This interactive online workshop is designed to support scholars at risk who are considering professional opportunities beyond academia.
It has been organised by the At-Risk Scholars and Academics (ARSaP) initiative, as part of the UK Young Academy.
It offers a structured, accessible introduction to alternative career pathways, alongside practical guidance on navigating career transitions.
Participants will explore the following themes:
1. Understanding career pathways beyond academia – an overview of the range of sectors and roles available to researchers, with insight into how academic expertise translates into non-academic contexts.
2. Identifying and communicating transferable skills – guidance on recognising the value of academic experience and articulating skills for wider employment markets.
3. Preparing application materials – practical advice on adapting CVs and cover letters for non-academic roles, including common pitfalls and strategies for presenting experience clearly and effectively.
4. Navigating the job market – an introduction to different sectors, including education, industry, and the non-profit space, and where to find suitable opportunities.
5. Managing transitions – a moderated discussion addressing common challenges, such as professional identity shifts, confidence, and work–life considerations.
The session will include opportunities for questions, discussion, and reflection, as well as signposting for further resources and support.
Agenda
10am – 10.05am
Welcome
Nesrin Alrefaai
Research Fellow from London School of Economics and Political Science
Nesrin Alrefaai is a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the Arabic Managing Editor at the Middle East Centre (MEC) at the London School of Economics (LSE). Her research interests include language, arts, and politics in the Middle East, with a special focus on Syria. Nesrin has held various research and teaching positions at higher education institutions in both the Middle East and the UK.
In addition to her academic career, she is a playwright and uses the arts for public engagement. Her most recent play, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, co-written with Matthew Spangler, debuted at the Nottingham Playhouse in March 2023 before touring across the UK, concluding in July 2023.
She is also a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA) and co-leads the GYA At-Risk Scholars Initiative.
Ana Blanco Alvarez
Reader in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods from Loughborough University
Ana Blanco is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods at Loughborough University. She studied Civil Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, where she completed a PhD on fibre-reinforced cementitious composites. Ana has been a visiting researcher at Delft University of Technology, co-founded a spin-out company in Spain, and joined Loughborough University in 2018. She is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institute of Concrete Technology, and Women's Engineering Society. She also serves as an Editor of Construction and Building Materials.
Her research focuses on advanced and multifunctional cementitious composites, with particular interests in low-carbon materials, structural dematerialisation, and innovative construction and repair techniques for resilient infrastructure. Recent projects include developing next-generation rail repair technologies with Network Rail, advancing self-healing concrete systems to improve infrastructure durability and resilience, and exploring low-carbon materials and alternative methods of construction.
10.05am – 10.35am
Pathways and transferrable skills
This session will cover pathways outside of academia and transferrable skills from academia to other sectors. It will end with a Q&A.
Nesrin Alrefaai
Research Fellow from London School of Economics and Political Science
Nesrin Alrefaai is a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the Arabic Managing Editor at the Middle East Centre (MEC) at the London School of Economics (LSE). Her research interests include language, arts, and politics in the Middle East, with a special focus on Syria. Nesrin has held various research and teaching positions at higher education institutions in both the Middle East and the UK.
In addition to her academic career, she is a playwright and uses the arts for public engagement. Her most recent play, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, co-written with Matthew Spangler, debuted at the Nottingham Playhouse in March 2023 before touring across the UK, concluding in July 2023.
She is also a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA) and co-leads the GYA At-Risk Scholars Initiative.
Ana Blanco Alvarez
Reader in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods from Loughborough University
Ana Blanco is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Advanced Construction Materials and Methods at Loughborough University. She studied Civil Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona, where she completed a PhD on fibre-reinforced cementitious composites. Ana has been a visiting researcher at Delft University of Technology, co-founded a spin-out company in Spain, and joined Loughborough University in 2018. She is a Chartered Engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Institute of Concrete Technology, and Women's Engineering Society. She also serves as an Editor of Construction and Building Materials.
Her research focuses on advanced and multifunctional cementitious composites, with particular interests in low-carbon materials, structural dematerialisation, and innovative construction and repair techniques for resilient infrastructure. Recent projects include developing next-generation rail repair technologies with Network Rail, advancing self-healing concrete systems to improve infrastructure durability and resilience, and exploring low-carbon materials and alternative methods of construction.
