Faculty of Brain Science celebrates 2021 graduates

Our virtual graduation ceremonies, which took place on 8 and 12 July, celebrated the hard work and achievements of postgraduates from across every Institute and Division from within the Faculty.

Over 600 graduates from the Ear Institute, Institute of Ophthalmology, Division of Psychiatry, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Institute of Prion Diseases, and the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences participated in the graduation ceremonies. Faculty staff were also on hand to participate and offer graduates their well wishes.

In his video message to graduates the Faculty’s Dean, Professor Alan Thompson, said: “Congratulations to you all and I hope you are immensely proud of what you have achieved. We are a global leader in research and education into the mind and brain, and home to some of the most influential and creative academics in the field. Our vision for the future is to use our world-leading expertise in brain sciences to solve some of the world’s greatest health challenges, transforming society by reducing the global burden of disease.”

“As a Faculty, we champion ‘research embedded’ education and provide opportunities for students to network and communicate the output of their research. We aim to prepare our students not only to succeed but to become the next generation of experts in brain sciences.”

Professor Thompson also touched upon the “support and resilience” shown by all graduates during the pandemic. “In these challenging times, I am particularly struck by the commitment that you have shown, not only in your studies but also in the many ways you have kept our vibrant community alive. As we have all had to adapt to challenging circumstances, your support and the resilience you have shown in the face of many unforeseen challenges have been vital,” he added.  

Alumnus Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President for AstraZeneca research and development, who studied at the Queen Square Institute of Neurology during his PhD programme in the late 1990s and early 2000s spoke at the ceremony.

“I’d like to congratulate each and every one of you on completing your graduation, your studies during an incredibly difficult and unprecedented year. I hope you look forward to the future with optimism and courage, building resilience, and taking on all the learnings from your experience to help us rebuilt what I hope will be a new normal.”

Graduates also heard from alumnus Dr Erman Misirlisoy, a neuroscience consultant and science writer based in New York. Having graduated with a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience (2014), Dr Misirlisoy, said: “the best thing about a UCL degree is that it opens many doors, people recognise and trust the institution, and you’ve been taught by some of the most impressive educators on the planet.”

“A huge congratulations to all of you, I am super excited for the next chapter you are about to begin,” said Dr Misirlisoy.

Links

• UCL Ear Institute
• UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
• UCL Division of Psychiatry
• UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
• Institute of Prion Diseases
• UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences
• Graduation website 2021