People — Staff, students, and alumni
Meet some of our staff, students and alumni - find out how they got into their industry, what they discovered during their time at Anglia Ruskin University and what inspires them creatively.
Madelaine and Rebecca
— MA Dramatherapy Placement
Madelaine is a graduate of our MA Dramatherapy degree. During the course, she attended a placement under the mentorship of Rebecca at London Disability Network and now works as a registered Dramatherapist.
Josh Newman
– Film Production.
Josh Newman is Senior Lecturer in Film Production at ARU. A filmmaker with 25 years of industry experience in TV, film, visitor attractions and online marketing, he has a broad interest in using video storytelling for education, communication and social justice.
Lettie Ndlovu
— English language and linguistics.
Lettie graduated from ARU’s BA (Hons) English Language and Linguistics in 2017 and has worked with Amazon ever since, starting as a linguist on the Alexa team before taking on a degree apprenticeship as a Solutions Architect with Amazon Web Services.
Meet LettieOliver Oxley
— Acting.
Oliver Oxley is one of the first cohort of students on our BA (Hons) Acting degree, which started in 2022-3. He also performs with various theatre troops around Cambridge.
Meet OliverJyoti Singh
— English Language.
Jyoti graduated from our BA (Hons) English Language in 2020, and now works as Student Services Manager at Stafford House, Cambridge.
Meet JyotiRosie Ruoxi
— Fine Art.
Rosie graduated from our MA Fine Art in 2022 and is now establishing herself as a practising artist in China, as well as preparing for her PhD.
Meet RosieTrey Augustus
— Acting.
Trey is a mature student on our BA (Hons) Acting course at ARU. Originally from California, after three years working in the UK he decided to concentrate on his acting, taking up roles with various troupes around Cambridge as well as joining our course.
Meet TreyMegan Wiggins
— Film and Television Production.
Megan Wiggins came from Long Beach, California in the US to study on our MA Film and Television Production. She’s also a member of ARU’s volleyball team, and was awarded an athletic scholarship to play for the university.
Meet MeganLuke Ford-Busson
— Philosophy.
Luke Ford-Busson is currently studying on ARU’s BA (Hons) Philosophy degree, as well as acting as Treasurer of the K-Pop Society.
Meet LukeJan Casey
— Creative Writing.
Jan Casey graduated from our MA Creative Writing course in 2010, and has since established herself as an author of historical fiction, publishing four novels through Aria Fiction and now working on a fifth.
Meet JanKayleigh Chilten
— Criminology.
Kayleigh Chilten is currently studying for an MA Criminology at ARU Cambridge, having graduated from our BSc Policing and Criminal Justice in Chelmsford. She also works as a Student Sexual Violence Consultant at ARU.
Meet KayleighMitzi Harris
— Education.
Mitzi Harris graduated with a First from our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies in 2023 and has just started working as an Admissions and Conversion Co-ordinator at ARU. She is also a freelance writer and self-published children’s author.
Meet MitziJohn Greenan
— Criminology and Policing.
John Greenan is Lecturer in Criminology and Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Criminology and Policing at ARU. Having served for 10 years in the military and 16 in the prison service, he’s now conducting a PhD on radicalisation in prisons.
Meet JohnKate Larsson
— Education.
Kate Larsson graduated from our BA Montessori Early Childhood Studies in 2023 as a mature student, and has since facilitated a workshop at the Montessori Europe Congress in Gdansk as well as recently taking on a new role as the Manager of a thriving Montessori Nursery & Pre-school in Cambridgeshire.
Meet KateIan Wolter
— Fine Art.
Ian Wolter graduated from our BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2015. Since then he has been awarded many high profile commissions and awards, including the Art Laguna Prize.
Meet IanClaire White
— Philosophy.
Claire White graduated from our BA (Hons) Philosophy in 2022, and now runs her own sound therapy business as well as working as Clinical Administrator at a rehabilitation centre for substance abuse.
Meet ClaireEleanor Penny
— Interior Design.
