Crispin Turner

My name's Crispin Turner and I'm President of the PGSA this year. I'm studying a Msc in Entrepreneurship at the Business School of Nottingham University having previously attended Lancaster University where I studied for a BBA in Business Management. While at Lancaster I threw myself into the Students Union (not literally!) as well as my university college and RAG where I held a number of positions on those committees and attended loads of meetings! I learnt some really valuable lessons as a result, consequently I'm not afraid to speak up on matters that are important, especially for postgraduates.

As president my main job is to sit on various committees and to represent postgraduate students' interests around the University. This includes University Senate, Student Union Council, the Graduate Strategy Group, and regular meetings with the Dean of the Graduate School. All of these are a very important way of ensuring that the voice of postgraduate students gets heard, and that our views are taken into account by the University and the Student Union. Postgraduates form a unique and large community within the University, but that community doesn't have a high profile and this can result in us being overlooked. It's the PGSA's job to make sure that doesn't happen, and it's my job to ensure that we achieve this as a committee. I also oversee the general day to day running of the committee and try and maximise the effect i and the rest of the team have on everything the PGSA deals with.

At the end of the day, we are here for you, the postgraduates, so please if there's anything you as postgraduate student want us to raise, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me and I'll do what I can to help. I can only represent you successfully if I know what you think and what matters to you, so please get in touch and tell me!

Email: lixjt1@nottingham.ac.uk

Claire Hyland

Hi!

I take care of the main organisation within the PGSA, for example overseeing the running of welcome events, as well as representing postgraduates on some of the university’s committees.  Thanks to the time I have spent abroad as part of my studies, I am very aware of difficulties which can arise for international students, as well as for home postgraduates, which is why one of my main interests in the PGSA is student welfare.  I am keen to make sure the PGSA runs smoothly and efficiently, thereby providing a good representative body for postgraduates, ensuring their time in Nottingham is as fulfilling and enjoyable as possible.  If you have any questions, worries, or even just views you’d like to voice, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Email: agxch@nottingham.ac.uk

Victoria Shuttleworth

Hi!  My name is Tori and I’m currently studying for an MSc in Chemistry with entrepreneurship.  Working alongside Claire and Crispin I will ensure the thorough running of the society and its events.  By being involved with the PGSA I hope to increase awareness of the society and needs of postgraduates across the University, in addition to improving facilities and communications for all.  As a representative for postgraduates I will do my best to utilise my position to the benefit of the student body.  The society is happy to embrace new ideas, and welcomes any new suggestions.  Please to not hesitate to contact me with any problems or queries you may have.

Email: pcxvs@nottingham.ac.uk

Bethan Lloyd-Lewis

Hi!

My name’s Bethan and I am the General Secretary of the PGSA this year. Things I do include recording the minutes at our regular committee meetings, organising the times and locations of these meetings and the usually boring but essential admin that is associated with being secretary! I am also your first point of contact within the PGSA via our emails so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I will do my best to ensure that your queries get to the best person to help you and that any ideas or suggestions that you may have are brought to the attention of the rest of the committee. It’s your association so get involved and keep us informed of your thoughts and ideas.

I am currently studying for an MSc in Oncology and in the future hope to undertake research in the field of haematoncology. Being new to Nottingham and having not gone into postgraduate halls I am well aware of how daunting it is to move to a totally different city and University and the risk of becoming isolated as a new postgraduate student.

In my spare time I sing in a female choir and do Jujitsu so am often seen sporting interesting assortments of bruises! I am a firm believer of living life to the full and want others to enjoy their time as postgraduates in Nottingham as much as I plan to, so get in touch!

Email: pgsa@nottingham.ac.uk

Robert Trickey

Hi, I'm Rob, and I'm the elected treasurer for this year's PGSA. My duties are effectively holding the purse strings. It's up to me to make sure what little money we have gets spread around appropriately, and to bring a grim sense of realism to the lovely ideas that the other committee members may come up with. As a result, my job is mainly dealing just with the committee members, but if you feel you need to contact me directly for any reason, please don't hesitate to do so.

I'm currently in my second year of a PhD in Pure Mathematics, my speciality being Complex Function Theory, if that means anything to anybody! In my spare time I tend to indulge my love of music, either listening to whatever gem I found on my last trip to Selectadisc, or irritating everybody around me, by attempting to bash out a tune on one of the many instruments I've had a shot at learning.

Email: pmxrvt@nottingham.ac.uk

Emily Bennett

My job as Welfare Officer is to promote the welfare of all postgraduates. I have a variety of roles, from running drop-in sessions, to sitting on the SU Welfare Committee. I am here to be both a ‘friendly ear' to any issues that may arise for you as postgrads, and also to represent the welfare concerns of the postgraduate community across the university. If you are having problems of any kind, need advice, or even just someone to listen, then I am here to support you and to guide you in the direction of further services that can help.

I am currently studying a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology, although my first degree was in English and Sport Science. I also completed my PGCE and have worked as a teacher for several years. This is my second year as a postgrad at Nottingham, so I am well aware of the issues facing us all on a daily basis. In addition, I have completed a Basic Counselling Skills course and, although I am not a trained counsellor, I hope to apply this knowledge, and the skills I have gained as a teacher, course rep, and committee member, to my role as PGSA Welfare Officer.

In my spare time, I participate in a variety of sports. I am a particularly keen netballer and I play for a Nottingham club, as well as running the PGSA netball club. I also love travelling, and somehow seem to spend most of my money on it!

Email: lpxeb1@nottingham.ac.uk

Jon Busby

Hi!

