My name is Irene Binil, and I am currently a third year biomedical science student at the University of Kent. Most of my childhood was spent in South of India along with my family, before moving to the UK at the age of 14.
During my school years I had been at the receiving end of much stereotypical discrimination from the population I grew up with. I found this discrimination and stereotyping often came from people not having a wider knowledge or perspective to consider, and no knowledge of the community I belonged to, and most of the information available to them was very limited in representing and reflecting the values and feelings of someone from the community. These prejudices can often make a person feel alienated from the rest and misrepresented.
As a third year student in the School of Biosciences, I have been familiarised with different types of reading lists and research materials a student would be given throughout their course. A career in research, both laboratory based, and non-laboratory based, is something I would love to pursue. Research articles and books introduced to students often play the most fundamental part in their degree, helping them understand and attain professional knowledge, so this gives diversity within teaching materials a more important role.
The position and role as a Diversity Mark intern fascinated me as I came to know more about the Diversity Mark project at the University. The goals of the project to diversify course materials for students so that they are represented accurately within their interest sector, is something I would, want as a student. Ensuring equality and inclusivity in the reading lists can also help students feel welcomed, and to express their own creative ideas with the module that further helps their education. I believe it also helps raise awareness of the efforts and contributions made to different sectors by individuals from different cultural backgrounds and acknowledge the presence of diversity and equality in the subject.
As a Diversity Mark Officer, I hope I can contribute to ensuring a diverse module environment to inspire and empower students from different communities, backgrounds and culture by working alongside people who are passionate about equality and inclusivity at the university.