Helena Brown

Profile

I am the lead technician for the Sorby Labs Suite and the lab manager for SSPAL (Soil, Sediment and Pollutant Analysis Laboratory) in the School of Earth and Environment.

My role in the laboratory includes:

• Supporting staff and students while accessing the facility
• Undertaking field based sampling and laboratory analysis of sediment and water column samples.
• Advising lab users on equipment use, laboratory techniques and sample analysis
• Maintaining financial records
• Purchasing laboratory equipment and consumables
• Maintaining safety documentation and advising lab users on protocols and safe laboratory working practices
• Managing communications, including lab website and twitter feed

In 2020 I won a placement to be a part of the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture Demo Team for the Planet Earth: A Users Guide lectures. I subsequently took part in ‘I’m a Scientist, Get Me Out of Here’ outreach and engagement to share my experiences at the RI, and the career path with brought me there, with school age students.

In 2021 I won the Water Woman Award for Research Support, awarded by water@Leeds.

In addition to my laboratory roles, I am also the joint Equality and Inclusion Coordinator for the School. In this position I am co-chair of the SEE E&I committee, a member of the Faculty E&I committee, and a member of the Faculty Athena SWAN self-assessment teams.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss any E&I issues, require any guidance or signposting to policy or have any best practice to share.

Responsibilities

• Lead Technician for Sorby Environmental Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
• Lab Manager for Sediment, Soil and Pollutant Analysis Laboratory
• Joint Equality and Inclusion Coordinator