I'm Jon and I'm your new Communications Officer. It will be my job to ensure the website is up to date and you all receive your very important monthly PGSA newsletter.  My main aim in this role is to increase the awareness and readership of the PGSA website and forum so, over the coming months, expect start to see all sorts of interesting and different changes to the website (pretty technical stuff!), so keep it bookmarked!

I am currently studying an Msc in Entrepreneurship in the Business School, so I can always be found wandering the corridors of Jubilee Campus or online on the forum. I'm always very enthusiastic about any new ideas for the PGSA, so if you have any thoughts come and find me, or drop me an email and I'll see what I can do. 

 Email: lixjb11@nottingham.ac.uk

Position Vacant.

The PGSA will be holding elections in the near future for a second social secretary. If you are interested, why not drop us a line?

pgsa@nottingham.ac.uk

Harvy Padda

As one of the sports secretaries, my main aim is to increase the involvement of postgraduates in sporting activities. I hope to get you all involved in a number of ways, including one-day events and team sports. After all, taking part in sport, whilst studying as a postgraduate, is a great way of providing an outlet for stress, keeping fit and meeting new people.

My role as sports secretary is to keep the internet site updated with current activities, upcoming events, games, scores and general information to keep all the teams running. I also aim to obtain sponsorship from local companies to help equip all of the postgraduate teams.

I'm currently studying a PhD in Fibre Optic Communications (working to speed up the internet) in the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department. I'm a keen runner, mountain biker, snowboarder and, an all-round outdoors person. I am willing to get stuck into anything that comes my way, so if you have any ideas for a sports event, drop me an email and I'll see what I can do.

Email: eexhp@nottingham.ac.uk

Martin Tennant

As sports secretary, I intend to promote sport and sporting pastimes to all postgraduates at Nottingham. I am especially interested in team games and play for the PGSA teams for football and 6 - a - side Hockey. I also enjoy cricket and rugby and am keen to gauge the level of postgraduate interest in these sports. I am a keen golfer, squash player and swimmer and am looking forward to working with my colleagues to deliver a range of sporting options to post-graduates, when a clear demand emerges. My main role will be overseeing the successful running of the main PGSA sports teams and to often provide a link between the PGSA and the AU.

Email: lixmst1@nottingham.ac.uk

Dawn Knight

As the only female postgraduate sports secretary I am particularly interested in getting more women involved in the Postgraduate Sporting Community, and will act as a voice for all the sporting needs and interests of female postgraduates. I am also interested in extending the range of individual and team sports available to the general postgraduate community. 

In terms of sporting experience, I am currently playing for the Postgraduate women’s five aside team at Powerleague as well as for the Nottingham Forest Ladies Senior Squad. I have also been an active member of the AU for the past 5 years and have represented the University in Basketball, Hockey and Football.

Email: aexdk3@nottingham.ac.uk

Chris Norris

My job involves attending meetings of the National Postgraduate Committee (NPC), an organisation that aims to represent over 400,000 students in the United Kingdom. I will be keeping the PGSA up to date on important issues in postgraduate education as well as representing your interests nationally.

I'm currently studying for an MA in Corporate Social Responsibility in the Business School. I've been at the University for four years now and hope I can put my unhealthy obsession with the Students' Union to good use for the association.

Please get in touch if there's anything you would like me to raise at NPC or if you want to find out more!

Email: lixcn1@nottingham.ac.uk

George Kottanattu

The recent decision to appoint an International Officer in its own right, clearly reflects the PGSA Committee's desire to dedicate increased attention to the multicultural profile of the University's postgraduate community. As the current holder of the position, it will be my role to satisfy this aspiration by acting both as a specific representative for international postgraduates, and as the officer in charge of matters concerning the international face of the postgraduate student body as a whole.

As representative for non-UK students, my job will mainly consist in making sure that the views and the concerns of this extensive community are heard and addressed. As a member of this group myself, I am already sensitive to existing problems, and I'd therefore like to encourage everyone to freely express any concerns to me. My role also entails strengthening of the ties between home and overseas students. A simple and concrete example of doing this could be to propose events engaging both groups, thus giving common grounds on which to build relations. It is my firm belief that in a world working more and more on a global plane, the creation of ties spanning across cultural and national barriers will prove invaluable both at a personal and a professional level. I don't doubt that my role will prove challenging, but it is my hope that the results will be worth the effort. For this to be possible, however, your help is essential, so please contact me as necessary, and make yourself heard!

Email: pmxgtk@nottingham.ac.uk

Maram Meccawy

Hi, I'm Maram, a second year PhD student in Computer Science. My research area is Adaptive e-Learning. Apart from my PhD, I have many different interests. I like reading and writing as I'm a weekly writer in "Al-Watan" Saudi newspaper.

Being born in England, brought up between England and Saudi Arabia, I have been exposed to two different (yet interesting) cultures. I like meeting new people from different backgrounds and countries and I enjoy discussions and debates.

My office is based on Jubilee Campus, so I'm the "link" to PGSA for those who their faith brought them to Jubilee! If have any questions, e-mail me and I will be more than happy to help!

Email: psxmm1@nottingham.ac.uk

Emma Moore

Hello, as the Sutton Bonington Representative it is my job to represent the view of the SB massive.  Sutton Bonington, or SB as it know by its students, is 10 miles south of Nottingham and actually nearer to Loughborough.  Isolation is a key problem felt by many postgraduate students, so being 10 miles away from the main action does not help.  My main aim, therefore, is to ensure that the views of the postgraduate students at SB are represented and that we are integrated into the postgraduate community.

I am a 2nd year PhD student in the food science department looking at the effect of industrial processing and food quality. I was previously an undergraduate student at Sutton Bonington so I feel I can fairly represent the views of students from SB.

Please email me if you have any suggestions or problems

Email: stxejm@gwmail.nottingham.ac.uk