Festival of the Boy
The organisers of Festival of the Girl launched a new non-profit, Festival of the Boy, in May 2025 that aims to celebrate boys and challenge the limiting gender stereotypes that often affect them in dysfunctional ways.
They have asked RESILIENCE to contribute to their campaign focussed on providing support and resources to parents and carers to help them raise their boys in a less stereotyped way. The first part of their campaign is to publicise the stories of inspiring male role models from individuals to learn about the men and boys in their lives.
My name is Dr Bernice Wright. I am a teaching lecturer in cell and gene therapy and a research scientist in the Department of Biochemical Engineering at University College London as well as the lead for STEM outreach for the RESILIENCE Centres of Excellence.
Male role models
My male role models in my professional environment are Professor Gary Lye, Professor Daniel Bracewell, Dr Darren Nesbeth, and Dr Stephen Morris. Gary and Dan are extremely important to me because they took my research on cell secretomes seriously since I first worked in the department of Biochemical Engineering as a postdoctoral researcher in 2016.
Professor Daniel Bracewell
During this period, I applied for an Arthritis Research UK fellowship that they both supported enthusiastically. They have continued helping me with my research and professional development and are always encouraging and positive. They’ve both had faith in my academic and professional abilities even when my research ventures were not successful. Their kindness and belief in me throughout the postdoctoral wilderness years made all the difference in the world to my perseverance as a research scientist.
Professor Gary Lye
Gary’s level head and his way of seeing the ‘complete picture’ and clearly communicating this are qualities that I aspire to. Dan’s pragmatism and easy-going intelligence remind me that thinking is always easier when one is relaxed.
Instrumental to a smooth transition
When I returned to the department in 2022, Dan helped me continue my research by offering me the role of co-supervisor to an Engineering doctoral student and helping my PhD student, Amani Rageh, complete her doctoral degree. He was instrumental in smoothing out my transition between academic institutions. Gary cemented this transition by including me as co-Investigator on a funding bid for the major nation-wide skills training initiative for medicines manufacturing, RESILIENCE.
Dr Stephen Morris
This role opened other important opportunities, mainly my role as the lead for STEM outreach for RESILIENCE which allows me to work with Stephen. We work together on standalone STEM outreach activities for schools and festivals (e.g. Festival of the Girl), but we also work on national curriculum programmes, supporting T-level work placements and A-level work experience.
Stephen’s generosity, sense of fun and adventure as well as his significant expertise in biochemical engineering make him a joy to work with on outreach activities and events.
Dr Darren Nesbeth
Darren initially reached out to me to support postgraduate teaching, but we began talking about research which led to a collaboration. The conversations we’ve had about my development as an academic have not only been uplifting, but they’ve also helped me begin new work to expand my research interests. I’m happy that he ‘saw’ me.
