Theme: Give Back | Move Forward

The upcoming TEDxQueensUniversityBelfast conference will showcase our community - the staff, students and alumni of Queen’s University Belfast -
who as they move forward with their own work, study, research and life are, in a wide range of ways, giving back and making a meaningful and positive contribution to society, locally and globally.

Queen's University Belfast
Riddel Hall
185 Stranmillis Road
Belfast, Antrim, BT7 1NN
United Kingdom

Anna Monaghan

PhD Student

Hi, I’m Anna, the eldest of “The Monaghan Sisters” by all of 3 minutes and hail from Carryduff. Currently I am a final year PhD Researcher investigating the role of iodine in pregnancy and child development and hope to pursue a career in the field of public health. I didn’t take the conventional route to where I am today, but after taking time out of academic study, working in the food sector (including as part of the obligatory student part-time jobs!) I am excited to hopefully receive my Doctorate in an area I have great passion and enthusiasm for. My main passion linked to nutrition and public health is young people and as such I do a lot of outreach work. Currently I am a STEM Ambassador, NI Secretary and UK Student Group Co-chair for The Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and also founded Queen’s Food Society, QUB Foodies, during my undergraduate degree.

Chris Johnson

Pro Vice-Chancellor

Chris Johnson works on the development of safety-critical systems; where errors in software can lead to loss of life. His research helps to increase confidence in technical innovation, for example, allowing autonomous vehicles to operate alongside conventional road traffic and pedestrians without increasing the risk to the public. He has worked with NASA, the US Air Force and a range of European governments. In 2020, he was appointed as expert witness for the public inquiry in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Fina Wurm

Postgraduate Taught Psychology Student

Fina Wurm is an honorary assistant psychologist and postgraduate student with the School of Psychology. She has a strong interest in the application of music and art in psychological treatment and hopes to pursue this avenue of research in her future doctorate studies. Prior to working in the field of psychology, Fina was a National Championship winning Flautist and studied at the prestigious University of Performing Arts Vienna. It was also in Vienna that she discovered a love of art and pursued studies in clinical art therapy. She has worked with a diverse range of clients including older adults with dementia, adults with Parkinson’s Disease and children with chronic health conditions, and has lectured to academic groups including IESO, leaders in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy research.

Fionnuala Ni Aoláin

Professor of Law & United Nations Special Rapporteur

Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is concurrently Regents Professor and Robina Professor of Law, Public Policy and Society at the University of Minnesota Law School and Professor of Law at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland. Professor Ní Aoláin is the recipient of numerous academic awards and honors including the Leverhulme Fellowship, Fulbright scholarship, the Alon Prize, the Robert Schumann Scholarship, a European Commission award, and the Lawlor fellowship. She has published extensively in the fields of emergency powers, conflict regulation, transitional justice and sex-based violence in times of war.

Georgia Stewart

Medical Student

I’m Georgia, I am a medical student at Queen’s taking a year out to complete an intercalated master’s degree in Clinical Anatomy. I’m the SWOT President for 2020-21 and whenever I’m not studying, I put my effort towards fundraising for our amazing charity. Our aim at SWOT is to raise money for essential medical supplies for impoverished hospitals in developing countries, and we do so by hosting various social events and fundraisers throughout the year. Due to COVID-19, it’s been a different year for us as a charity, but we remain determined to raise as much money as we can for the people who need it most. In my free time, I enjoy going out for brunch with family and friends or playing with my two rescue dogs, Maisie and Rosie

Helen Monaghan

Medical Student

Hey! I’m Helen, the youngest of the Monaghan duo and I too can be claimed by Carryduff! Currently I am a final year medical student; the culmination of 8 long and cherished years at QUB! I am excited to qualify, albeit with a slightly heavy heart to leave the world of varied part-time jobs behind me that have gifted me with many experiences over the past 11-12 years! I am keeping an open mind career-wise but at present I have a keen and growing passion for psychiatry. As such, I have really enjoyed the time I have spent working as a healthcare assistant in Acute psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychiatry ICU. Away from the books, I love to spend time with my family and friends – connection with people and nature is important to me. I love cold water sea swimming (without a wetsuit where I can stomach it), walking, singing, dancing, sharing food and laughter with those around me.

