Hi everyone! I’m Katerina, a postgraduate Environmental Sciences student and former undergraduate Ecology student.

The postgraduate experience is undoubtedly unique. Whilst we all deal with issues ranging from educational to financial, psychological and social, postgraduate students deal with distinct difficulties that further complicate these.

Education is especially important to postgraduate students and must always be delivered to the highest standard. Whether in postgraduate research labs or MSc lectures, I want to know where there are shortcomings and focus action on these areas. This would be done through surveys and direct communication with students.

Socialising is also just as important to PG students as their UG counterparts, yet I know it can be harder for postgraduate research students to feel fully integrated into life at UEA. I will therefore make a concerted effort to create opportunities for PGR students to meet each other, while also encouraging you to join clubs and societies that interest you, as all are welcome.

I’m aware that mature students and commuting students often face scheduling issues, as there are other factors in your life affecting whether or not you can attend events on campus. I’d take it upon myself to resolve problems with academic timetables as far as possible, and PG social events will be organised around when most postgraduate students are already on campus, minimising the number of you that would be unable to come due to travelling or other commitments.  

If elected, I’ll help maintain the strong postgraduate community cultivated by Ayane over the past two years, including: trips to the city and surrounding area; coffee and cake events; pizza parties; and evening socials for those of you wanting to take part in the Norwich nightlife. There’ll be something for everyone!

Something I feel very strongly about is inclusion, and I want people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexualities and genders to feel welcomed into our community. I’d therefore want to hear from you regarding other PG events you’d like me to start, or if you felt that something was preventing you from feeling included.

Speaking of inclusion, when coming to UEA, international postgraduate students experience a new city, country, language and culture – potentially for the first time – with language being a key way in which people feel a sense of belonging. With this in mind, I’d start PG Chat to Me sessions – inspired by INTO’s Conversation Club – to help you improve your English through meeting native speakers and other international students alike.  

Crucially, I'm not an international student myself, therefore I wouldn’t make decisions alone, then enforce them. Rather, I’d want to hear from individuals from a range of backgrounds to gain knowledge on different experiences. This would inform decisions around which interventions would be most useful, allowing me to act as a channel between the SU and you.

Ultimately, not only will I be someone willing to challenge fundamental issues at UEA, but I’ll be someone you can chat to on a personal level. Let’s grab a coffee!