Eleanor Penny graduated from our BA (Hons) Interior Design in 2020 and, following various roles in design-related companies, now works for Cambridge-based design studio Layrd Design.
Meet EleanorMichal Staniewski
— Computer Games
Michal moved to the UK from Poland when he was about 8 years old. He graduated from our BSc Computer Games Technology with a first class honours, and is now a game developer at Jagex.
Meet MichalMirna Guha
— Sociology.
Dr Mirna Guha is Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Course Leader for our MA Sociology. A political sociologist and interdisciplinary scholar, she researches and teaches on gendered inequalities, gender-based violence, social justice, and gender and development.
Meet MirnaAliz Kovacs-Zoldi
— Photography.
Aliz graduated from our BA (Hons) Photography degree in 2022, and has been working freelance as a portrait photographer since then. She received the Student Photographer of the Year Award from Amateur Photographer magazine after their coverage of her major project work.
Meet AlizGabi Kaziukonyte
— Film and Television Production.
Gabi graduated from our BA (Hons) Film and Television Production in 2020, and now works as Senior VFX Co-ordinator with Cambridge-based visual effects studio VineFX.
Meet GabiCassie Gorman
— English Literature.
Dr Cassie Gorman is an Associate Professor in English Literature at ARU, and Course Leader for our BA English Literature degree. Her research interests revolve around the intersections of long 17th century literature with science, and she is author of the monograph 'The Atom in Seventeenth-Century Poetry'.
Meet CassieSam Millar
— Writing and English Literature.
Sam Millar graduated from our BA (Hons) Writing and English Literature degree in 2019. His first poetry collection 'Retail Park' was published in 2022 by Querencia Press.
Meet SamLauren Tabbinor
— Criminology.
Lauren graduated from our BA (Hons) Criminology in 2014, and has since worked mostly in the education sector, including a role with the Prince’s Trust. She is currently Student Ambassador Co-ordinator at ARU.
Meet LaurenFrancesca Gagni
— Fine Art.
Francesca Gagni is on the final year of our BA (Hons) Fine Art degree. An Italian national who emigrated to the UK in 1998, she is hoping to go on to teach fine art when she graduates.
Meet FrancescaRachael Stalker
— Music Therapy.
Rachael Stalker graduated from our MA Music Therapy degree in 2022, and now works as a music therapist at a Special Needs School near Cambridge.
Meet RachelLucy Bland
— History.
Dr Lucy Bland is Professor of Social and Cultural History at ARU, teaching on the BA History and leading on the MA. Her work on British babies born to black GIs in WW2 has won the Social History Society’s Book of the Year prize and a Museums Association award.
Meet LucyLexi Curtis
— MA Graphic Design.
Lexi Curtis is a student on our MA Graphic Design degree, as well as the Course Representative and President of the Z.A.M.P. (zines and mini publications) Society.
Meet LexiAgata Kazmierczak
— Film and TV Production.
Agata graduated from our BA (Hons) Film and Television Production degree in 2022. She currently works as a Technical Operator at BBC News in London, mostly mixing sound for live programmes and bulletins.
Meet AgataNatasha Doe
— Politics.
Natasha is a 2022 graduate of our BA (Hons) Politics degree course. She recently landed her ‘dream role’ working on Irish policy control with the UK Civil Service.
Meet NatashaKristin Roskifte
— Children's Author & Illustrator.
Kristin Roskifte graduated from our BA Illustration in 1998. After studying for her MA, she returned to Norway to write and illustrate her own picturebooks. Her latest, 'Everybody Counts', was awarded the Nordic Council Children and Young People's Literature Prize 2019.
Meet KristinCaterina and Ana
— MA Music Therapy Placement.
Caterina is a student on our MA Music Therapy. As part of the course she attended a clinical placement under the supervision of Ana at Hollanden Park Hospital, further developing the skills she learned on the course with real-world practice and patients.
Meet Cat and AnaMardiya Aurangzeb
— Graphic Design.
Mardiya is a graduate of both our BA (Hons) Graphic Design and MA Graphic Design and Typography. She now works as a freelance Graphic Designer as well as teaching graphic design to FE students.
