Our people
Meet the extraordinary individuals making a difference.
Engineering the future
From a childhood in China to leading the School of Engineering in Edinburgh, Professor Guangzhao Mao has blazed a trail for women in engineering.
A space and ocean odyssey
Renowned former NASA astronaut and oceanographer Kathy Sullivan made a special trip from the US in April to the University. She talks of her epic adventures, her connection to our HMS Challenger archives, and why space and ocean research is as vital as ever.
Focus on what people say, not how they say it
Earlier this month, more than one hundred people attended a symposium focused on accent bias at Edinburgh, across Higher Education and in wider society.
From Olympic speed climbing to academic ascent
From recovering after her first Olympics to moving country for the first time and embarking on a masters degree, Edinburgh student Aleksandra Kalucka has been having a big year.
Dive into the history of the Indian Ocean
Prize-winning academic Dr Mahmood Kooria reveals how he is retelling the history of the Indian Ocean’s Islamic communities, matrilineal culture and female travellers.
Peter Mathieson on navigating changes at a historic university
The University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor on driving culture change, navigating a global pandemic and remembering our shared humanity.
Building family in the student community
More than 400 student-led societies and volunteering groups aim to help build a sense of belonging in the University experience. How did one motivated student leader level up that ambition, even reaching out beyond the campus?
What happens when the stars misalign in Parkinson’s?
Áine Heffernan from the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences is the winner of the University’s 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition for research on Parkinson’s disease which aims to understand why some individuals develop the condition.
A community to champion activism
Syjil Ramjuthan uses her activism to provoke positive change. She’s committed to using the power of the student voice to improve the University environment now and for the future.
A journey to the unknown
In December 2023 Dr Claudia Colesie, a terrestrial ecologist in the University’s School of GeoSciences, travelled with a team of scientists to Antarctica. Their destination was the unexplored Zavodovski Island, said to be one of the stormiest places on Earth.
A build-up of little acts, giving back to others
More than 2,000 Edinburgh care home residents receive cards at Christmas from Julie Ann Fooshee’s community wellbeing project. Her aspirations, to reach out to the city’s isolated and vulnerable individuals, go further.