Meanwhile, Professor Christiana Payne was encouraged to aspire to Professorship by the warm letter of congratulation she was sent by the Vice-Chancellor upon attaining a Readership. The letter said: “I hope this will lead to further promotion” at which point she thought “Oh, could I be a professor?”
As well as certain individuals playing a big part in some people’s careers, collegiality is also institutionalised at Brookes. Dr Ana Souza had found the buddy system, whereby a member of staff volunteers to offer informal, friendly support to a new colleague, extremely valuable in helping her to navigate the institution when she first started. Others felt a duty to help other colleagues through mentoring and peer support schemes. Professor Helen Walkington is passionate about the role that mentoring can have on a researcher’s career. Having just completed the Brookes coaching and mentoring qualification, she believes that it can have a transformational impact.
Professor Anna Barnett, a clinical psychologist, wants to give back to her students some of the benefits she had accrued from having peers and colleagues look out for her career.