Dr Fouzia Khan - Senior Teaching Fellow

Dr Fouzia Khan is one of the module leaders on the postgraduate programme in Genes, Drugs and Stem Cells - Novel Therapies. She tells us about her area of research and her career highlights to date.

Fouzia Khan

What is your role at NHLI?

I am the senior teaching fellow for the MSc Genes, Drugs and Stem Cells – Novel Therapies, having joined Imperial in January 2019. I am also the co-module lead for the Evidence, Information and Communication module and support the coordination of teaching and assessments on the programme.


What is your research about?

Even though my role as a senior teaching fellow does not require for me to conduct any research, I would like to contribute to the development of new teaching approaches and general pedagogic research that can bring new insights to the course and to the NHLI as a whole. We share teaching practice across the NHLI and any pedagogy research will benefit the department to ensure all teaching delivered is of the highest quality and intellectually challenging.
 

What have been the highlights of your career path so far?

There have been many highlights, but the best one is the interaction with my students and seeing the alumni go on to have amazing careers. I also love working with outstanding academics across NHLI and developing long-term collaborations with them. 
 

What led you to choosing your career in this particular field?

My background is in Neuropharmacology. During my PhD, I taught undergraduate students which developed my enthusiasm and interest in teaching. Before my current role, I was teaching at UCL on the MSc of Pharmacy and on the MSc Drug Discovery programme.  
 

What is your favourite part of your role at NHLI?

I love that there is always something new to learn. I consider myself very fortunate to work within the NHLI as it supports different postgraduate programmes, giving me the opportunity to work alongside different colleagues. Together we contribute to the enhancement of quality in teaching.

What advice would you give yourself as a young person about to start your career?

You’ll need to have a PhD in a relevant science degree to start teaching in higher education. During the time of your PhD, try to make the most of as many opportunities to teach undergraduates and postgraduate students and also supervise any research projects. It’s worth taking time and gaining as much experience teaching at University level. I would have also completed my Postgraduate Certificate in University Learning and Teaching much earlier, as this equips you with skills to enhance teaching and student's learning.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in the world of academia or science?

I would love to work in the travel industry. I love exploring new places and cities, and enjoy learning about the history of other cultures. 


What advice would you give to students considering joining NHLI?

NHLI is an exciting place to study for your postgraduate degree with friendly and supportive people. You will learn from and interact with world-class academics, and develop skills and knowledge within the fields of cardiovascular and respiratory health. 

 

 

Find out more about the course