Meet MardiyaMichael Bruce
— Writing and Film.
Michael is a BA (Hons) Writing and Film student from Macon, Georgia, in the US, who enjoys making horror films in particular.
Meet MichaelBlessing Raimi
— Graphic Design.
Blessing Raimi is a Digital Designer at award-winning media agency DTV Group, and a graduate of our BA (Hons) Graphic Design course.
Meet BlessingVictoria Burrows
— VFX Coordinator
Victoria is an alumni of our BA (Hons) Film and Television Production. After graduating, she worked as a runner for Technicolor, before becoming Production Coordinator and then Producer. She is now working as a VFX Coordinator for Scanline.
Meet VictoriaMonique Brown
— Technical Officer, Fashion Design
Monique Brown began her career as a costume designer for feature films, working on the likes of Luc Besson's 'The Fifth Element' and George Lucas' 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace'. She now works in our fashion studios, helping students and staff develop their creative process.
Meet MoniqueToby Venables
— Lecturer, Screenwriting.
Toby Venables teaches screenwriting modules at ARU. A professional screenwriter with a particular interest in horror, he has co-written a BAFTA-winning film, 'His House', for Netflix, and also published four novels.
Meet TobyAining Wen
— Children's Picturebook Author & Illustrator.
After graduating from our MA Children's Book Illustration, Aining returned to Beijing to work as a children's book editor with Daylight Publishing House. She has also published several picturebooks of her own, including 'Fairy Song', 'Secrets of Traditional Chinese Musical Instruments', 'Goodnight Baby', and the Bologna-shortlisted 'Cello Swan'.
Meet AiningRyan Murphy
— Musical Theatre
Ryan Murphy is a Senior Lecturer Practitioner and leads the BA Musical Theatre course. Teaching ensemble and solo singing as well as music theory, Ryan also musically directs every production on the course.
Meet RyanNick Jeeves
— Graphic Designer
As well as teaching Graphic Design, Nick Jeeves produces books as editor for the Ruskin Arts Publications and The Public Domain Review. He also publishes small editions of original writing and revived historical texts through his own imprint Mulita Small Editions.
Meet NickJamal J Glynn
— Music Therapist.
Jamal graduated in 2011 as the first MA music therapist to use the steelpan as primary instrument. After this, he returned home to Trinidad, and within three weeks was assigned to the Ministry of Health.
Meet JamalChris Draper
— Illustrator.
Chris Draper is Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Illustration at Cambridge School of Art and a freelance illustrator who has worked on editorials for the likes of New Scientist, GQ, and The Independent newspaper; book covers for major publishing houses; and advertising for BT, NatWest, Weetabix, E-Cover, and Patek Phillipe.
Meet ChrisJulia Johnson
— Photographer.
Julia Johnson is Co-Course Leader of the BA (Hons) Photography programme at ARU. She runs a major first-year practice based module, and also oversees the contextual study element for a number of Cambridge School of Art courses.
Meet JuliaMegan Herdson
— Writing.
Megan is a graduate of our BA (Hons) Writing and Film Studies and MA Creative Writing, and worked as Senior Campaign Officer at ARU until 2022.
Meet MeganBo Yang
— Children's Book Illustrator.
Bo Yang is a freelance illustrator in Beijing, and a graduate of ARU's MA Children's Book Illustration course.
Meet BoRachel Ryder
— Historical Sociologist.
Rachel Ryder is a historical sociologist, and Course Leader / Senior Lecturer for the BA (Hons) Sociology at ARU. The module she is best known for is 'Intoxicants and intoxication,' which takes in the broad field of alcohol studies, including production, consumption and distribution, globally and over time.
Meet RachelIdrees Rasouli
— Associate Professor, Art & Design.
An award-winning designer, academic, and researcher of products, processes, and places, with a focus on innovation and transformation, Idrees Rasouli is Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Cambridge School of Art, where he influences and shapes the future of Art & Design education to deliver world-class teaching and research at the intersection between Art & Design practice.