Lindsay Broadbent

Research Fellow

Lindsay grew up on the north coast of Northern Ireland where her love of science began by exploring rock pools. She obtained a BSc(Hons) degree in Biomedical Science in 2011 from Queen’s University and then completed a PhD in Prof Ultan Power’s lab to study respiratory virus infection using a newly developed airway model. The work from her PhD led to Lindsay being awarded the Microbiology Society’s Young Microbiologist of the Year prize. Lindsay has since used her knowledge of respiratory viruses and airway cells to work on projects involving asthma, influenza and most recently Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Lindsay is currently a Wellcome Trust ISSF Research Fellow within the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine. Alongside her research, Lindsay is actively engaged with teaching, mentorship and science outreach.

Matthew Geer

PhD Student

Matt is a researcher in aesthetic philosophy, specialising in the phenomenology of music and temporal consciousness. He is currently writing a PhD, supervised at Queen's University Belfast and is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he studied music composition. As a composer, Matt writes mainly opera and vocal works and frequently draws upon his experiences with schizoaffective disorder, a condition that combines symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar. Matt is an award-winning organist and has played at many major Cathedrals in the UK and abroad. In his spare time, he enjoys cycling, learning languages and playing jazz piano.

Nathalie Trott

Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Nathalie has worked in the higher education sector since 2002, building relationships, connecting alumni to their alma mater and strengthening ties with supporters of universities. For almost twenty years she has been motivated by the beliefs that education changes lives and societies, that philanthropy creates possibilities, and that by connecting graduates to one another, whilst she herself may not change the world, those people might. In her current role Nathalie is responsible for philanthropy and for strengthening the University’s relationship with its alumni at Queen’s University Belfast. She moved to Belfast with her family in 2019 having previously worked at Dublin City University, Cambridge, Oxford and Warwick.

Rebekah Mercer

Medical Student

I’m Rebekah, I'm currently in my fourth year of Medicine at Queens after taking a year out last year to complete a Masters in Clinical Anatomy. I am currently the vice president of the Students Working Overseas Trust and I am really passionate about the work that SWOT do in donating money to global healthcare facilities in need. We aim to cut out the middleman by sending the money with medical students during their final year electives which take place all around the world. This means we can be sure all the money raised is going directly to those who need it and we know we are making a difference to global healthcare. SWOT is one of the central societies in the medical school social life organising fundraising events throughout the year ranging from our iconic toga night to movie nights, raffles and last year due to COVID our zoom talent show. The highlight of our year is always our annual fashion show where the fourth year medical students show off their best dance moves.

Sheree Atcheson

Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leader

Listed as one of the UK's Top Most Influential Women in Tech & an international multi-award winner for her services to Diversity & Inclusion in industry, Sheree (@nirushika) is the Global Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Peakon; Advisory Board Member, Women Who Code; Contributor, Forbes. Currently, she is writing "Demanding More" (with Kogan Page Publishing) - a book to help everyone be the change needed in creating a more inclusive society and workplace. The aim of her career is ensuring people are aware of the fantastic opportunities the industry has to offer & make certain that all humans are able to benefit from these & reach their full career potential. Pronouns : she/her

Shiyu Xian

Graduate

Shiyu Xian is a Erhu player who is about to graduate from Queen's University Belfast with a MA in Arts Management and serve for Sichuan conservatoire.

Simon Hamilton

Chief Executive

Simon is Chief Executive of Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce. After graduating with degrees in history/politics and law from The Queen’s University of Belfast, Simon began his career as an auditor at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Prior to taking on his current role with Belfast Chamber, Simon served as Minister of Finance, Minister of Health and Minister for the Economy in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Tina Ye

Law Student

Tina Ye is a first generation Chinese-Canadian immigrant from Hangzhou, China. Her family moved to Canada in 2006, living in several different cities before settling down in White Rock, British Columbia. Tina is fluent in both Chinese Mandarin and English. Tina obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto, Canada. She majored in Human Biology Health and Disease Studies, with minors in Immunology and Physiology. Her interest in women’s health began with her third year summer research project at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This research focused on the effect of green tea as treatment for Endometriosis — a chronic condition affecting 1 in every 10 women. From this project, she realized the precarious nature of science research on women-specific issues and how medicine is more than a strictly scientific discipline — it is also social and political.

Yang Yang

PhD Student

Yang Yang is a pianist and a second-year PhD student who based in SARC of Queen's University Belfast, looking at performance anxiety within Chinese university piano majors in her PhD program.