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Spotlight on Tim Bodley-Scott

1 October 2014

This week the spotlight is on Tim Bodley-Scott, Business Development and Marketing Officer, UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Tim Bodley-Scott

What is your role and what does it involve?

I am Business Development and Marketing Officer for UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering and also a Centre Administrator for the UCL-Cambridge CDT in Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems (www.ipes-cdt.org).

My job involves promoting and marketing all departmental teaching programmes and research activity and providing executive business development, marketing and PR support to the Director of the CDT following our successful bid for EPSRC funding renewal last November.

I organise an annual CDT industry day and a prestigious annual lecture and open day aimed at fostering new collaboration with SMEs and large corporations. I am also involved in organising public engagement and outreach activities, most recently at the Science Museum about photonics. Strategically, I am working with the Vice-Dean (Enterprise) Jane Butler and the faculty's impact team on implementing our faculty's enterprise strategy and I am co-chairing our Athena Swan Bronze Award bid.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

Since July 2011. Before that I worked for Imperial as a Postgraduate Administrator, Departmental Operations Administrator and Support Officer in the Project Management Office there.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

That's a tough one! I wrote the bid for our successful 'Engineers of the Future - University Department of the Year' award in 2012 at the European Electronics Industry Awards 'The Elektras' but even more proud of managing the successful implementation of the exclusive Cisco International Internship Programme (CIIP) for the faculty (http://myciip.com/) and partnership with Intern Silicon Valley (http://www.internsv.com/) to find exciting year-long internships for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, including via our new 2 year MSc programme that I pioneered involving a second year spent in industry.

I was recently delighted to gain Chartered Marketer status with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) following completion of a Professional Diploma, kindly supported by my department.

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list?

We are currently producing a video for school children about the importance of photonics, including the potential applications of the terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is in connection with the EPSRC Programme Grant called COTS (www.terahertzsystems.org) and will be launched during next year's UNESCO International Year of Light (http://www.light2015.org/Home.html). I believe that photonics could make the same level of impact in the 21st century as electronics made in the 20th century with exciting applications in many sectors including space, healthcare and the automotive sector to name a few.

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Album - Athlete 'Vehicles and Animals'

Film - Shadowlands (Richard Attenborough said this was his best too).

Novel - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

Probably one of Tim Vine's such as: "You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen, it said 'Parking Fine.' So that was nice."

Or 'I told my mum that I'd opened a theatre.
She said: "Are you having me on?"
I said: "Well I'll give you an audition but I'm not promising anything." 

One more: 'I was driving along in my car and my boss rang up and said: "You've been promoted."
I swerved.
Then he rang a second time and said: "You've been promoted again."
And I swerved again.
He rang a third time and said: "You're managing director!" and I went into a tree.
A policeman came up and said: "What happened to you?"
I said: "I careered off the road." 

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

Jesus and Bear Grylls. Both really inspirational people with lots of wonderful stories about life to tell.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Life is short - invest your time wisely, don't just spend it.

What would it surprise people to know about you?

I used to write speeches for the Leader and Cabinet Members of Kent County Council. I am a descendant of the Queen's doctor, Sir Ronald Bodley-Scott and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who designed the iconic red telephone box, Battersea Power station, Bankside power station (now Tate Modern) and Liverpool Cathedral and his father Sir George Gilbert Scott, known for designing the Albert Memorial and the Midland Grant Hotel (now St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel) near UCL.

What is your favourite place?

Either St Margaret's Bay near Dover or Perry Wood near Selling in Kent (http://perrywood.org.uk/).