so many colleagues and students to improve inclusion and equity for all in our College.

j.odonoghue@ed.ac.uk 

While decolonisation is being discussed in various disciplines, engineering remains firmly grounded in the idea of Eurocentric knowledge and its excellence. A reflection on the colonial history that brought about technological development and engineering progress that enhances and reinforces neocolonialism, are rarely part of the curriculum. I would want to alter this narrative by bringing in changes to the curriculum and to the understanding of technological development in general. 

Srinjoy.Mitra@ed.ac.uk

Creating a positive learning environment where every individual feels part of their academic community, is supported through their academic endeavours and can achieve their aims is vitally important for all. No group should be disadvantaged and we are working hard to make sure we identify and remove barriers that impact attainment.

linda.kirstein@ed.ac.uk

I hold a personal Chair in Computational Fluid Dynamics in the School of Engineering and I am the School’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion and a Fellow of the Institution of Maritime Engineers, Scientists and Technologists (IMarEST).

My personal journey has given me a strong interest in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and a firm belief that it is our duty to ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to achieve their full potential.  

I am a dyslexic (and dyspraxic) who attended a state comprehensive school in Plymouth. Problems with handwriting, spelling, coordination and organisation meant that life at school was not particularly happy. All this changed when an education inspector visited the School.  He noted that I was mathematically gifted and so I got stretching tuition in mathematics at the same time as remedial tuition in English! About the same time I got interested in computers and learned to program them. After scraping through A-levels I went to the University of Greenwich to do a joint honours degree in Mathematics, Statistics and Computing.  

I’ve been at Edinburgh since 2006 and was awarded a personal Chair in 2009. I am passionate about undergraduate teaching and have helped restructure the teaching of both mathematics and programming for undergraduate engineers. I enjoy supporting and mentoring junior academic colleagues, and research students and collaborating with international partners. 

david.ingram@ed.ac.uk

I'm a Lecturer in the School of Mathematics with a full-time teaching role in mathematical computing.

charlotte.desvages@ed.ac.uk

I hold a Chair in Organic Chemistry at the School of Chemistry and took on the role of Director of EDI within the School of Chemistry in April 2025. I joined the EDI team to help build a welcoming and inclusive community—one where everyone feels they belong and has the opportunity to thrive. Our aim as an EDI committee is to be proactively monitoring, implementing and promoting EDI in the School of Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering, University of Edinburgh and the wider community.

AiLan.Lee@ed.ac.uk

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Find out more on the Contact Scotland BSL website