Author: Maxime Chautemps
Artist: Si Chen
Editor: Samuel Durston
Another year, another Rep Elections week: a vital opportunity for students to choose who will represent them for the next academic year. In order to provide our members with more information on their candidates who could be representing them, and to hear about themselves in their own words, Kinesis Magazine reached out for comment from 175 different candidates, each bidding to be a rep for either what we considered a STEAM (STEM + Arts) faculty, Student Trustees, Welfare Reps, and/or Societies Rep.
This feature will introduce the candidates in their own words. In a time where much is changing in higher education, these students’ voices and votes will shape the focus of the Students’ Union, and what futures are possible at UCL.
Unfortunately, we contacted the candidates late on Saturday the 17th of October. This gave the candidates only a day to get back to us in time to publish this the Monday of election week. Only 28 out of 175 candidates were able to get back to us. Despite this, we still received a sizeable number of responses, especially compared to our coverage last year. We really appreciate the time that candidates took to reply to us, and the effort they put into their responses. Thank you for trusting Kinesis with presenting your campaigns.
These were the questions we asked each candidate:
- What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
- What do you have planned should you win your election?
- What would you like to do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard?
- Will you be able to state what you plan to do for the upcoming year and how you intend to work with your departments or societies to lead change on and around campus?
- If you were to miss Zone meetings and discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? If so, how would you do this?
As we still received a significant number of responses, we will be publishing across several articles, and we recommend finding those covering the elections that most concern you. Make sure to cast your votes following the link below!
https://studentsunionucl.org/election/rep-elections-2026
Faculty of Population Health Sciences
Candidate respondees: Joyce Zheng, Henry Osei, Vaibhavi Mande, Siddiq Shirgaonkar, Michael Obiajunwa
Candidate: Joyce Zheng
1. What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
I am running for the Faculty of Population Health Sciences PGT Rep, studying MSc Global Healthcare Management (Analytics) at the UCL Global Business School for Health.
2. What do you have planned should you win your election?
My plans are directly shaped by the specific issues I’ve heard from students this term:
- Streamline information flow: Important notices often get lost in scattered emails. I want to push the faculty to review how information is sent so students don’t miss out.
- Improve career support: Some students told me that 1-on-1 career consultations felt too generic, and advisors didn’t fully understand the nuances of the health sector. Additionally, the current career sharing events held within the faculty do not have guests with backgrounds that are well-matched to the students‘. More students from FHPS would like to learn about the experiences of those with a business background entering the healthcare field. I will push for better alignment between career advisors and our specific industry needs.
- Address campus logistics: A number of students complained that some of their sessions are set in a remote area, but the shuttle bus doesn’t stop at our east campus. I will push the faculty to either adjust the course location or add a shuttle stop for our campus.
3. What you would like to do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard?
For students with quantitative and business backgrounds navigating the medical field, practical support is often the biggest barrier. By establishing a fixed weekly drop-in (online and offline), I will actively seek out these students, gather their feedback, and ensure their specific academic and career needs are represented in faculty meetings.
4. Will you be able to state what you plan to do for the upcoming year and how you intend to work with your departments or societies to lead change on and around campus?
My plan for the upcoming year is to act as a bridge. Because PGT students only have one year, I will lead change as soon as I can.
First, I will use my weekly drop-in sessions and my own observations to collect real issues (like the shuttle bus and career support gaps). Second, I will organise these points and bring them to the Faculty Teaching Committees. Third, I will not just say “I raised it”—I will post a short update after every meeting so students know exactly what happened.
Ultimately, my bigger goal is to strengthen the sense of belonging across the whole Faculty. I will do this by organising cross-faculty events and pushing for more interaction across the whole Faculty—not just within individual departments—so students actually feel they are part of a wider community. If an issue is out of the Faculty’s hands (like the shuttle bus), I will collaborate with societies and the SU to escalate it to the right university departments.
5. If you were to miss Zone meetings and discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? If so, how would you do this?