Freda Tait
Digital Product Owner from AstraZeneca
Freda Tait is a Strategic Projects and Change Director at AstraZeneca, with a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Queen Mary University of London. Leveraging her scientific expertise and diverse experience spanning pharmaceutical development, supply chain management, and regulatory affairs, Freda brings a unique perspective to driving organisational transformation and operational excellence at AstraZeneca.
Freda is dedicated to addressing underrepresentation in the chemical sciences and supporting the next generation of talent. She has led workplace employee resource groups, while externally, she sits on the Board of Trustees for Tutors United, a charity on a mission to end the attainment and employability gap through the power of community-based tutoring. Through the Royal Society of Chemistry, Freda mentors on the Broadening Horizons Programme and leads a grant-funded initiative to enhance socioeconomic inclusion in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector.
10.35am – 11.15am
CV and cover letters for non-academic jobs
This session will look at reframing academic experiences and writing styles, including common mistakes and examples.
Catarina Vicente
Head of Scientific Strategy and Projects from University of Oxford
Catarina Vicente is the Head of Scientific Strategy and Projects of the Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford. A scientist by training, her professional career has followed the belief that science cannot be truly successful or impactful without effective communication, both between scientists and with wider society. After a PhD in cell biology, she pursued roles in intra-scientific communication (in the publishing industry), later focusing on public engagement and science communication in an academic context.
In her current role, she has a unique opportunity to influence academic research directly, capitalising on her communication skills. Alongside this, Catarina is an Official Fellow in Public Engagement with Research at Reuben College, where she develops public engagement projects from a unique scholarly and interdisciplinary perspective.
11.15am – 11.25am
Comfort break
11.25am – 12pm
Jobs outside of academia
This session will explore roles, sectors, and opportunities beyond academia, with UK Young Academy members sharing their perspectives coming from industry, education, and non-profit organisations, followed by time for a Q&A.
Arthur Dudney
Director of Culture from Arcadia
Arthur Dudney is the Director of Culture at the charitable fund Arcadia. He manages a programme of grants to digitise endangered cultural heritage around the world, ensuring that it is available to future generations as well as being more accessible in the present. In this role, he thinks extensively about the ethics of cultural documentation and best practices for sustainable digital archiving.
Arthur’s academic research field is the intellectual and cultural history of eighteenth and nineteenth-century South Asia, particularly how language was understood and literature was connected with identity formation. He has published two books on the subject. He was previously a research fellow at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and a teaching fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He holds a PhD in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies from Columbia University and an AB in Classics from Princeton University. He is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Guy Lawrence
Lead Development Engineer from Composite Braiding Ltd
Guy Lawrence is a Lead Development Engineer at Composite Braiding Ltd. He is an engineer and keen sustainability advocate, working in the composites materials and advanced manufacturing sectors. Guy holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nottingham, where his research focused on improving automated processing of advanced composites. In his current role, he is the technical lead on many customer projects and internal research programmes. His work seeks to improve access to lightweight, high-performance materials by reducing their cost using advanced manufacturing techniques, enabling a broader market to utilise composites and improve their environmental impact.
Outside of work, Guy co-founded the CompositesUK Early Careers Group; an initiative that seeks to upskill members of the composites sector through networking and training, and encourages new and diverse talent into an industry with an ageing workforce. He is passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach to all ages and encouraging academic-industrial partnerships.
Hasan Maridi
PGCE Trainee and Former Research Fellow from The University of Manchester
Hasan Maridi is a physics lecturer and teacher with a background in theoretical nuclear physics and a passion for science education and public engagement. His research focuses on nuclear structure and reactions, particularly exotic and halo nuclei, contributing to a deeper understanding of nuclear interactions.
Recently, Hasan completed a Research Fellowship at the University of Manchester. He is currently completing a PGCE in Secondary Physics with Mathematics in the UK and is also a STEM Ambassador supporting science outreach and education initiatives.