Meet IdreesJoe McCullagh
— Head of Cambridge School of Art.
Joe McCullagh leads on strategic and operational aspects of the school, to ensure it’s a fantastic environment for learning, research, creativity and development. He sees his role as being a pedagogic designer, developing environments that enable students and staff to meet their potential.
Meet JoeOlivia Welsh
— Fashion Designer.
Olivia is a graduate of our BA (Hons) Fashion Design at Cambridge School of Art, ARU, and founder of the fashion brand Olivia Annabelle.
Meet OliviaJemima Willcox
— Photographer / Videographer.
Jemima Willcox is cofounder of The Willcox Collective, a Cambridge-based visual content creation agency who consider themselves adventurers on a quest to deliver tech companies the best in visual content. She graduated from our BA (Hons) Photography in 2012.
Meet JemimaDavid Ryan
— Artist.
David is an artist involved with painting, video and also music. At ARU he is an Associate Professor in Fine Art 0.2, mainly dealing with PhD students as a supervisor.
Meet DavidJoanne Adeyinka
— English Language and Linguistics graduate
Joanne is a graduate of ARU's BA (Hons) English Language and Linguistics degree course. She's currently in the process of applying for work and looking to apply for a master’s degree in Phonetics or Speech and Language Sciences.
Meet JoanneCatherine Rowe
— Illustrator / Designer.
Catherine Rowe is a graduate of the BA (Hons) Illustration degree course at Cambridge School of Art, ARU, and founder of Catherine Rowe Designs.
Meet CatherineWilliam Tullett
— Historian
Teaching both the BA and MA History courses as well as supervising PhD students, Dr William Tullet focuses on the period from 16th century to early 20th, specialising in sensory history, with published works on smell, sound and emotions.
Meet WilliamEmily Godden
— Digital Media Production
Emily Godden splits her time between lecturing in Digital Media Production and running award-winning social enterprise Virtually There Studio, creating exhibitions, experiences and educational opportunities to benefit both the environment and personal wellbeing.
Meet EmilyRosie Axon
— Music Therapist.
After studying MA Music Therapy, Rosie Axon became Founder and Director at Chiltern Music Therapy, a not-for-profit organisation that provides music therapy to people of all ages across the UK.
Meet RosieShelley Jackson
— Illustrator.
Shelley Ann Jackson is an author, illustrator and designer of children’s books, and at ARU she is Associate Professor and Course Leader for our MA Children’s Book Illustration. Even though she teaches illustration, she also gets to use her experience with writing and design on the course, because the three are inextricably linked in children’s books.
Meet ShelleyCharlotte Quince
— English Language Teacher.
Charlotte is an English Language Teacher and a graduate of our BA (Hons) English Language and English Language Teaching. After graduating, she taught English in Taiwan at an American international school, and is currently studying towards a PGCE and QTS in Secondary English.
Meet CharlotteJade Slaughter
— Creative Content Manager.
Jade Slaughter studied both BA English Literature and MA Creative Writing at ARU, and is now Creative Content Manager for Scouts, the UK’s largest co-educational youth movement. Leading a team of content producers, they collaborate with studios and freelancers to produce digital, print, social and film content for the charity.
Meet JadeMark Pickering
— Audio and Music Technical Officer.
Mark works at ARU as a Technical Officer and part-time lecturer for Audio Music Technology. Outside of ARU he works as a video director, and audio professional in both creative and technical capacities.
Meet MarkJames Ward
— Head of Creative Industries.
James Ward is Head of School for Creative Industries at ARU. His main role is to strategically oversee the school in partnership with the Dean, and do anything that relates to management of the school in terms of education, learning and teaching, and attainment.
Meet JamesJohn Williams
— Printmaking Technical Officer
John looks after the printmaking room and equipment at Cambridge School of Art, providing technical and practical support to students, staff, AA2A artists and other visiting artists.
Meet JohnApurba Kundu
— Deputy Dean for Education
Looking after quality assurance, quality enhancement and the student experience, Dr Apurba Kundu is Deputy Dean for Education in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Meet Apurba