Absolutely. Accountability is the foundation of this role. If I miss a meeting, I would review the minutes, consult with other reps who attended, and immediately update my constituents. I would also use my weekly drop-in sessions to transparently explain any absences and ensure no student voice is lost as a result.
Candidate: Henry Osei
1. What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
I am pursuing an MSc in Cardiovascular Science in the Faculty of Population Health Sciences.
2. What do you have planned should you win your election?
If elected, I will focus on strengthening academic and professional support for postgraduate students, improving communication between the student body and faculty leadership, and fostering stronger cross-disciplinary collaborations within STEAM (STEM + Arts) fields.
3. What you would like to do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard.
To ensure STEAM students’ voices are properly represented, I plan to establish regular feedback channels, host open student forums, and maintain close contact with departmental and society representatives to bring pressing student concerns directly to decision-makers.
4. Will you be able to state what you plan to do for the upcoming year and how you intend to work with your departments or societies to lead change on and around campus.
Yes, I am fully committed to outlining a clear roadmap for the year and working collaboratively with academic departments and student societies to drive impactful, positive changes across campus.
5. If you were to miss Zone meetings and discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? If so, how would you do this?
Absolutely. Accountability is essential for this role. If I were ever unable to attend a Zone meeting, I would ensure I thoroughly review the meeting minutes, coordinate with fellow reps beforehand to voice key student issues, and follow up promptly with a transparent update.
Candidate: Vaibhavi Mande
1. What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
I am currently studying MSc Global Healthcare Management (Leadership) at UCL Global Business School for Health.
2. What do you have planned should you win your election.
If I get elected, I plan to understand student experiences by engaging with them through informal conversations, feedback opportunities, and discussions with course representatives.
3. What you would like to do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard.
I believe meaningful representation begins with listening to students. I would identify common concerns and communicate them constructively. I would also include perspectives that may not always be heard in discussions and take it up to the relevant staff and Students Union.
4. Will you be able to state what you plan to do for the upcoming year and how you intend to work with your departments or societies to lead change on and around campus.
Over the upcoming year, I plan to make student representation more collaborative and accessible. I would use departmental meetings and Student’s Union channels to discuss concerns and explore practical solutions. I also aim to collaborate with relevant societies to organise interdisciplinary discussions or events that encourage the exchange of ideas and connect learning with wider healthcare challenges.
5. If you were to miss Zone meetings and discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? If so, how would you do this?
I recognise that attending Zone meetings and discussions is an important responsibility. If I were unable to attend a meeting, I would take responsibility by informing the relevant people in advance where possible, obtaining the meeting updates and following up on any actions relevant to my role.
Candidate: Siddiq Shirgaonkar
1. What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
I’m running for Faculty Representative for the Faculty of Population Health Sciences (FPHS) at UCL. I’m part of the MSc Health Data Science (HDS) programme.
2. What do you have planned should you win your election?
First of all celebrate. Also, my main priorities are to improve the academic experience, interdependent collaboration, and help students make the most of their time at UCL.
I’d like to explore initiatives such as peer-to-peer learning sessions, student-led workshops, and hackathons where students can share practical skills and learn from one another. Since our cohort comes from different academic and professional backgrounds, these activities could help us learn from each other’s strengths and support those who need help with particular topics.
Additionally, I’d also like to encourage networking and career-related opportunities that connect students with researchers, professionals, and potential employers. I hope to work with faculty staff to communicate student feedback, identify gaps in academic support, and follow up on issues raised by the cohort.
Also, plan a few fun events to dial down and relax 🙂
3. What would you do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard?
I believe good representation starts with listening, henceforth I’d try my best to create opportunities for students to share their concerns, whether through informal conversations, group discussions, or feedback collected from the cohort.
I’d make an effort to hear from students with different backgrounds and experiences, including those who may not feel comfortable speaking up in larger groups and then communicate recurring concerns clearly to the relevant faculty staff and follow up to understand what action can be taken.