With extensive teaching and research experience across several countries, Hasan is committed to making physics accessible to wider audiences, mentoring students and early-career researchers, and supporting academics from underrepresented or at-risk backgrounds.
Through the UK Young Academy, he hopes to contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration, science communication, and inclusive education initiatives that inspire the next generation of scientists.
12pm – 12.20pm
Panel session
This will be a moderated panel session featuring three UK Young Academy members, with panellist questions submitted in advance.
Nesrin Alrefaai
Research Fellow from London School of Economics and Political Science
Nesrin Alrefaai is a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the Arabic Managing Editor at the Middle East Centre (MEC) at the London School of Economics (LSE). Her research interests include language, arts, and politics in the Middle East, with a special focus on Syria. Nesrin has held various research and teaching positions at higher education institutions in both the Middle East and the UK.
In addition to her academic career, she is a playwright and uses the arts for public engagement. Her most recent play, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, co-written with Matthew Spangler, debuted at the Nottingham Playhouse in March 2023 before touring across the UK, concluding in July 2023.
She is also a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA) and co-leads the GYA At-Risk Scholars Initiative.
Guy Lawrence
Lead Development Engineer from Composite Braiding Ltd
Guy Lawrence is a Lead Development Engineer at Composite Braiding Ltd. He is an engineer and keen sustainability advocate, working in the composites materials and advanced manufacturing sectors. Guy holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nottingham, where his research focused on improving automated processing of advanced composites. In his current role, he is the technical lead on many customer projects and internal research programmes. His work seeks to improve access to lightweight, high-performance materials by reducing their cost using advanced manufacturing techniques, enabling a broader market to utilise composites and improve their environmental impact.
Outside of work, Guy co-founded the CompositesUK Early Careers Group; an initiative that seeks to upskill members of the composites sector through networking and training, and encourages new and diverse talent into an industry with an ageing workforce. He is passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) outreach to all ages and encouraging academic-industrial partnerships.
Edward Pyzer-Knapp
Co- founder and Chief Scientific Officer from Xyme
Ed Pyzer-Knapp is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Xyme AI. He is interested in the use of powerful emerging technologies, such as AI and quantum computing, to help to answer some of the biggest challenges of our time. He obtained his PhD from the University of Cambridge, and then moved to Harvard University, finally leaving to help start the IBM Research Lab in the UK in 2015. He holds a visiting Professorship at the University of Liverpool, and also an honorary position at the University of Cambridge.
Ed is Editor in Chief of the Wiley journal ‘Applied AI Letters’, has authored more than 70 papers and conference proceedings, filed multiple patents, and has authored a textbook on the use of AI for physical science, published by Wiley in 2021.
Catarina Vicente
Head of Scientific Strategy and Projects from University of Oxford
Catarina Vicente is the Head of Scientific Strategy and Projects of the Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford. A scientist by training, her professional career has followed the belief that science cannot be truly successful or impactful without effective communication, both between scientists and with wider society. After a PhD in cell biology, she pursued roles in intra-scientific communication (in the publishing industry), later focusing on public engagement and science communication in an academic context.
In her current role, she has a unique opportunity to influence academic research directly, capitalising on her communication skills. Alongside this, Catarina is an Official Fellow in Public Engagement with Research at Reuben College, where she develops public engagement projects from a unique scholarly and interdisciplinary perspective.
12.20pm – 12.30pm
Conclusion session
This wrap up session will summarise key takeaways, signpost attendees to a series of useful resources and discuss next steps.
Nesrin Alrefaai
Research Fellow from London School of Economics and Political Science
Nesrin Alrefaai is a Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London and the Arabic Managing Editor at the Middle East Centre (MEC) at the London School of Economics (LSE). Her research interests include language, arts, and politics in the Middle East, with a special focus on Syria. Nesrin has held various research and teaching positions at higher education institutions in both the Middle East and the UK.
In addition to her academic career, she is a playwright and uses the arts for public engagement. Her most recent play, The Beekeeper of Aleppo, co-written with Matthew Spangler, debuted at the Nottingham Playhouse in March 2023 before touring across the UK, concluding in July 2023.
She is also a member of the Global Young Academy (GYA) and co-leads the GYA At-Risk Scholars Initiative.
