Ashley Bedeau

What is you job role and how long have you worked at UCL? 

I am currently Facilities Senior Administrator, I’ve been working in the Computer Science department for 2 and a half years. Prior to joining Computer Science I worked for 3 years in the School of Pharmacy.

What do you do in your role?

My main responsibility is to maintain the smooth running of the facilities services across the Computer Science department’s UCL footprint.

This encompasses everything from logging building issues and raising maintenance requests, procurement of office furniture, ordering office consumables, arranging staff and student building access and keys, working on moves projects etc.

It’s a wide ranging role and usually no two days are the same.

What’s the best thing about working in the Computer Science department? 

The people! I work within an extremely dedicated and supportive team and have been helped numerous times by colleagues across the department.

What things do you wish you’d known before starting your career?

To be honest, I’m not sure what I’d wish I’d known. I do wish that I was a more assertive early on in my career and that I stood up for myself more than I did. I think I was definitely too passive in my younger years.

What advice do you have for people who want to do what you do?

Be prepared to do a lot of chasing! Unfortunately, a substantial part of my week is spent chasing up on the progress of things like service requests, repairs, access etc. It can be a bit tiring sending dozens of emails and not hearing anything back!

What’s the best thing about your job?

I like how varied it is and how often it makes me have to problem solve.

What does equity mean to you?

To me equity is to consider the unique challenges, obstacles and difficulties facing a specific group and to work to redress them to ensure that group is on the same level playing field, and has the same opportunities as everyone else.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

That’s a tough one! I can’t think of any single piece of advice that I’ve been given that is better than any other. My family has always reiterated the importance of self-belief, which is something I have been going back to recently.

Who inspires you and why?

My parents have been a big inspiration throughout my life. They both came to England when they were children and have worked hard to succeed despite all the racism and discrimination they faced.

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

That’s a great question! I would still like to be working in HE in five years. I would also like to be involved in helping widen participation in HE and to make sure that under privileged and underrepresented groups are afforded the same opportunities as their peers.