As an Operations Officer, Belma’s role is to coordinate and carry out recruitment of healthy volunteers for research projects. This includes working closely with a multidisciplinary team, monitoring other admin staff, writing SOPs, providing reports to meet KPIs as well as carrying out day to day administrative duties looking after a large cohort of research volunteers.    

How important is diversity to you, and what value does It bring?

As I’ve lived in London my whole life, going to school and working in a diverse society has always been a constant in my life and I feel most comfortable when I am in environments in which there are people from all different backgrounds etc. I think diversity allows us to better understand those who are different to us. It’s easy to develop misconceptions when you aren’t directly exposed to different people and cultures and these misconceptions can often be harmful on both an individual and societal level. Living, working and socialising in a diverse society allows us to understand one another on a human level first and foremost and realise that differences aren’t negative.