My approach would be to listen without making assumptions, consider different perspectives, and work collaboratively towards practical solutions. I may not always have an immediate answer, but I’d be willing to investigate an issue and find out where students can get the support they need.
4. What do you plan to do over the upcoming year, and how will you work with departments or societies to lead change on and around campus?
Over the coming year, I wish to focus on three areas: academic support, student collaboration, and career development.
- Academic support: Work with faculty staff to gather feedback on teaching and identify areas where students may need additional support, particularly given the different academic backgrounds within our cohort.
- Student collaboration: Explore peer-learning sessions, student-led workshops, and hackathons that allow students to share knowledge and develop practical skills.
- Networking and careers: Work with relevant departments, societies, and student groups to promote events, networking opportunities, and activities that connect students with the wider health, data science, and technology communities.
I’d also encourage students to share ideas for activities they would like to see on campus. Rather than assuming what students need, I would gather their suggestions, discuss what is feasible with the relevant people, and communicate progress back to the cohort.
Also, for my own selfish reasons, I’m particularly interested in entrepreneurship and innovation, for which I’d take this opportunity to develop more of leadership skills. Moreover, the plan would be to create opportunities to work with societies and other student representatives on initiatives that bring people together across disciplines.
5. If you were to miss Zone meetings and discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? If so, how?
Yes. I believe being a representative means taking responsibility for the role, including attending meetings, contributing to discussions, and communicating decisions back to the students I represent.
I’ll plan my schedule to prioritise meetings and give advance notice if I cannot attend. If I had to miss a meeting, I would catch up on the minutes and discussions, follow up with the relevant representatives, and make sure I understood any decisions or actions that required my input. I’ll try my best to keep track of commitments and follow up on outstanding issues rather than allowing them to be forgotten.
Candidate: Michael Obiajunwa
1. What faculty are you running for? What is your department and degree?
I’m Michael, currently studying MSc Health Data Science at UCL’s Institute of Health Informatics. I’m running to represent postgraduate taught students in the Faculty of Population Health Sciences.
2. What do you have planned should you win your election?
One of my biggest priorities is employability and career development. I believe many of us are concerned not just about completing our degrees, but about what comes afterwards.
If elected, I’d like to work with UCL Careers, faculty staff and student societies to push for better access to internships, research opportunities, networking events and career guidance.
I’m also passionate about improving communication between students and the faculty, particularly when it comes to academic support and concerns that students may not always feel comfortable raising.
3. What would you do to ensure STEAM students’ voices are heard?
For me, representation starts with listening. I don’t think it’s enough to assume we know what students need without actually asking them.
I’d like to build relationships with course representatives, student societies and students across different disciplines. Whether through informal conversations, feedback forms or regular check-ins, I want students to feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns.
More importantly, I want to make sure those concerns are followed up, rather than simply acknowledged and forgotten.
4. What do you plan to do over the coming year, and how will you work with departments or societies to lead change?
I’d start by understanding the issues students are facing across the faculty and identifying which ones we can realistically address.
From there, I’d work with relevant departments, societies, and the Students’ Union to explore practical solutions. For example, collaborating with STEAM-related societies on career events, connecting students with research opportunities, and advocating for improvements to academic support.
I know change doesn’t happen overnight, and I certainly won’t promise to solve every problem. But I do believe that consistent communication, collaboration, and follow-through can make a difference.
5. If you missed Zone meetings or discussions, would you hold yourself accountable? How?
Absolutely. If I’m elected, students are trusting me to represent their interests, and I believe that comes with responsibility.
If I were unable to attend a meeting, I’d communicate this in advance wherever possible, review the meeting minutes afterwards and follow up on any decisions or discussions relevant to the students I represent.
I’d also make sure important concerns were communicated ahead of the meeting so that students’ voices weren’t lost simply because I couldn’t attend.
Ultimately, accountability means being transparent, acknowledging when you’ve fallen short and making the effort to put things right.